The Ghosts on Central Avenue: Why Anne Frank’s Story Still Rattles St. Pete
There is a specific kind of quiet that settles over West St. Pete when the sun dips low—a brief pause between the beach-bound traffic and the evening rush. It’s in this pocket, at freeFall Theatre, where a story we’ve collectively "learned to death" is being resurrected with a jarring, local urgency.
History has a way of becoming academic. We read the diary entries in middle school, we see the grainy photos, and eventually, the edges of the human experience get smoothed over by the distance of decades. But the "human heartbeat" of the arts is meant to disrupt that comfort. Starting April 10, freeFall is leaning into the grit of memory with And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank.
The Local Pulse: A Family Affair
This isn't just another touring production being plopped onto a Florida stage. It is an ensemble-driven piece that hits close to home, headlined by real-life Tampa Bay siblings David B. Friedman and Noa Friedman.
Seeing a brother and sister portray lives shattered by the Holocaust adds a visceral layer of "what if" to the performance. In a region where "community" can sometimes feel like a buzzword for real estate developers, seeing a prominent local theater family handle this weight feels like an act of communal processing. They aren't just actors hitting marks; they are neighbors reminding us that these weren't just figures in a book—they were teenagers with siblings, boyfriends, and unceremonious ends.
This gallery offers a closer look at freeFall Theatre's evocative production, highlighting the powerful interplay between the live ensemble and the historical figures they portray. From intimate character moments to the striking use of multimedia scenic design, these images capture the emotional weight of this "living history" play. Photo credit: Thee Photo Ninja.
Breaking the Third Wall of History
Directed by Eric Davis, the production refuses to let the audience play the role of passive observer. It’s a multimedia collision:
- The Living Record: The play integrates videotaped interviews with survivors Ed Silverberg (Anne’s first boyfriend) and Eva Schloss (who lived in Anne's same building).
- The Mirror: While the digital survivors recount the betrayal and the hiding, live actors recreate those memories on stage.
- The "Grit": It moves between oral history and direct address, stripping away the "corporate" polish of big-budget theater to focus on the raw mechanics of survival.
Why it Matters Now
We live in an era of "stunning" and "must-see" fluff, but this production targets something sharper. By pairing the recorded voices of those who actually walked the streets of Amsterdam with the live energy of St. Pete creators, freeFall is building a show that feels uncomfortably relevant.
It asks a question that resonates far beyond the 1940s: what happens to a community when the "quiet" is broken by the sound of people being taken away?
If You Go
- The Run: April 10 – May 17, 2026.
- The Logistics: Performances are at 6099 Central Avenue, with matinees at 2pm and evenings at 7pm.
- The Access: Tickets are $55, youth tickets are $25