Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another
"I want to go on living even after my death!" - Anne Frank
This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a production of The Diary of Anne Frank. Going into the show, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had always felt drawn to Anne and the members of the Secret Annex. Ever since I was in third grade and I picked up her diary, I knew that I wanted to tell her story to the masses. I believe her tragic life is one that everyone should hear. It's real and universal. However, once we were cast the question that was on all of our minds was: "How are a group of teenagers going to portray something as real as Anne Frank's life?" We wanted to do it justice and with that in mind, we embarked on a month long journey that changed my life.
Empathy. It is a word that we have all heard before in our lives once or twice. Whether it be in a biology class or amongst our friends, to have empathy for someone or something is what makes us human. From day one, our director made sure that each and every one of us had empathy for these people and their situation. He wanted to ensure that we felt this play in our hearts and that this wasn't just some little production that we were putting on. We were performing a tribute to the members of the Secret Annex and to all of the survivors of the Holocaust. This was a tall order. I can honestly say though, that on closing night, all of us said goodbye to Anne Frank with love and respect in our hearts. So, how does one utilize empathy in performing and in real life? Also, what does empathy mean to them? Here are some quotes from the actors and actresses who participated in the show:
"To me, empathy is not only being able to understand one’s emotions but also to feel the same because of that understanding. You do not even need to experience the same event as another person to share those feelings. Empathy means opening yourself, breaking down the walls that you have and allowing yourself to soak up someone else’s feelings, whether it be happy, sad, angry, etc. It’s the most human thing a person can do.
I actually didn’t know what empathy was until my acting coach taught it to me. Because of my strained relationship with my father, I grew up believing that you should be selfish. Like most kids, I was told to never cry. What I didn’t understand is that building these walls was straining. Because of empathy, I can just let go. Because of empathy, I’m happy now!" - Brittany Franke
During this summer I participated in exercises that only brought me closer to Anne. We would engage in improvisation scenarios that helped us imagine the pain these people were forced to endure. One exercise in particular that will forever stay with me is when we all were placed in chairs facing one another. These chairs symbolized the train that took the people of the Holocaust to the concentration camps. On the train was the Frank family, the Van Daans, Mr. Dussel and other families who were clinging on for dear life. Then, a man came in (our director) and shouted that it was time to get off the train. We were separated and barked at, degrading us until we were nothing. We were ripped apart from our family members. I did not see Lauren, the girl who was playing the role, but Mrs. Frank clinging onto her children for dear life. At the end of the exercise we stepped back, thanked our characters for letting us feel their emotions and reflected on the experience. There were multiple improvs that were like this, but they were necessary for the production. You might wonder, how does one not emotionally drain themselves every night while performing? Well this is where the "Scott Johnson" method comes into play.
The "Scott Johnson" method is a technique that our director came up with after years of acting and directing. Studying under Stella Adler at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he created a technique that blends Adler's mottos and his take on empathy. One of the actors explains the technique as:
"If I had to describe the Scott Johnson technique, it'd have to be... taking 'method' acting, and using a dummy 'self' to experience the character's emotions, if that makes sense? The idea is to use empathy to connect with a character and better portray their story, while still being able to create that distance that protects the actor from harmful aftereffects." - Gunner Yoder
"It is empathy without pain." - Paxton Tomooka
Most kids spent their summer at the beach or on vacation with their family, but I got to spend my summer with a group of talented kids who all had one goal: Honor the Frank family and tell their story to whoever would come to listen. Every person that came to see the show left with a higher knowledge and appreciation for the members of the Secret Annex. At the end of the show, no one clapped. As Scott put it "This is too big for applause." We didn't put on this production for applause. We performed this piece so people could be aware of the travesties that happened in this world and so we can act on the bigotry that is happening in our country today. Anne's story is important and I think everyone should at some point in their life, pick up a copy of her diary. Maybe in doing so, we can all gain a deeper understanding of empathy. We can all open ourselves to her life and feel the joy and sadness that she endured and in the process, learn more about our own lives. The girl who played Anne Frank in our production sums it up best:
"Being able to play Anne Frank was such an honor. I got the opportunity to get to know her and understand her like I never would in a classroom. Through the play I gained a much deeper understanding of the horrors she went through, and how it must have felt, and because of that I could appreciate and admire her strength and optimism so much more. I was given the opportunity to bring her to life and show the audience what I loved so much about her. I was able to try and make her story real to the audience, rather than just words on a page. It was an unforgettable opportunity, probably the most important thing I've ever done, and has changed my life for the better in every way." - Tatum Ball
Thank you, Anne, for allowing me to spend the summer with you.
"I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart." - Anne Frank
