The Diary of Anne Frank, Season 64, 2025

“The Diary of Anne Frank” by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett

Directed by Lisa Naig

In a small attic above an office building, eight frightened Dutch residents are forced into hiding by the Nazi invasion of Amsterdam.  If discovered, they face imprisonment and death.  Told through the eyes of a young girl, The Diary of Anne Frank is a true story of hope and resilience against overwhelming oppression.  Over the course of two years in hiding, Anne will come of age, laugh, quarrel with her family, experience her first love, and somehow continue to believe that “in spite of everything, people are truly good at heart.” Her story is as inspirational and relevant today as the day it was written.

Troy Gould as Mr. Frank.  Troy decided to join MCT for another show.  He previously performed in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and recently did a one act show called “The Gravedigger.”  Troy has been doing theater for a long time and has participated in approximately 30 shows since 2015 in Des Moines and surrounding areas.  Some of his favorite performances are “My Fair Lady,” “Of Mice and Men,” “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” and “It’s A Wonderful Life.”  Other than loving to be on stage, he enjoys spending time riding his bike and watching NFL Football with his two cats, Lex and Tigger.

Tammy Sposeto as Mrs. Frank. Tammy is a first time MCT actress but has plenty of experience with other performances.  She has performed with DSM Playhouse, Tall Grass, Ankeny, Altoona, Pella and Newton.  A few of her favorite roles have been Truvy in “Steel Magnolias,” Cory in “Barefoot in the Park” and Jinx in “Savannah Sipping Society.” Tammy’s other roles include being the Acting President of the Iowa Community Theater Association and Facilitator for the Des Moines Writers Connection.  She is employed at Burke Corporation as an Executive Administration Assistant.  When she’s not busy being busy, she spends time with her 6 grandkids and loves to paint.

Amber Sorenson as Margot Frank. Welcome back, Amber, to MCT stage! Amber comes to us from a family full of performers.  Their mom and dad both are in the show with them.  Amber has been in many shows with MCT Kids’ Acting Academy including “The Music Man,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Into the Woods,” and “Elf Jr the Musical” twice! They are attending Marshalltown High School for their final year as a Senior.  They enjoy their time outside of theater by performing Color Guard and Drama with MHS.  They also adore spending quality time with their two cats, Willy and Queso.

Naysa Rottink as Anne Frank. Naysa is in 8th grade and attends Miller Middle School.  She enjoys participating in Cross Country, Soccer, Track and Choir.  This is Naysa’s second show with us.  Her first being “Elf Jr. the Musical.” Naysa brings many years of stage experience with the Missoula Children’s Theatre participating in “Snow White” and “Rumplestiltskin.” She also participated in MCT’s Kids’ Acting Academy in “The Music Man.” Naysa enjoys reading, running, watching movies and spending time with her dog, Molly.

Stacy Heil as Mr. Van Daan. Stacy is a veteran of the MCT stage and has done many performances and has directed some shows too!  He has acted in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Evil Dead the Musical,” and “Into the Woods.” He directed “Jack the Ripper: Monster of White Chapel,” and “County Line Road.” He spends his time participating in the Marshalltown Men’s Chorus, the Barbershop Quartet m-tunes, and gaming with his two cats, Queso and Willy.

Stacie Sorenson as Mrs. Van Daan.  Stacie is a long-time performer with MCT and has joined us once again for this show.  She has previously performed in: “Godspell,” “Dracula the Musical,” “The Laramie Project,” and “The Drowning Girls.” Outside of theater she works at the Iowa Veterans Home and is the Event Coordinator for the local chapter of Free Mom Hugs.  She has a vast library of books, loves to read, writes and also has two furry friends, Queso and Willy.

Rhys Wilbanks as Peter Van Daan.  Rhys is a first timer to the MCT stage but has previously performed with Marshalltown High School in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” She is a Junior at the High School and also participates in the Choir and Drama program. She has a cat named Loki and loves to sing.

Tyler Lillibridge as Mr. Jan Dussel.  Tyler has been with MCT for the past 3 years.  He works from home telemarketing, spends time with his two cats, and plays video games.  He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Lydia, who got him involved in theater.  His past theater experiences include “As Bees in Honey Drown,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “Impromptu.”

Nicole Jensen as Miep Gies. Welcome back to the stage Nicole! She is a longtime performer and has directed for MCT in the past.  Her favorite shows are: “Jack the Ripper: Monster of White Chapel,” and “Then There Were None,” “The Charitable Sisterhood of the Second Trinity Victory Church,” “Gift of the Magi.” She directed “The Butler Did It,” “Evil Dead the Musical,” and “God of Carnage.” She is the Program Director for R.E.M. Iowa Developmental Services.  When she is not helping with theater she spends her time cooking, reading and spending time with her three pets, Butters, Cake and Weezer.

Sammuel Wilder as Mr. Kraler. Sam has been a part of MCT for many years and is back for another show! He has previously performed in “Yippee Ki Yay Merry Christmas,” “Elf Jr. The Musical,” and “Ramona Quimby” for MCT. He has also performed for Marshalltown High School and Miller Middle School in “Brothers Grimm,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “Macbeth,” “Charlotte’s Web,” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Sam works at the Marshalltown Fareway in the meat department and is jumpstarting his career to be a rapper.  He also loves to play Dungeons and Dragons and is attending Marshalltown Community College to get his Associate of Arts Degree.