Review: Dramaworks' premiere a searing, relevant take on the Anne Frank story

Palm Beach Dramaworks has returned to the art and business of creating theater with the world premiere of “The People Downstairs,” a compelling drama about the helpers who hid Anne Frank, her family and others in Amsterdam during World War II.

Commissioned by Palm Beach Dramaworks from an idea by producing artistic director William Hayes, and written by South Florida playwright Michael McKeever, “The People Downstairs” begins on a rainy July morning in 1942 when the Frank family goes into hiding in the secret annex in the industrial building where Otto Frank works. The central character is Miep Gies, (Amy Miller Brennan) who serves as both protagonist and narrator, as the structure of the play allows Gies to voice her inner monologue to the audience.

>>Welcome back: 'People Downstairs' reopens Dramaworks

Miep’s fellow helpers are office workers: head of the company Victor Kraler (Tom Wahl); company manager Johann Koophius (Dennis Creaghan); and Miep’s husband, Henk (Bruce Linser), who are all steadfast in their mission to save the Franks and their friends from almost certain death.

The dissenter in the group of helpers is Sam Visser (McKeever) who goes along with the plan but with many reservations.

As months of hiding turn into years, the burden of keeping the secret and the responsibility of keeping the eight Jews in hiding alive takes a physical, emotional and mental toll on the helpers, as they watch their Jewish friends and neighbors not in hiding disappear, while also witnessing violent acts perpetrated on Amsterdam’s Jewish citizens.

The entire production is top-notch. Michael Amico’s multi-level set and Brian O’Keefe’s costumes transport the audience back to the 1940s. Roger Arnold’s sound design and Kirk Bookman’s lighting design enhances the tension and heightens the danger surrounding the characters.

Under Hayes’ taut direction, the cast delivers solid performances. McKeever is appropriately annoying as high-strung Visser. Wahl imbues Kraler with sober stoicism. Matthew W. Korinko plays several roles to menacing perfection. Creaghan is moving as grandfatherly Koophius. John Campagnuolo ably plays several roles, including a warehouse worker and a young Jew in need of a hiding place. Linser plays Henk with urgency and has real chemistry with Miller Brennan. They share one of the most dramatic scenes in the play, clinging to each other in the office as terror rages on the street below.

Miller Brennan, best known for musical roles, steps into a rare dramatic part and excels. Her portrayal of Miep Gies is poignant, beautifully conveying her character’s dedication and, later, her overwhelming fight to hold on to hope in the face of increasing hopelessness.

With “The People Downstairs,” McKeever has accomplished the difficult task of crafting a play that is suspenseful, even though the fate of those in hiding is well known. And while the events in “The People Downstairs” took place nearly 80 years ago, the persecution of certain ethnicities and hatred wrapped up in nationalism are eerily relevant. It’s a winning return to the stage for Palm Beach Dramaworks.

If You Go

“The People Downstairs” runs through Dec. 19, at Palm Beach Dramaworks, 201 Clematis St., West Palm Beach

For tickets and more information, or details on the venue’s COVID-19 protocol, call 561-514-4042 or visit PalmBeachDramaworks.org

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Review: Palm Beach Dramaworks 'People Downstairs' tells wrenching, relevant tale