6th -14th March 2010. Bookings at the Court Theatre. Repertory Theatre, Kilmore Street, Christchurch

Rachel Walsh who plays Miep Gies in The Diary of Anne Frank tells us that it seemed as though the spirit of Miep miraculously touched the performers at the first rehearsal of the play. Miep Gies had just died at the age of 100.

Miep was the woman who so courageously helped the Frank family to stay in hiding. She gathered up Anne's scattered diary pages after the Frank family was arrested and sent to concentration camps. She said she never read them. She respected the teenager's privacy. Also, if she had read them, she may have had to burn them because they possibly would have incriminated those who helped the Franks. Although Miep never wanted to be known as a hero she was one. She gave the diary to Otto Frank after the war and of course, the rest is history.

Without Miep Gies we would not have known Anne's story.

Repertory is indeed proud to be presenting this prize- winning play, lovingly adapted from the diary. It is directed by Robert Gilbert and designed by Rebecca Jane Novick Goldstein.

The audition was large. Anne's voice most certainly continues to resonate with young girls. Thirty applied to audition for this lead role.

A superb team of actors has been cast.

Anne Frank: Rosanna Hewson

Otto Frank: Brian Sullivan

Edith Frank: Learne McArthur

Margot Frank: Margot Gray

Miep Gies: Rachel Walsh

Peter Van Daan: Calum Fisher

Mr. Kraler: Russell Haig

Mrs. Van Daan: Naomi Ferguson

Mr. Van Daan: John Ashton

Mr. Dussel: Terry Regan

Rosanna Hewson who plays Anne is very excited. She says that Anne is her heroine. "I think of the miracle of Anne's story coming to light for us to share".

And then there's the miraculous Anne Frank Travelling Exhibition which will be at Te Papa at the same time as Repertory's play is running. The exhibition will come to Christchurch in 2011.

The exhibition introduces visitors to the events leading up to World War 2 and the government directed killing of Jews, Gypsies, the disabled, Slavs and others. The exhibit depicts individuals who chose to join the Nazi party and become perpetrators, those who were bystanders as well as those who were willing to resist the Nazi tyranny.

The main focus though, is anti-Semitism and of course the Frank family and the other occupants of the Secret Annexe. The Diary of Anne Frank at Repertory is a story of hope. "I keep my ideals because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart", said Anne.

Her smiling spirit is always on the move and continues to touch the conscience of the world.