Variety reports that Patinkin will appear as Sid Silver in the play, which is inspired by real events surrounding Meyer Levin's battle to have his adaptation of "The Diary of Anne Frank" produced on stage. As previously reported, Eustis will stage the co-production with Berkeley Rep.

The trade paper also reveals new dates of production for the Yale premiere, which are now Jan. 29-Feb. 28, 2010, prior to a West Coast bow at Berkeley Rep and a subsequent transfer to the Public Theater Off-Broadway.

According to Yale Rep notes, "Sid Silver wants nothing more than to bring Anne Frank's story to an American audience, and he believes he's the right man to translate the young girl's diary and adapt it for the stage. But his passion spirals into a lifelong obsession when a New York publishing house reveals its own plans for what would become one of the most powerful and enduring documents of the 20th century."

Patinkin earned a Tony Award for his performance as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita and was nominated in 1984 for his starring role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George. His numerous stage appearances also include The Secret Garden, The Tempest, Falsettos, Leave It to Beaver is Dead, Hamlet, Trelawney of the 'Wells,' The Shadow Box, The Split and Savages. Among his screen credits are "Yentl," "The Princess Bride," "Dick Tracy," "Chicago Hope," "Criminal Minds" and "Dead Like Me."