The Broadway production of The Dairy of Anne Frank plans to hit the road in the summer of 1999, as first reported in Variety and confirmed by a spokesman at The Publicity Office, which reps the show. Furthermore, actress Linda Lavin will most likely leave the Broadway production in mid-July. Natalie Portman, who plays Anne, will leave the show after the May 31 performance, as previously announced. She will be replaced by Natalie Paulding, best known as Susan Lucci's daughter Bianca on the TV soap opera "All My Children." Among the tour's first stops will be Los Angeles; San Francisco; Denver; Toronto; Vancouver; Washington DC; Philadelphia; Chicago; New Haven, CT; Palm Beach, FL. and Fort Lauderdale, FL. No casting for the road show has been announced.
The Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett drama was revived at the Music Box Theatre on Dec. 4, 1997. James Lapine directed the production, which, in an adaptation by Wendy Kesselman, included much new material intended to introduce darker elements of the Frank story omitted from the original 1955 production.
-- By Robert Simonson