Savannah Jewish Federation stages one-act play about Anne Frank and Emmett Till

When it comes to uncomfortable conversations, silence seems to be the easiest response. It’s also the most dangerous.

Rather than embrace this silence, the Savannah Jewish Federation invites the community to have a conversation about racial intolerance, religious persecution and the price of indifference in its upcoming production of “Anne and Emmett,” an 80-minute one-act play about an imagined conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till.

“It's very easy for us to look at other people and think of what divides us, but there is so much that connects us to humanity,” SJF Program Coordinator Michelle Allan said.

Written by Janet Langhart Cohen, civil rights advocate and the first Black woman in America to host a nationally syndicated show, “Anne and Emmett” imagines a discussion by the title characters about their differences when they meet in a land called “Memory.” There, they also find a few striking similarities in their tragically short lives. Most notably, the pair discover just how much damage intolerance and indifference can cause.

While most people are familiar with Frank, many aren’t as familiar with Till. While visiting family in Mississippi in 1955, Till was accused of whistling at Carolyn Bryant, a white woman working at a local grocery store. Upon hearing the accusations, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam kidnapped, tortured and murdered Till, then dumped his body in the Tallahatchie River. Both men were tried and acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury, then went on to sell their story to a magazine, bragging about committing the crime. In 2017, Duke University historian Timothy B. Tyson wrote that Carolyn Bryant admitted to him that she had lied on the witness stand.

Till’s murder and funeral sparked a new phase in the Civil Rights movement.

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Play aims to help young people and adults have difficult conversations

With a minimal set and only five cast members, SJF’s production aims to contribute to an ongoing conversation about bigotry, racial intolerance, religious persecution and the price of indifference. Among the cast of conversants onstage is Ashleigh “A. Jae” Michele as Mamie Till, Samuel Gelman as Otto Frank and Chip Lane as J.W. Milam.

Emmett Till will be played by Austin Bradford, and Anne Frank will be played by Sophia Sutton. According to Allan, Director Joanna Walchuk has described these two young leads as having a “palpable innocence” that highlights just how young Frank and Till were when their lives were tragically cut short. Allan said this is particularly noticeable during a scene in which Anne asks Emmett to light a candle, prompting him to reflect on the last time he experienced this simple action on his 14th and final birthday.

As the moment comes to life onstage, the emotional power of the performing arts becomes evident.

“I think the performing arts are a great teaching tool for those uncomfortable conversations or those conversations that a lot of adults might not want to have or don't feel equipped to have,” Allan said.

SJF also hopes to help younger audiences develop the skills to have these uncomfortable conversations. While some young people have a working knowledge of the Holocaust through texts such as Elie Wiesel’s “Night,” SJF hopes the young actors in “Anne and Emmett” will help students see their ability to make a difference by speaking up against injustice.

“We're trying to introduce this conversation so it makes a little more sense and is a little more relevant to them. These students are also possibly the same age as Anne and Emmett were during their horrible experiences, so it's relatable in that way,” SJF Arts and Ideas Coordinator Katie Griffith said.

'These things happen because too many people remain silent'

However, the eponymous characters’ ages are no reason to overlook the heavy topics they discuss. Although the conversation within the play is fictional, it is rooted in history. Allan and Griffith emphasized the importance of understanding that the show features derogatory language. As a result, parents must accompany audience members under 14.

That doesn’t mean younger audiences shouldn’t attend, however. SJF has scheduled multiple showings at various locations to allow all interested audiences to attend, and Allan and Griffith encouraged parents to discuss this harmful language with their children before the show.

By sparking these conversations in small groups like families, SJF hopes to open up a bigger discussion about injustice and intolerance and contribute to the forward momentum stirring in Savannah.

“I think they're doing a good job starting conversations in Savannah right now with renaming Taylor Square. That was a huge turnout and a very positive response, so hopefully things are moving in the right direction,” Griffith said.

Another significant parallel between Frank and Till is their parents’ willingness to speak out against injustice. Just as Frank’s father published her diary to make her story known, Mamie Till insisted on an open-casket funeral to ensure the world saw the horrors of racism inflicted on her child. Allan said it’s important to consider that these themes still exist today and that the most uncomfortable conversations are often the most necessary.

“These things happen because too many people remain silent and allow things to happen or are unaware of it,” Griffith said. “We want to give people the knowledge and the tools to be able to do the right thing.”

If You Go >>

What: "Anne and Emmett"

When and Where:

7 p.m., Feb. 27, Jewish Educational Alliance, 5111 Abercorn St., Savannah

7 p.m., Feb. 28, St. Mathew's Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

7:30 p.m., March 2, Jewish Educational Alliance

3 p.m., March 3, Jewish Educational Alliance

6:30 p.m., March 6, First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Ave.

Tickets: Admission is free.

Info: savj.org

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Jewish Federation stages play about Anne Frank, Emmett Till