AFTER A STRING of comedies, Uni theater director Barbara Ridenour decided it was time to try something more serious.

So this year, Uni High’s thespians will perform an adaptation of "The Diary of Anne Frank" by Wendy Kesselman. The play was originally written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. It opened on Broadway Oct. 5, 1955, and ran until June 22, 1957. The revival, in Kesselman's adaptation, ran from Dec. 4, 1997, to June 14, 1998.

The performance will be in the North Attic Playhouse on Nov. 1, 2, and 3. The first showing, on a Thursday night, will begin at 7, and the other two will be at 7:30.

So what led to the choice of this play, the true story of a young Jewish girl and her family hiding from the Nazis in occupied Amsterdam from June 1942 to August 1944?

“At the end of the year last year, I asked some of the thespians to make suggestions for the fall play,” said Ridenour. “Someone mentioned the fact that we had done quite a few comedies and large cast shows, and asked if maybe we could do something with a smaller cast and that wasn’t a comedy. I thought it was a good idea and looked at several things — some mysteries, some dramas. Then I read this play, and this particular adaptation of it. Kesselman streamlined it, made it flow more easily theatrically, and I really liked it.”

Earlier this month, after two days of auditions and hours of deliberation, the cast list went up and rehearsals began.

Junior Sarah Lake-Rayburn will play Anne Frank, and senior Ethan Berl will play her father, Otto. (For the complete cast, see list below.)

“After doing so many comedies, Uni theater is definitely ready to try something new,” said senior Michelle Gao, who plays Miep Gies, the woman who kept the Franks safe and brought them food. “We’re hoping it will be well received. 'The Crucible' [Uni's 2004 fall play] was really serious and everyone really liked it. We are hoping to have a repeat of that success. I think we can pull it off.”

However, the tone of the play is not the only difference between it and previous performances. This year, per suggestion from the University of Illinois intern Jen Gohine, the cast members also have understudies.

These understudies will learn their roles along with the cast, be available in case one of the actors or actresses gets sick or faces a conflict, and will get the opportunity to be a part of the play even though there is only room for 10 roles.

“This is the first time we’ve done this, so I don’t know how it is going to work,” said Gao. “Hopefully it will solve some of the problems that are caused when one of the actors inevitably gets sick during show week.”

Overall, people are enthusiastic about the production.

“I’m really excited about being Anne,” said Lake-Rayburn. “It’s a big role, I like acting, and this is a good challenge for me. I think being a part of the performance should be really fun.”

CAST LIST: "THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK"

• Anne Frank: Sarah Lake-Rayburn
• Otto Frank: Ethan Berl
• Edith Frank: Lor Sligar
• Margot Frank: Lauren Piester
• Miep Gies: Michelle Gao
• Peter Van Daan: Dillon Price
• Mr. Kraler: Rob Diehl
• Mrs. Van Daan: Hannah Lake-Rayburn
• Mr. Van Daan: Ethan Stone
• Mr. Dussel: Zach Goldberg
• Soldiers: Will Erickson, Anna Gooler, Daniel McNamara, Tianna Pittenger, Laura Voitik
• Understudies: Will Erickson, Anna Gooler, Katayun Salehi, Tianna Pittenger, Laura Voitik

MORE PHOTOS: "THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK"

Hannah Lake-Rayburn takes a quick rest on the laps of (from left to right) Anna Gooler, Tianna Pittenger, and Ethan Stone during play practice. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)