An Interpretation of Anna by Natalie Sacks

Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud's youngest daughter and a psychoanalyst in her own right, finds her world turned upside down when heiress Dorothy Burlingham arrives in Vienna and requests that she treat her children. Together, the women found a school, fall in love, build a family together, and work to protect the Freuds from the encroaching threat of antisemitism coming out of interwar Germany.

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Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud's youngest daughter and a psychoanalyst in her own right, finds her world turned upside down when heiress Dorothy Burlingham arrives in Vienna and requests that she treat her children. Together, the women found a school, fall in love, build a family together, and work to protect the Freuds from the encroaching threat of antisemitism coming out of interwar Germany.

Content Warning: This play contains discussions of antisemitic violence, suicide, domestic violence and animal death.
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An Interpretation of Anna

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  • Premiere Stages:
    5 May. 2023
    “ Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize “An Interpretation of Anna” by Natalie Sacks as a Semi-Finalist for the 2023 Premiere Play Festival. “An Interpretation of Anna” rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 40 Semi-Finalists out of 701 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by the vivid imagining of the historical characters and the informative, yet emotionally gripping, plot. Our congratulations and thanks to Natalie. ”

Character Information

The role of CHARLES BURLINGHAM is intended to be doubled with FIRST SOLDIER and FIRST GESTAPO, and the role of ROBERT BURLINGHAM is intended to be doubled with SECOND SOLDIER and SECOND GESTAPO. However, these roles can be played without doubling if desired.

  • Anna Freud
    30-43,
    Jewish
    ,
    woman
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Sophie Halberstadt
    26,
    Jewish
    ,
    woman
    The ghost of ANNA's late sister
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Sigmund Freud
    69-82,
    Jewish
    ,
    Man
    ANNA and SOPHIE's father
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham
    34-47,
    woman
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Eva Rosenfeld
    33-46,
    Jewish
    ,
    woman
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Ernest Jones
    46-59,
    Man
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Ernest Halberstadt
    13-24,
    Jewish
    ,
    Man
    Sophie's son
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Charles Burlingham
    71,
    Man
    ROBERT's father. Actor also plays FIRST SOLDIER and FIRST GESTAPO.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Robert Burlingham
    41,
    Man
    DOROTHY’s husband. Actor also plays SECOND SOLDIER and SECOND GESTAPO.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary

Awards