SMITHFIELD - The actors aren't the only ones in a crowded attic during "The Diary of Anne Frank," the latest Neuse Little Theatre production.

The audience is there with them.

The production -- which opens Friday -- has taken over the Hut, and audience members must get to their seats through a secret door disguised as a bookcase. The Depression-era building's sloped wooden ceiling adds to the effect.

Wendy Kesselman's adaption of "Anne Frank" is one the audience can relate to, director Tony Pender said. "The earlier scripts put Anne on a pedestal and made her a saint figure instead of a little girl," he said.

The NLT production also aims to get audiences acquainted with the other characters as well. "It's written well enough so you care about each individual," Pender said.

Cayla Goings' portrayal of Anne is symbolic of all the children who died in the Holocaust, Pender said. "It's not just about one kid," he said. "She feels like she represents all the kids who died."

Goings, 17, said the role has been a challenge because Anne is much younger and deals with such adversity. "I've really had to take the things she went through and apply them to my life," Goings said.

To put the events in context, the production features audio and video clips from the time period, including speeches by Adolf Hitler and Dwight Eisenhower and footage of the trains going to concentration camps. Pender said he avoided graphic images so the show will be suitable for families.

The cast includes NLT veterans such as Bryan Martin and Randy Jordan, as well as new talent from as far away as Burlington and Franklinville.

Pender said the cast, which includes all ages, has bonded during rehearsals and often hangs out together when away from the Hut. Some have extensive theater experience; for others, it's their first show.

"It's very rewarding to act with both these people because you learn from both of them," Goings said, noting that Anne is her first lead role.

The NLT involved the outside community in the production. Pender said the Jewish community has been particularly supportive and provided Hebrew lessons to the cast.

Johnston County eighth-grade classes loaned some of their Anne Frank research projects, which will be on display outside the theater.