Mark Burrows to Costume Design 'The Diary of Anne Frank'

Costumer, actor, singer, writer seen last summer as Stewpot in ‘South Pacific’

Summer Place Theater and the production of The Diary of Anne Frank are thrilled to welcome Mark Burrows as Costume Designer. Mark was last seen at Summer Place Theater last summer as Stewpot in South Pacific and his list of acting credits also include Neville in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Sir Toby in Twelfth Night.

Mark studied at Elmhurst College and was a member of the Theatre Building Chicago’s Musical Theatre Workshop. He was most recently nominated for a Broadway World award for his Costume Design of North Riverside Player’s production of The Crucible. The production placed first in ITA’s AACT Festival. Mark is also a writer and you can learn all about his latest project, Zuleika the Great, in Oxford at zuleikamusical.com.

“Mark is an incredibly talented and creative guy who was a valuable asset as a cast member for South Pacific last summer,” said Co-Producer Steve Koek. “We are thrilled to have him join this amazing production team.”

'People Hiding in Attics Generally Don't Wear Pretty, Sprakling Clothing'

The Iowa native and Chicago resident describes himself as a pretty fair cook when he is not attending to the needs of his high maintenance adopted beagle.

“When Steve first approached me about designing the show, I wasn’t terribly enthused at the prospect,” Mark admitted.  “It’s an incredibly moving show, and Steve’s connection to the material is an amazing story in itself, but… I’m just not generally drawn to realistic costuming gigs. 

“Costumers like making pretty, sparkly things; and people hiding in attics generally don’t wear pretty, sparkly clothing.  But as I started to research I came across the original costume plot by Helene Pons (who not only designed the original production Our Town, but also supervised the construction of all the costumes for My Fair Lady, which is quite a range), and it’s kind of an incredible document. 

“The way the costumes change from moment to moment in the play to denote the passage of time is really subtle, so that you don’t really notice it happening – but it’s vital to the illusion that three years is taking place before your eyes, and it’s every bit as challenging as designing a big, sparkly pretty show.

“And there is a fur coat, so there’s at least a little bit of glamour.”

Mark joins a dynamic team of professionals dedicated to taking audiences beyond the telling of this important story to feel like they experiencing the horrific conditions along with the characters.

Open auditions for The Diary of Anne Frank are Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2, with performances on July 9-12. Tickets for all three of Summer Place Theatre's 2020 shows are on sale now. 

'The Diary of Anne Frank' Production Staff

Producer: Steve Koek                                      
Producer: Andi Koek
Director: Jorge Bermudez
Set Designer/Construction: Rick Arnold
Stage Manager/Assistant Director: Nickolena Sellen
Costumer: Mark Burrows
Props Master: Sara Blankestyn
Lighting Designer: Nate Dorband
Sound Designer: Becca Easley
Publicity Committee: Christina Peck, Jason Peck, Brittany Tepper, Sara Blankestyn
Assistant to the Production: Corey Pevitz