The world of FSU student theatre is thriving, with campus organizations such as White Mouse Productions spearheading the rapid-fire production of new works. Some of its most recent endeavors include a staged reading of La Pantera, a one-act play titled Always You, and a student-led shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
White Mouse, described as “a theatre company for social change,” continues to promote its mission of advocacy and awareness in its upcoming full-length musical titled Annexed. The book was written by Danielle Wirsansky, and the music was composed by Shannon Wolf.
A brief overview of Annexed
Annexed centers around two Jewish families in World War II Germany as they navigate living together in hiding. Resources are scarce, and stakes are high as they grapple with interpersonal dynamics, the moral weight of leaving the annex to venture into the outside world, and what true freedom looks like for them, despite it being just out of reach.
One notable scene showcases sisters Klara and Greta, along with Klara’s girlfriend, Petra, singing an anthem of hope for their futures. Greta aspires to become an engineer, as she spends the duration of the show building a radio from scratch. Petra dreams of visiting the ocean one day. Each character in the show is unique and insanely multifaceted, but they all maintain a similar sense of hope, finding light in a seemingly endless darkness.
The plot is riveting, with tensions building and twists revealing themselves when you least expect them. Wirsansky’s writing is masterful, and when accompanied by Wolf’s music, the story of Annexed comes together in a cohesive, impactful narrative.
Performer standouts
Beyond the writing, the cast contains countless performing powerhouses. Each actor brings depth that really makes you root for their character’s success. Some standout performers were Gabriella Rieder, portraying Petra’s strict and stoic mother Adelheid, and Harrison Betz, who primarily plays Johann, a friend and messenger to the families, but also takes on featured ensemble roles and displays a strong emotional range.
Julian Viacava, who brings Eduard, the father to Klara and Greta, to life, was also a very strong performer. He and Bethany Masiello, who plays his wife, Dita, showcase a tender chemistry in the song “Clover in the Meadow.” Every actor adds a unique nuance to already complex characters, making the play an even more compelling watch.
While each actor had their shining solo moments, I was particularly struck by their ensemble work. The first group number in the show was a powerful introduction to the musical’s dismal exposition, and it instantly made my jaw drop, as the cast’s voices blended in gorgeous harmonies. This was a recurring theme throughout all the ensemble songs; while the actors were fantastic on their own, working together was where they shone brightest.
the Director’s commentary
On top of writing Annexed’s script, Wirsansky currently carries a heavy load on her plate. She’s directed the show (amid overseeing Sterling Legacy, another project of hers also opening in November 2025) while pursuing her PhD in History at FSU and serving as the financial director for White Mouse. However, writing Annexed has served as a supplement to her areas of personal interest and her studies.
“I’ve been very invested in using theatre as a platform for Holocaust education,” Wirsansky says. Starting in high school and continuing through college, she’s no stranger to writing plays and musicals about World War II and Jewish history, having written a musical about Holocaust education for her undergraduate honors thesis project.
“I think I’ve just always been really interested in that time period because of my Jewish culture, my ancestry,” she adds. “Growing up as a Jewish person in the South, I experienced a lot of antisemitism, and a lot of it was related to misinformation, miseducation, or a complete lack of education about the Holocaust. It sort of became my responsibility to teach my peers about it.”
At the end of the day, Wirsansky hopes that audiences who attend Annexed leave with an understanding of “the effects of antisemitism, the fear of it, and how it can shape or warp a person’s identity.”
“I hope they walk away knowing the Holocaust was real, because there’s a huge surge right now in Holocaust denial.” She also cherishes the LGBTQ+ aspect highlighted in the show, as being able to feature historical queer joy is very important to her.
Annexed opens on Nov. 20 in the Augusta B. Conradi Studio Theatre at FSU, and has a limited run until Nov. 22. Don’t miss your chance to see this beautiful new musical, support student theatre, and witness one of many powerful sentiments echoed throughout the show for yourself: “We decide what happens now.”
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