Written by Andrew Fox, Joel Sinensky; Directed by Sam LaFrage
Performed at Orpheum Theatre; GFour Productions, Stage Time
October 4 - November 30, 2026
Slam Frank, the compelling new smash-sensation of a musical, has recently hit the Orpheum Theatre in NYC for a run newly extended through January, 2027. This musical brilliantly (and provocatively) showcases both hilarity and satire, compiled through the placement of progressive theatre tropes inserted amongst the solemnness and severity of the famous historic telling, The Diary of Anne Frank. Combining stellar production, colorful staging, dynamic vocals and standout performances from its wondrous cast, as well as a sizzling funk of Afro-Latin hip-hop fusion, Slam Frank proves to be one of “the most important new show[s] around”, as stated by New York Times critic, Ben Brantley.
Theater Beyond Broadway recently had the pleasure of interviewing the creative team of Slam Frank, discussing the show’s origins, social impact and creative development. Perhaps a bit egregiously, the concept for the show is widely known to be associated with a viral online debate that heatedly discussed the entity of white privilege associated with Anne Frank’s story. The creative team states, “that incredibly stupid tweet gave us a convenient marketing hook with which to contextualize our musical” to audiences experiencing it for the first time. Furthermore, when asked about the thought-provoking, uncomfortable premise of the show’s solemn queries surrounding history, representation, privilege, and contemporary activism, Slam Frank’s team responds with poise and empathetic brilliance, stating, “laughter emerges from the deepest & realest of places...There are levels of depth that are only accessible through the abandonment of reverence. There is a depth of darkness, of absurdity, of tragedy that goes so far beyond tears that it can provoke nothing but laughter.” The creative team also applauded the use of hip-hop and an abundance of varied musicality as a sort of call to arms; a “revisionist type of storytelling”.
Slam Frank’s team goes on to proclaim, “The play is designed to generate wildly different reactions and conclusions. There are many conversations that [I’ve] witnessed around the show that have been thrilling.” And, that is the exact sort of response that I would find appropriate for such a daring production that challenges binary, “black-and-white” mentalities when facing humanity’s dark side. We should be invited to laugh, to express, to feel, and that is what makes theatre, and the wonder of Slam Frank, both beautiful and cathartic.
Click HERE for tickets.
Editorial by Grayson Sebert
Published by Theater Beyond Broadway on November 12, 2026. All rights reserved.