Slam Frank Off-Broadway Musical Opens Oct. 4 at Orpheum Theatre, Announces Juneteenth Discount Event

Slam Frank, a satirical hip‑hop musical that reimagines Anne Frank’s diary through an intersectional, multiethnic, genderqueer lens, will open Off‑Broadway at New York’s Orpheum Theatre on Oct. 4, 2025. The show’s previews began Sept. 17, the one‑year anniversary of its developmental run at The Asylum in Midtown, and the limited engagement will run through Nov. 30.

Directed by Sam LaFrage and co‑created by Joel Sinensky and composer Andrew Fox, the production blends hip‑hop beats with a narrative that interrogates identity politics. Fox, who also manages the show’s Instagram account that has 98,000 followers, cites influences ranging from Kanye West and Stephen Sondheim to Lin‑Manuel Miranda, Jason Robert Brown and Wilson Phillips. He has described the show’s politics as intentionally elusive, focusing on critiquing the excesses of identity‑politics.

Tickets for the Off‑Broadway run went on sale June 12, 2025, the birthday of Anne Frank. The same day, the producers announced a special Juneteenth event on June 19. The “Off‑Broadway’s First Annual Official Belated Pro‑Diversity, Pre‑Julyteenth, Cismasc‑Affirming, Anti‑Capitalist, LatinX, Anne Frank Fiesta de Quinceañera” will begin at 6 p.m. at the Orpheum. Attendees can purchase seats from the $50 and $70 tiers for $36, and the discount applies to all other seating. The discount is said to be based on Hebrew numerology, with 36 being a factor of 18.

The show was inspired by a viral 2022 Twitter thread that asked whether Anne Frank had ever acknowledged her white privilege. The thread sparked a debate that the creative team turned into a hyper‑woke parable. Fox’s Instagram account helped generate sold‑out crowds at The Asylum without a traditional marketing budget.

Critical reception has been strong. According to reports, former New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley praised the musical on social media as “the most important show around.” The Times named it the “Funniest Spoof of the Left” in its Best Comedy of 2025 recap. Zachary Stewart of TheaterMania wrote, “If you love the theater and want it to once again be a safe space for dangerous thought, the best thing you can do is buy a ticket to Slam Frank and laugh your ass off.”

The Orpheum Theatre, a 299‑seat Off‑Broadway venue on Second Avenue near St. Marks Place, has hosted a range of productions since the 1950s, including revivals of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes and the long‑running Stomp. The new engagement adds to the theater’s diverse programming slate.

Slam Frank’s run will feature special guests and performances during the Juneteenth event, though details of the lineup have not yet been released. Ticket holders will receive a $36 discount on all tiers, and the event is expected to attract a mix of theatergoers and activists interested in the show’s political commentary.

The production’s combination of hip‑hop music, satirical narrative, and intersectional framing has drawn attention from both mainstream media and niche theater communities. The show’s creators have positioned it as a critique of contemporary identity politics, while also engaging with the historical legacy of Anne Frank.

As the Off‑Broadway run approaches its opening night, the production team has confirmed that the show will run through Nov. 30, 2025. No additional dates or extensions have been announced at this time.