A new musical in New York City has sparked fierce outrage for reimagining Holocaust victim Anne Frank as a pansexual Latina with a non-binary love interest and a neurodiverse family.
The production, titled Slam Frank, is a satirical play that lampoons modern inclusivity and identity politics by applying them to one of history’s most tragic stories.
Composer Andrew Fox, a Jewish artist, first created the project as a viral Instagram parody, joking he wanted to make “Latinx girlies feel included in the Holocaust.”
The parody grew into a full stage production with a play-within-a-play format, portraying a fictional theater troupe attempting to “decolonize” Anne Frank’s story.
From there, the satire escalates as characters discover marginalized identities in musical numbers, swap yellow stars for rainbow pronoun pins, and commune with ancestors lost at border crossings.
Several outlets have compared the show’s musical numbers to a Hamilton-style spoof, blending history with modern social commentary in a highly exaggerated manner.
Despite the controversy, audiences have flocked to see the production.
With a publicity budget of under $60, most of its 34 performances have sold out at the 150-seat AsylumNYC venue, per the Daily Mail.
Supporters argue it is daring satire, similar to The Book of Mormon, applauding its boldness to provoke discussion and challenge social norms.
Critics, however, call it deeply offensive and accuse it of trivializing one of history’s darkest chapters.
A petition spearheaded by Joy Rosenthal demands the play’s immediate cancellation. She said Slam Frank reduces Anne Frank’s story, “one of the most sacred testimonies of the atrocities committed against the Jewish people,” into shock-value entertainment.
The petition continued: “Turning her story into a ‘slam’ or any form of entertainment that prioritizes shock value over historical reverence is not only inappropriate — it is deeply offensive. Slam Frank undermines decades of work by the Jewish community, Holocaust survivors, and educators who preserve the dignity and lessons of this history.”
Rosenthal warned the production risks “misinformation, desensitization, and mockery of the very real pain millions endured,” adding, “Art and theater must be held to a standard of responsibility, especially when dealing with topics of such grave human suffering.”
Fox, the composer, dismissed the backlash and told Daily Mail that criticism hurt ticket sales. “Besides the devastating effect this tidal wave of criticism has had on my mental health (I have RSD — Rejection Sensitivity Disorder), the petitions and outcries have been extremely bad for our sales,” he said.
He added, “When our shows started selling out weeks in advance, we had hoped that we would be able to turn away dozens of hopefuls in our standby ticket line — but now, due to all the negative coverage, we only turn away half-dozens. We request some privacy, so that we may grieve with our chosen family. We hope the haters are happy with themselves.”
Slam Frank opened September 17 and is scheduled to close October 26. Its run has remained a hit with audiences despite the moral outrage from critics and petitions demanding its cancellation.
