Award winning producers Drew Anthony Creative will continue their 2026 east coast season with a major theatrical event, announcing a new Australian staging of The Diary Of Anne Frank. The production opens at Melbourne’s historic Athenaeum Theatre from March 4, 2026, following a critically acclaimed and sold out season at Perth’s Heath Ledger Theatre. After its Melbourne run, the production will move to the State Theatre in Sydney.
This powerful adaptation brings to the stage one of the most enduring and confronting true stories of the 20th century. Through the words of a 13 year old girl whose diary became a global document of conscience, The Diary Of Anne Frank places audiences inside the claustrophobic reality of a family living in hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt in 1929 and moved with her family to Amsterdam after Adolf Hitler rose to power. In 1942, facing escalating persecution, the Frank family went into hiding in a concealed annex behind Otto Frank’s business premises. For more than two years, Anne documented daily life in confinement, capturing fear, boredom, hope, frustration and the emotional complexity of adolescence unfolding under extraordinary circumstances. Her diary was preserved by family friends and later published by her father, Otto Frank, after the war.
First adapted for the stage in 1955 by playwrights Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, The Diary Of Anne Frank premiered on Broadway at the Cort Theatre and quickly became one of the most significant dramatic works of the post war era. The original production received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, establishing the play as both a theatrical landmark and an essential educational work.
The Goodrich and Hackett adaptation also formed the basis of the Academy Award winning 1959 film, further cementing Anne Frank’s place in global culture. A revised version by Wendy Kesselman debuted in 1997, introducing the story to new audiences while deepening its historical context. Across generations, the stage play has remained a vital reminder of the consequences of intolerance and the resilience of the human spirit.
Director and producer Drew Anthony brings this legacy to Australian audiences with a production that prioritises emotional honesty and narrative clarity. Having staged the work in Perth to strong audience response, Anthony says bringing the production to Melbourne is both a professional privilege and a personal responsibility.
Anne’s words, written in secrecy and never intended for publication, continue to resonate decades later. Her diary reflects not only the horrors of war but also a belief in humanity that remains profoundly relevant. The Melbourne production seeks to honour that voice while inviting audiences to reflect on the freedoms often taken for granted.
The production features a creative team led by Drew Anthony Creative, with Drew Anthony also overseeing direction and production design. Costume design is by Annette Stivaletta, with lighting design by Drew Anthony and Jason Bovaird. The staging balances period authenticity with theatrical restraint, allowing the story and performances to remain central.
Running for two hours and ten minutes, including a 20 minute interval, The Diary Of Anne Frank is recommended for audiences aged 10 and above. The season at the Athenaeum Theatre will play from Tuesday to Sunday, offering both evening and matinee performances across the run.
Drew Anthony’s career spans musical theatre, large scale events and international ceremonies, including work on the Sydney 2000 Olympic Closing Ceremony, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and major theatrical productions such as Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Saturday Night Fever and The Wedding Singer. His experience across performance and production underpins this deeply considered staging.
The Diary Of Anne Frank remains a testament to the power of storytelling as remembrance. More than seventy years after its first publication, Anne Frank’s diary continues to challenge audiences to confront history with empathy, courage and an unwavering commitment to human dignity.
Concert Dates And Ticketing Information
The Diary Of Anne Frank
Athenaeum Theatre, Collins Street, Melbourne
March 4 to March 14, 2026
Performances Tuesday to Sunday
Recommended for audiences aged 10 years and over.
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