FRANK. The Musical
Gryphon Theatre, 22 Ghuznee Street, Wellington
27/02/2026 - 01/03/2026
Production Details
Greta Casey Solly — Writer & Co Director
Georgie Sivier — Co Director
Musical Director — Hayden Taylor
A Bold New Musical Inspired by True Events
What do we fight for? At what cost? Set against the backdrop of WWI, FRANK. The Musical tells the powerful story of Karl Frank, the son of a German immigrant who chose to fight for Aotearoa, New Zealand, in a time of deep national and personal conflict.
Rose Ellis, alongside her love Karl, witnesses a generation torn apart by war and bound by love, duty, and hope. Travel from the shores of Te Whanganui-a-Tara to the brutal trenches of the Western Front in this gripping original production.
Featuring a cast of 8 actors and a live 5-piece band, FRANK. The Musical combines the intimacy of chamber theatre with the emotional scale of musical storytelling. With a sweeping original score blending early 20th-century sounds and modern folk influences, this is a story of resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of connection.
The journey begins here.
Join us for a powerful first look at FRANK. The Musical.
Gryphon Theatre, 22 Ghuznee Street, Te Aro, Wellington
Friday 27th February – Sunday 1st March 2026.
– Friday 27th Feb – 7:00pm
– Saturday 28th Feb – 1:30pm and 7:00pm
– Sunday 1st Mar – 7:00pm
Ticket price is $25.00
Tickets can be purchased through the following link: https://tickets.fringe.co.nz/event/446:8231/
FRANK. The Musical began as a Master’s degree project, sparked by the discovery of a long‑buried family story. This deeply personal revelation became the foundation for a wider exploration of identity, legacy, and resilience, brought to life through the medium of musical theatre. From this origin, the driving force behind FRANK. evolved into a desire to reclaim and rehumanise a nearly forgotten piece of New Zealand history — the story of Karl Frank, the son of a German immigrant who fought for a country that questioned his loyalty.
At its heart, the work examines belonging, identity, and the emotional cost of war — not only for those on the front lines, but also for the families and communities left behind. It seeks to illuminate the intimate, often unspoken experiences of ordinary people caught in the machinery of global conflict, asking: What does it mean to be a New Zealander in times of division, fear, and loss?
Greta Casey‑Solly is the creative driving force behind FRANK., shaping the narrative from its earliest conception. As both Writer and Co‑Director, she brings vision, depth, and emotional clarity to the work, grounding the story in authenticity and ensuring its themes resonate with modern audiences.
Working alongside Greta, Co‑Director Georgie Sivier supports the directorial helm with collaborative energy and a strong eye for performance detail. Together, they craft a rehearsal room that is thoughtful, rigorous, and deeply respectful of the story’s origins.
Cast
Nellie Evison – Rose Ellis
James Foster – Karl Frank
Frankie Leota – Elizabeth Patterson / Nurse / Soldier
Robert Arnold – Charlie Frank / Heinrich Bourner / Connor
Tiahli Martyn – Emily Bennett / Mary Ellis / Soldier
Monet "Wiljo" Faifai-Collins – Michael Scott / William Tipene
Isabella Casey-Solly – Catherine Frank / Jeremiah / Nurse / Thomas
Henry Ashby – John McCurdy / Jack Whitaker
Band
Keyboard – Hayden Taylor
Guitar – Steve Morrison
Flute – Sarah Dillon
Double Bass – Rachael Hinds
Percussion – Bec Watson
Production Team
Production and Stage Manager – Ash Sederel
Publicity Manager – Rachel Te Tau
Intimacy Co-ordinator – Ace Dalziel
Lighting Designer & Operator – Luci Aracella McDougall
Sound Operator – Alex Williamson
SFX Designer – Bec Watson
SFX Operator – Ash Sederel
Voice Recordings – Kevin Orlando and cast
Wardrobe – Greta Casey-Solly, Robert Arnold, Ash Sederel,
Props – Greta Casey-Solly, Ash Sederel, Rachel Te Tau
Set Design – Greta Casey-Solly, Georgie Lush
Set Builder – Tom Lush, James Foster
Theatre , Musical ,
1 hour
A brilliantly executed historical and personal story
Review by Shemaia Dixon 01st Mar 2026
When entering Gryphon theatre to watch FRANK The Musical, written by Greta Casey Solly, who co-directs with Georgie Sivier, I am aware of two facts: it is based on the true story of Karl Frank and Rose Ellis set during the first world war and, according to the program, the full length of Greta’s work is two and a half hours. As the show begins, I am wondering how it will be possible to tell the same story within the one-hour timeslot of this version.
The show begins with the song ‘This is your story’ and a pivotal moment for Karl Frank (James Foster) on the Western Front in 1917. The action then moves back in time to Stratford Town Hall where it is clear Rose Ellis (Nellie Evison) and Frank are clearly deeply in love, despite the town’s anti-German sentiment creating a palpable dislike of the Frank family, as Karl’s parent sailed to Aotearoa from Germany.
The rest of the cast all seamlessly play multiple roles. As tensions rise at home, Karl disobeys the wishes of his father Charlie (Robert Arnold) and boards the last volunteer ship to fight for Aotearoa in the war. Meanwhile, Rose seems to understand his sacrifice and would join the war herself as a nurse if she could (no spoilers). Instead, she stays with the Frank family, much to the annoyance of her mother Mary (Tiahli Martyn), who would much rather she marry a nice non-German, local man.
As Karl fights for both his country and his family’s honour, Rose waits for him to return so they can be wed. The narrative continues to the same pivotal moment on the Western Front that opened the show, before showing us it’s aftermath for Karl, his family, and Rose. The final message of choosing life over adventure and glory is especially poignant.
The set is simply ingenious. What appears to be a large, dark green tarpaulin is secured with rope to three wooden pillars sitting on wheels, one on either side and another supporting the middle. Throughout the show, the cast manoeuvre the contraption to seamlessly turn the stage into the town hall, the Frank house, a boat, the trenches and a medical tent. Milk cartons are used as table legs and seating. Set builders Tom Lush and Jamie Foster have expertly brought to life the vision of set designers Greta Casey-Solley and Georgie Lush.
A key aspect of FRANK The Musical is the five-piece band that plays from behind the set. The live musical accompaniment during musical numbers and instrumentals during scenes creates an old-world feeling that is perfect for the setting of the show – except at times it can be difficult to hear the cast’s voices over the music, particularly when they are speaking. However, the beautifully played songs enhance the audience’s emotional connection to the action and help provide important exposition and insight into characters’ emotional states. The musical arrangements by Hayden Taylor complement Greta’s compositions, with lyrics that are sung perfectly by the cast’s melodic voices. (Click ‘Production Details’ above for full credits.)
As writer, composer, set, costume and prop designer and co-director, Greta has outdone herself with FRANK The Musical. It is easy to see how personal this story—the story of her family—means to her. I am astounded by how much this story told us in one hour, and how it is executed so brilliantly. I struggle to think of a historical story I have ever seen better executed on stage. My heartfelt thanks to Greta, as well as the cast and crew, for sharing this story with us.
As both a historian and someone who also has German ancestry in Aotearoa, I want you to know you should all feel very proud.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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