Corrections or additions?
Broadway Review: `Parade’
This review by Simon Saltzman was published in U.S. 1 Newspaper
on January 13, 1999. All rights reserved.
One would have to look far and wide to find a grimmer,
more horrifying story to present in musical terms than the one told
in the new musical, "Parade." Set in 1913 in Atlanta, Georgia,
the annual Memorial Day parade honoring the Confederacy is in progress.
Elsewhere in a downtown pencil factory, a teenage girl is found murdered.
It doesn’t look good for Leo Frank, the manager of the factory, who
is accused of the murder. Why? Because Leo is a Brooklyn-born, college-educated
Jew with a large vocabulary. These factors play a significant role
when Christian extremists, the biased press, and generally rampant
bigotry force the hand of local prosecutors.
Misguided by an incompetent defense attorney and railroaded by manipulated
testimony and witness tampering, Leo is convicted and sentenced to
hang. Despite his ultimately successful efforts, and those of his
Atlanta-born wife, Lucille, to reopen the case, Leo is abducted from
his jail cell and lynched.
This is the story of "Parade." That the bankrupt Livent Productions
(in association with Lincoln Center) is producing this tragic, true-life
story seems as sad as it is ironic. Unlike "Ragtime," Livent’s
sweeping melodramatic hit, "Parade" does not even profess
to envision its characters with any more insight or perception than
we can glean from newspaper reports. And the awful end appears in
sight from the very start.
Despite the fact that the musical brings together some of the finest
seasoned and young talents of the American musical theater, their
obviously impassioned collaboration brings nothing new or revelatory
to this dark chapter in American history. The fact that "Parade"
has the courage to be unrelentingly depressing is not, in itself,
a negative factor. But it doesn’t help.
The book by Pulitzer prizewinner Alfred Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy)
seems tenaciously gripped by the facts. Jason Robert Brown has written
an impressive, quasi-operatic score which, while not melodically transporting,
is admirable for its mix of musical genres. Brown’s lyrics cannot
be faulted for the way they acutely detail each character and situation.
One may also be pleased with the unglamorized conception of the time
and place as captured by designer Riccardo Hernandez. But above all,
there is the noticeable imprint of director Harold Prince, whose fluidly
minimized staging places the terrible events just beyond the path
of the parade of the title.
"Parade" opens with a stunning scene. A young confederate
soldier who is about to go into battle feels nostalgic for "The
Old Red Hills of Home." As he moves back into the past, a resentful
old one-legged soldier replaces him, and a throng gathers to sing
a patriotic anthem, "The Dream of Atlanta." Is there less
than a subtle message about retribution here by having Don Chastain
play both the old soldier and the judge who sentences Leo? It’s a
stirring and emotion-provoking scene. It is also "Parade’s"
one and only really affecting scene.
The plot then unfolds as much just beyond the florid sentimentality
of the big parade (which returns periodically during the musical),
as it does in the shadow of a barren tree whose large black limbs
hover over the action. The tree acts as a bitter and haunting memory
of the burning of Atlanta as well as a constant reminder of Leo’s
fate.
Director Prince is no stranger to the dark side of musical theater,
having brought his masterly invention to such notably chilling musicals
as "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Sweeney Todd."
Although co-conceived by Prince, "Parade" is undone by a pronounced
and prevailing atmosphere of doom and gloom.
Although Leo and Lucille have few scenes that effectively
reveal why or how their odd and distant (at first) marital relationship
suddenly becomes one of passionate and concerted support, Brent Carver
and Carolee Carmello give credible and dramatically persuasive performances.
They also sing up a storm of emotions.
While there are few other likable characters, there are plenty to
dislike, including the relentless prosecutor (Herndon Lackey), the
ranting anti-Semitic publisher (John Leslie Wolfe), and a bufoonish
alcoholic reporter (Evan Pappas). Some sympathy is generated for the
tenuously moral governor (John Hickok), and even for Leo’s unwittingly
misguided lawyer (J.B. Adams). And whose heart will not cry out for
the slain Mary Phagan (Christy Carlson Romano)? Although she has little
to do but be gracious, Princeton graduate Anne Torsiglieri stands
out as the governor’s wife.
Because music is mainly consigned to address flaws and weaknesses,
hatred and heartlessness, corruption and evil, there is little room
for melodic uplift here. Whether or not you want to join this earnestly
expended "Parade" will depend on how much you enjoy feeling
badly. HH
— Simon Saltzman
$40 to $75.
Top Of Page
Ticket Numbers
through Tele-Charge at 800-432-7250 or 212-239-6200. For Ticketmaster
listings call 800-755-4000 or 212-307-4100.
For current information on Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, music,
and dance call NYC/On Stage at 212-768-1818, a 24-hour performing
arts hotline operated by the Theater Development Fund. The TKTS same-day,
half-price ticket booth at Times Square (Broadway & 47th) is open
daily, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. for evening performances; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
for Wednesday and Saturday matinees; and noon to closing for Sunday
matinees. The lower Manhattan booth is open Monday through Friday,
11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Cash or travelers’ checks only. Visit www.tdf.org.
Corrections or additions?
This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com
— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
Facebook Comments