Review: PARADE at Fisher Theatre is a Captivating Glimpse Into Our Past

From now through Sunday, March 9th, the recent acclaimed revival of the Broadway musical Parade will be featured at the Fisher Theatre. Parade made its Broadway debut in 1998, originally winning Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical at the 1999 Tony Awards. Then, in 2023, Parade was revived on Broadway and won Best Revival of a Musical as well as Best Direction of a Musical. The production currently in Detroit is fresh from Broadway, with Detroit being one of the first engagements on their tour. 

Parade is about the true story of Leo Frank, a college-educated Jewish New Yorker who lived in Atlanta in the early 1910s and managed a pencil manufacturing factory. A young female factory employee, Mary Phagan, was brutally killed and Frank was blamed for her murder. The case went to trial, and although there was insufficient evidence to prove that he was the one who committed the heinous crime, he was sentenced to death for the murder. Parade is a masterful interpretation of this very real story of antisemitism in the early 20th-century South, which at the time was still reeling from the Civil War. 

This production of Parade isn't just a musical or a piece of theatre; it feels like an enhanced historical exhibit. Audiences get a chance to learn so much about not only Leo Frank's story but also about what life was like in the south 50 years after the Civil War. In Parade, you witness stories of antisemitism, racism and child labor and yet it's presented in such a way where the show never feels too heavy. 

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this production is in fact the nods to history. When each character is introduced, you see a photo of the real person; when each scene occurs, you are told with brief captions exactly where and when it's taking place; and when significant events occur, (what I assume are real) headlines from old newspapers are shown. Along with being fascinating, these elements help a lot with following the story. They ground the story in history rather than just being another musical based on a historical event. Given that this story may not be too well known among non-Jewish Midwesterners, these features should be much appreciated by Detroit audiences. 

The performances individually and collectively take you on such an emotional journey throughout the show. I was captivated from beginning to end, unable to tear my eyes away from what was happening on stage. Even if you're far away from the stage, the props, scenery and body language certainly make audiences feel what the characters are feeling (beyond just what they're saying).

Particular favorite body language moments include Max Chernin as Leo Frank in such fantasy sequences including “Factory Girls / Come Up to My Office” and “That's What He Said”, as well as Jack Roden as Frankie Epps in the funeral sequence. Other standouts include Talia Suskauer's solos “You Don't Know This Man” and “Do It Alone”, both exceptionally powerful songs on their own but the impact of which is multiplied by the pure emotion in her vocals. In addition, an audience favorite is the aforementioned “That's What He Said," performed by Ramone Nelson as Jim Conley. While this is a song I quite enjoy from the cast album, it is much more engaging in person when audiences see firsthand how significant his testimony was to the outcome of the trial.

All this said, nothing beats Max and Talia's act two duets “This Is Not Over Yet” and “All the Wasted Time” for me. Ever since seeing this performance from the original Broadway cast, these were scenes I could not wait to see in person. And goodness, they do not disappoint. The actors' chemistry, something you don't get to see too much of in act one, really gets a chance to shine in these scenes (particularly the latter). In turn, this makes the ending of the show that much more efficacious.

Parade is a show that is worth seeing for many reasons, but perhaps the most significant is  what our world is going through in this moment. Even though the events of Parade occurred in 1913, occurences of intolerance and bigotry still happen every single day. This is a piece of theatre that shows us what happens when violent hatred goes unchecked. So in the words of Leo Frank in Parade, don't "let the moment pass you by"; take an evening to see this remarkable musical.

For more information or to buy tickets to Parade, visit broadwayindetroit.com, call ATGTickets at (313) 887-1256, or visit the Fisher Theatre box office.

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