Panic! Productions Stages Landmark Musical PARADE

Panic! Productions begins its 2016-2017 season with the Tony Award-winning musical,
"Parade," September 9 through 24, at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. With a book by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy") and a rousing, colorful and haunting score by Jason Robert Brown ("Songs For A New World," "The Last Five Years," "Bridges Of Madison County"), "Parade" is a moving examination of one of the darkest corners of America's history. David Daniels directs, with music direction by Ben Ginsberg, vocal direction by Marilyn Anderson, and choreography by Brance Souza.

Amid religious intolerance, political injustice, and racial tension, "Parade" explores the endurance of love and hope against all the odds. Iconic Broadway producer Harold Prince commissioNEd Brown and Uhry to write what he called "an American opera" based on the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory owner accused and convicted of murdering a young girl in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1913. The musical dramatizes the trial, which was sensationalized by the media and aroused anti-Semitic tensions in Atlanta and beyond. The plot of the musical dramatizes the historical story and does not shy away from the dark truths behind the events.

Broadway veteran Joshua Finkel ("Kiss of the Spiderwoman") will play the lead role of Leo Frank, with Dana Shaw playing his wife, Lucille. Also in the cast are Regan Carrington, Alisa De Los Santos, Judi Domroy, Sam Herbert, Thomas Hollow, Allison Martinez, Caeli Molina, Kenneth Mosley, Bernadita Nassar, Paige Kay Nelson, Taylor Nelson, Paul Panico, Ken Patton, Lia Peros, Steve Perren, Daniel Schwadron, Samuel Schwadron, Camille Schwartz, Hayley Silvers, Steven Silvers, Richard Storrs, Melissa Strauss, Ashley Kiele Thomas, Robert Weibezahl, Jeremy Whatley, and Brittney S. Wheeler. Set and lighting design is by Jeffrey Calnitz, costume design is by Lori Lee, and Diane Le Moine is production stage manager.

Parade opens Friday, September 9, at 8 pm and continues Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm through September 24. Tickets are $24/$20 student and seniors, with group rates available, and can be purchased atwww.hillcrestarts.com, by calling 805/381-1246, or by visiting the box office. The Hillcrest Center for the Arts is at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.