Parade may be the best musical you’ve never heard of. Its original 1998 Broadway run lasted just three months. The 2023 Broadway revival also ran for less than six months, although it did take home a key Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. I get it. It’s a hard sell. In a market saturated by jukebox musicals and productions based on familiar stories, an original musical about a Jewish factory manager accused of a young girl’s murder in 1913 seems pretty dreary. Yet Parade endures because it’s incredible. Independent Naarm/Melbourne theatre company Soundworks Productions staged Parade in their hometown late last year and have now brought it to Eora/Sydney. I’m so glad they did.
So you might wonder when such crowd-pleasing fare like Grease and & Juliet are currently playing, why would I decide to see Parade instead? I’m so glad you asked. Firstly, Jason Robert Brown. We loved his musical “The Last Five Years,” and trusted that he’d do something wonderful with this true story. I was also so moved watching New York director Michael Arden’s empassioned speech at last year’s Tonys. He said “Parade tells the story of a life that was cut short at the hands of the belief that one group of people is more of less valuable than another and that they might be more deserving of justice.” It might be set in the aftermath of the Civil War, but this is a modern story that still resonates today.
The Broadway production starred one of my favourite actors, Ben Platt, who was nominated for a Tony for his role, so I wondered how an Aussie might possibly come close to his performance of Leo Frank. It’s such a pivotal role, the casting is everything. But wow, Aaron Robuck is sensational. As I listen to the Broadway cast recording today, I’m convinced that so many of the players in this Aussie production are just as good, if not better, than many of their American counterparts. Montana Sharp brought a beautiful warmth to her performance of Lucille that seems lacking in Micaela Diamond’s portrayal. As a longtime Australian Idol fan, I was thrilled to see Tarasai Vushe playing the dual roles of Minola McKnight and Angela. After they wowed me in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee last year, it was so exciting to see Adeline Hunter and Rebecca Ordiz shining again.
There’s no getting around it: Parade is a tough sell. It’s difficult to watch in parts, but it’s such an important story. It’s themes of prejudice and trial by media resonate today. And at its core, it’s a love story. I haven’t been as moved in the theatre in a few years. It’s honestly one of the most incredible shows I’ve ever seen. If you’re anywhere near Eora/Naarm, go. You will not be disappointed. It’s on at the Seymour Centre until May 26.
Image source: Seymour Centre
