Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond to star in NYCC Gala presentation of Parade — Page 7

The second act was more effective than the first because it has most of the better songs, but I'm in the minority of opinions here it seems. There really is no perspective on the situation or characters and everyone behaves exactly as you predict they will. There are no surprises or momentum to the drama.

By removing all of Leo Frank's skittish tendencies (I assume to avoid comparison to Evan Hansen) they've also removed his only defining trait. Now when other characters exaggerate Frank's nervous behaviors in the courtroom it makes no sense. Micaela Diamond easily walks away with the show with her focused performance but I would've taken Carolee Carmello and Brent Carver over them any day. The standout was Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley.

It does feel calibrated for Platt to star in a musical where he's wrongly persecuted by a mob mentality but completely innocent, and I don't think it helped them tell the story. It hardly manages to condemn antisemitism and white supremacy effectively—they aren't helped by an implied conversation about cancelation. Arden's direction is leaden and relies on over-indication throughout, with the occasional nice touch here and there.

The gushy nonsense that is the Times review says the production "delves further into America’s history of violence and delivers the best-sung musical in many a New York season" and I didn't feel it did either of those things. There is no delving into almost anything here, and Into the Woods easily tops the strained vocal performances in Parade.

Still, even with indistinguishable lyrics over thick orchestrations, underpowered staging, unreadable projections, and a slog of a book, the audience around me loved it. I think the yassified theatregoing audience is devoted enough to give this show legs to transfer. I'll probably sooner revisit the OBCR than see it again.

Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer. ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows. The season is looking very saturated at this point.

Quite obviously Platt would have to transfer with the production otherwise I do not think it would sell very well. I don’t see it. The Gala could have been the worst musical ever starring Platt and it probably would have sold out.

Robbie2 said: "inception said: "Not sure this will have same momentum to transfer that Into The Woods had this past summer. ITW is a better known show, & producers could see a window in the summer where there wasn't much else new going on to interest NY area resident theater goers.

In the spring this will be competing for sales almost directly with the same audience for Sweeney Todd - Groban vs Platt Plus any of the new shows that have just opened that end up hits, and other new spring shows. The season is looking very saturated at this point."

I asked some friends in the industry about a transfer and was told no discusions are happening for it"

Hearing the opposite.

I saw the show opening night and it was spectacular. Truly do hope it transfers.

Updated On: 11/3/22 at 05:00 PM

It is a predictable cycle often repeated.

Show does well.

People ask if it will transfer.

People debate if a transfer will or won't happen.

People then question whether everything needs to transfer.

Just how good the show in question really is starts to be debated.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Do we have anything slated for the Spring for the Hudson? No right? Easy, it’s going there if it transfers given the producers and they’d build the business model around what was done for SITP with Jake. But you can bet Platt will want to be eligible for another Tony (where the former didn’t want to be disappointed when he lost given he’s a bit of a Susan Lucci of film awards).

JasonC3 said: "Seems like part of the reasoning to support a transfer would be the timeliness of the material given the environment in which we current find ourselves and how that might translate into interest in the topic/show. Whether it would do so at sufficient levels to sustain much of a run is a other story."

Bingo. I have to believe its up to Ben Platt; given the torrent of hate flowing these days a show about uniquely American antisemitism strikes me as timely, and with Ben Platt on marquee, would sell well especially for a limited run.

JasonC3 said: "It is a predictable cycle often repeated.

Show does well.

People ask if it will transfer.

People debate if a transfer will or won't happen.

People then question whether everything needs to transfer.

Just how good the show in question really is starts to be debated.

Yadda, yadda, yadda."

Just as predictable as someone posting to whine about it.

TotallyEffed said: "Just dropping in to say that Micaela Diamond is a fantastic actress."

I agree! I won't forget seeing her in the Cher Show. Besides the amazing SJB, Micaela truly gave a standout performance!

Boy, this show has the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

As someone who read a LOT about the real life case (actually because I was so in love with this show), I can say that the show really oversimplifies the case too. I'm not saying that there wasn't anti-Semitism or that I think Leo Frank wasn't wrongly convicted (and certainly he should have been better protected by the state while in their custody), but there is a lot more nuance and complexity that the show doesn't convey.

It also really exaggerates Leo Frank's social alienation and being different from southerners etc. In real life, he actually had plans to attend a baseball game on Confederate Memorial Day.

Still an amazing score, though.

Updated On: 11/4/22 at 01:15 PM

Also, to be fair it is positioned as 'inspired by historical events' only rather than something like 'the visceral, raw heartbreaking TRUE story of how one man...' type marketing.

PipingHotPiccolo: So in the show he says that Confederate Memorial Day is silly and refuses to "celebrate" it (at least as far as I remember), instead going to work. It's an example of how the show makes Frank look more socially alienated from the people in the area. The south definitely viewed him as different and not like one of them, but how much HE felt like he didn't belong is unclear (especially since there was a large, thriving local Jewish community).

And yeah, I'm not saying the show needs to be a documentary! Just agreeing that it isn't very subtle.