PARADE On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread — Page 28

Thrilled I got to see this again tonight, this time from cheaper seats in the mezzanine than the pricey orchestra seats I was in a few months ago. The production is simply incandescent from the mezzanine angle... like Life of Pi and Dolls House, this show is staged for a very particular section of the room only.

Platt and Diamond remain near perfect, with Platt's vocals being much more powerful and belty than I remember, and Diamond remaining a delight to listen to. I don't understand how Alex Joseph Grayson got lost in the Tony shuffle; he stops the show cold in Act 1 in a number that is staged so perfectly it takes your breath away. The run is taking its toll on some of the cast (harder to understand some, others' voices are struggling), but special shout out to Paul Alexander Nolan and Danielle Lee Greaves who are each doing simply remarkable work.

Given the discussion here, my ear was particularly sensitive to the repeated references to the anti Semitic sentiment depicted and I'm just gobsmacked that anyone could miss the repeated references to it: by the press, by Tom Watson, by Dorsey when he explains away the Jewish money behind the governors trying to prevent Frank's hanging, to the sign that says "Gov Slaton In the Jews Pocket" to the factory girls' and even Conley's depiction of a bug-eyed Brooklynite.

Anyway, thrilled I got to see this again. Kudos to Arden and this team.

It didn't give rise to the original KKK, but it led to a revival of the KKK in Georgia. That's what I meant by what I said, not that the case started the KKK.

Boy I thought this was a real misfire.

Ben Platts performance was so obnixous I could not wait for it to end and could not figure out for the life of me why Lucille and Leo were together or why she did what she did for him, I didn't feel any true love between them until like the last 20 minutes when she went above and beyond to try and save his ass,

Also after hearing it over and over for months in ads and seeing it on the TONY awards, "This Isn't Over" just left me empty, the moment felt zapped of it's power

Additionally if you are going to heavly rely on projections especially names can you atleast design them so everyone in the theater can see what you are showing, sat far right mezz and couldn't make out half of the names.

Updated On: 7/9/23 at 10:05 PM

I've seen other productions where Leo isn't played as such a off-putting dick and it honestly makes the ending land harder.

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "Boy I thought this was a real misfire.

Ben Platts performance was so obnixous I could not wait for it to end and could not figure out for the life of me why Lucille and Leo were together or why she did what she did for him, I didn't feel any true love between them until like the last 20 minutes when she went above and beyond to try and save his ass,

Also after hearing it over and over for months in ads and seeing it on the TONY awards, "This Isn't Over" just left me empty, the moment felt zapped of it's power

Additionally if you are going to heavly rely on projections especially names can you atleast design them so everyone in the theater can see what you are showing, sat far right mezz and couldn't make out half of the names.

I agree. As terrifically as this revival is directed, that hanging scene was surprisingly lackluster and devoid of power. I almost thought, "did something go wrong tonight and they had to resort to this...?"

This show has always had intense book problems but I think this revival is the best one could hope for. I like that Leo is not lovable. But the writing lets the characters down. Sometimes the actors playing Lucille and Leo make up for it in chemistry. These two, as good as they are individually, have NONE! I also feel the score is catchy and classic (much more so than I originally thought when I saw the Hal Prince production), except when writing the music for the leads when Brown tries to go all Sondheimy, so the central couple's songs are the least effective in the show.

So I noticed that in 3 of its final 4 weeks of performances, Parade is doing 9 performances a week. Does anyone know if any of those performances are officially slotted for understudies or alternates already? The website doesn't say anything that I can find, so I am assuming not, but wondered if anyone else knew any more info about these final weeks (particularly the additional Sunday evening shows)

Does anyone know if the show has or is likely to make a profit? I think especially given the concerns people have around Broadway economics, country economics, anti-semitism (does anyone remember that 'protest'? lol), the early advance of this show, the difficult and complex subject matter etc. it has pretty much turned out to be a 'real big' success story and a critical/commercial hit. It might be the first time I've ever followed a production closely from inception that has actually been a hit (cf. Follies, War Paint, Company etc.).

If it can at least break even, it really gives me hope that Broadway will continue to be alive and well. And it can be a model to convince producers and investors that there is a place for high quality, complex and serious shows on Broadway!!!!

I can't seem to find that investor paper that was leaked before the show announced a transfer.

Updated On: 7/14/23 at 04:20 PM

Uh. They used the spoiler tool...... Other humans are not responsible for you reading them.....

Sutton Ross said: "Uh. They used the spoiler tool...... Other humans are not responsible for you reading them....."

I'm referring to what was written outside of the spoiler content. In other words, things I could read WITHOUT clicking on the spoiler reveal.

Updated On: 7/15/23 at 02:19 AM

"I realize that you can easily google Leo Frank to find out his fate..."

It's also projected text at the beginning of this production.

According to the Broadway Journal article:



“It can recoup its $5.7 million production costs by grossing $984,000 for 25 weeks and qualifying for a $3 million theater production state tax credit, according to the investor presentation. To recoup the full capitalization — which includes reserves, advances to creatives and bonds paid to unions — it must run 32 weeks at the same level and earn the tax credit. At a $1.25 million gross, it could recoup the full capitalization in about 15 weeks (with the tax credit).

Fixed weekly operating expenses, before royalties, for the limited run are projected to be $659,000.”

http://broadwayjournal.com/ben-platt-to-lead-6-5-million-parade-exclusive/

I don't understand why this isn't trying to extend.

It's doing over $1 million a week. Ben isn't Hugh Jackman. Surely he can be replaced.

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Do we need a better example of "the Broadway business model is totally broken" when a show--without any major celebrities commanding insane salaries-- can sell to 95%+ capacity for six months straight, with avg ticket prices being well north of $100, and still maybe not turn a profit?"

Exactly my thought. If this doesn't turn a profit, little else has a chance. Not because the idea was a slam dunk, but because Ben has proved to be a major musical theatre draw. If running costs are indeed 650k and theyve been making over 1m/week, you can't ask for much more.