Photo: Joan Marcus
Following a sold-out run last fall at New York City Center, producers Seaview and Ambassador Theatre Group announced today that Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond will bring their acclaimed performances to Broadway in two-time Tony nominated director Michael Arden’s new production of Parade with book by two-time Tony Award winner, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Academy Award winner Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, and co-conceived by 21-time Tony Award-winning legend Harold Prince.
The production will play Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street) with previews starting Tuesday, February 21 ahead of a Thursday, March 16 official opening night. This strictly limited engagement will play through Sunday, August 6 only. Tickets for the highly anticipated production are on sale now via www.paradebroadway.com, www.telecharge.com, or by calling 800 447 7400.
Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown said, “Twenty-five years ago, we were honored to bring the story of Leo Frank to the musical stage, guided by our visionary director, Hal Prince. It was an extraordinary gift to watch a whole new audience connect with Parade at City Center under the thrilling direction of a new visionary: Michael Arden. We couldn’t be more grateful that this production is now moving to Broadway, where even more people will get to see Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond deliver phenomenal performances and lead this large and gifted cast.”
Director Michael Arden said, “I am delighted that Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown’s musical will be seen by Broadway audiences again after our brief run last fall. Parade has been a seminal piece of theater for me as an artist since it premiered 25 years ago, and to be collaborating with this incredible group of producers, designers, and artists led by the brilliant Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond is truly a dream come true. The story of Leo Frank is more important than ever to re-examine, and it is my hope that audiences are both inspired and activated to reflect on both the past failure and the enduring promise of the complicated tapestry we call America.”
In a joint statement, the producers of Parade said, “Jason Robert Brown’s and Alfred Uhry’s masterpiece, Parade, is one of the most beloved musicals of the past 25 years. Whenever you mention the show to a theater fan, they light up talking about the first time they saw a production or heard a recording. At City Center, Michael Arden mounted a magnificent production with incandescent performances from Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond that had audiences enraptured. We are overjoyed that we can bring this to Broadway so more people can experience Parade anew.”
When it played its instantaneously sold-out run at New York City Center, it was heralded by critics for its stellar performances, glorious score, incisive book, and impassioned direction. Juan A. Ramirez in the New York Times said, “This revival, filled with deft flourishes by director Michael Arden, recalls an era of big casts, big stories, and big talent – a time when musicals actually felt like events. Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond are fearless performers, and their duet ‘This Is Not Over Yet’ is a powerhouse for the ages. Their commanding vocals are matched by a confident production that revives the best of the original while pointing at the possibility of growth and hope.”
Leo and Lucille Frank (Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond) are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the old red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. Riveting and gloriously hopeful, Parade reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another.
The creative team for Parade includes Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant (choreography), Tony Award nominee Dane Laffrey (scenic design), Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty (costume design), Tony Award nominee Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Drama Desk Award nominee Jon Weston (sound design), Tony Award nominee Sven Ortel (projection design), Tom Murray (music director), Tom Watson (hair and wig design), Telsey + Co/Craig Burns, CSA (casting director), Justin Scribner (production stage manager). Parade was originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince.
Additional casting and other news about Parade will be announced in the coming weeks.