Photo: Joan Marcus
Today starting at 4:30 PM ET President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will welcome Parade composer Jason Robert Brown and stars Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond to a White House event celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month, as they perform songs from the musical currently playing on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street).
The event will be livestreamed starting at 4:30 PM ET on www.wh.gov/live and will be archived at www.youtube.com/whitehouse
Leo and Lucille Frank (Platt and 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.
Parade is directed by Michael Arden, with book by Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by Brown, and co-conceived by Harold Prince. Platt and Diamond lead a 33-person cast that features Alex Joseph Grayson as ‘Jim Conley,’ Sean Allan Krill as ‘Governor Slaton,’ Howard McGillin as ‘Old Soldier/Judge Roan,’ and Paul Alexander Nolan as ‘Hugh Dorsey.’ They will be joined by Jay Armstrong Johnson as ‘Britt Craig,’ Kelli Barrett as ‘Mrs. Phagan,’ Courtnee Carter as ‘Angela,’ Eddie Cooper as ‘Newt Lee,’ Erin Rose Doyle as ‘Mary Phagan,’ Tony Award nominee Manoel Felciano as ‘Tom Watson,’ Danielle Lee Greaves as ‘Minnie McKnight,’ Douglas Lyons as ‘Riley,’ and Jake Pedersen as ‘Frankie Epps.’
The cast is completed by Florrie Bagel as ‘Nurse,’ Stacie Bono as ‘Sally Slaton,’ Max Chernin as ‘Mr. Turner,’ Emily Rose DeMartino as ‘Essie & Others,’ Christopher Gurr as ‘Luther Rosser/Mr. Peavy,’ Beth Kirkpatrick as ‘Nina Formby,’ Ashlyn Maddox as ‘Monteen & Others,’ Sophia Manicone as ‘Iola Stover,’ William Michals as ‘Detective Starnes,’ Jackson Teeley as ‘Officer Ivey,’ and Charlie Webb as ‘Young Soldier.’
The swings for Parade are Harry Bouvy, Tanner Callicutt, Bailee Endebrock, Caroline Fairweather, Prentiss E. Mouton, and Aurelia Williams. Ryan Vona will be the standby for Leo Frank.
Parade is playing at Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street) in a strictly limited engagement through Sunday, August 6 only. Previews started Tuesday, February 21 ahead of a Thursday, March 16 official opening night. This production first premiered at New York City Center where it was instantly sold out, playing November 1-6, 2022.
The creative team for Parade includes Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant (choreography), Dane Laffrey (scenic design), Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty (costume design), Heather Gilbert (lighting design), Jon Weston (sound design), Sven Ortel (projection design), Tom Watson (hair and wig design), Tom Murray (music director/conductor), Kimberlee Wertz (music coordinator), Telsey + Co/Craig Burns, CSA (casting director), and Justin Scribner (production stage manager). Parade was originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince.
Parade is produced by Seaview, Ambassador Theatre Group, Alex Levy, Kevin Ryan, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Erica Lynn Schwartz, Creative Partners Productions, Marcia Goldberg, John Gore Organization, Cynthia Stroum, Tom Tuft, Benjamin Simpson, Nathan Vernon, Brian & Nick Ginsberg, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Roth-Manella Productions, Chutzpah Productions, 42nd.club, Ahava 72 Productions, The Andryc Brothers, The Array, At Rise Creative, Caiola Jenen Productions, Coles Achilles, deRoy Brunish Productions, Fakston Productions, Federman Batchelder, Pencil Factory Productions, Renard Lynch, Robin Merrie, Rubin Stuckelman, Runyonland Sussman, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, and New York City Center.