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Parade (musical)
Encyclopedia
Parade is a musical with a book by Alfred Uhry
and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
. The musical was first produced on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on December 17, 1998. The production was directed by Harold Prince and closed 28 February 1999 after only 39 previews and 84 regular performances. It starred Brent Carver
as Leo Frank
, Carolee Carmello
as Lucille Frank, and Christy Carlson Romano
as Mary Phagan.
The musical won Tony Awards for best book and best score (out of nine nominations) and six Drama Desk Awards. The show has enjoyed a U.S. national tour and numerous professional and amateur productions in both the U.S. and abroad.
, who was accused and convicted of raping
and murdering a thirteen-year-old employee, Mary Phagan. The trial, sensationalized by the media, may have aroused some antisemitic tensions in Atlanta and the U.S. state
of Georgia
. When Frank's death sentence was commuted to life in prison by the departing Governor of Georgia, John M. Slaton
due to his detailed review of over 10,000 pages of testimony and possible problems with the trial, Leo Frank
was transferred to a prison
in Milledgeville, Georgia
, where a lynching
party seized and kidnapped him. Frank was taken to Phagan's hometown of Marietta, Georgia
, and he was hanged
from an oak tree. The events surround the investigation and trial led to two groups emerging, the revival of the defunct KKK and the birth of a premier Jewish Civil Rights organization. The Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) was formed in response to the antisemitism surrounding Leo Frank's trial and lynching.
turned the project down. Prince's daughter, Daisy, had brought Brown to her father's attention. Uhry, who grew up in Atlanta, had personal knowledge of the Frank story, as his great-uncle owned the pencil factory run by Leo Frank.
In dramatizing the story, Prince and Uhry have emphasized the evolving relationship between Leo and his wife Lucille. Their relationship shifts from cold to warm in songs like "Leo at Work/What am I Waiting For?," "You Don't Know This Man," "Do it Alone," and "All the Wasted Time". The poignancy of the couple, who falls in love in the midst of adversity, is the core of the work. It makes the tragic outcome - the miscarriage of justice - even more disturbing.
The show was Brown's first Broadway production. His music has "subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel."
The plot of the musical dramatizes the historical story and does not shy away from the conclusion of some that the likely killer was the African-American factory janitor Jim Conley, the key witness against Frank at the trial. The true villains of the piece are portrayed as the prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabid publisher Tom Watson
(later elected a U.S. senator).
The sounds of drums herald the appearance of a young Confederate soldier, bidding farewell to his sweetheart as he goes to fight for his homeland. The years pass and suddenly it is 1913. The young soldier has become an old one-legged veteran who is preparing to march in the annual Confederate Memorial Day
parade ("The Old Red Hills of Home"). As the Parade begins ("The Dream of Atlanta"), Leo Frank
, a Yankee Jew from Brooklyn
, NYC, is deeply uncomfortable in the town in which he works and lives, feeling out of place due to his Judaism and his college education ("How Can I Call This Home?"). His discomfort is present even in his relationship with his wife, Lucille, who has planned an outdoor meal spoiled by Leo’s decision to go into work on a holiday. Meanwhile, two local teens, Frankie Epps and Mary Phagan, ride a trolley car and flirt. Frankie wants Mary to go to the picture show with him, but Mary playfully resists, insisting her mother will not let her ("The Picture Show"). Mary leaves to collect her pay from the pencil factory managed by Frank.
While Frank is at work, Lucille bemoans the state of their marriage, believing herself unappreciated by a man so wrapped up in himself. She reflects on her unfulfilled life and wonders whether or not Leo was the right match for her ("Leo at Work/What Am I Waiting For?"). Mary Phagan arrives in Leo's office to collect her paycheck. That night, two policeman, Detective Starnes and Officer Ivey, rouse Frank from his sleep, and without telling him why, demand he accompany them to the factory, where the body of Mary Phagan has been found raped and murdered in the basement. The police immediately suspect Newt Lee, the African-American night watchman who discovered the body ("Interrogation"). Throughout his interrogation, he maintains his innocence, but inadvertently directs the suspicion of the police upon Frank, who did not answer his telephone when Lee called him to report the incident. Frank is arrested, but not charged, and Mrs. Phagan, Mary's mother, and her younger daughter, Lizzie, become aware of Mary's death.
Across town, a reporter named Britt Craig is thrown out of a bar and drunkenly bemoans the lack of a worthwhile story to report in the slow-moving town of Atlanta ("Big News!"). Once he hears about Mary's murder, he sobers up and sees the possibility of a career-making story.
In the meantime, Governor Slaton pressures the local prosecutor Hugh Dorsey to get to the bottom of the whole affair. Dorsey, an ambitious politician with a "lousy conviction record", resolves to find the murderer.
At Mary's funeral, the townspeople of Marietta are angry, mournful, and baffled by the tragedy that has so unexpectedly shattered the community. ("There is a Fountain/It Don't Make Sense"). Frankie Epps swears revenge on Mary's killer, as does Tom Watson, a writer for The Jeffersonian, an extremist right-wing newspaper.
Later on, Dorsey, along with Starnes and Ivey interrogate Newt Lee, but they get no information. Dorsey releases Newt, reasoning that "hanging another Nigra ain't enough this time. We gotta do better." He then attaches the blame to Leo Frank, and sends Starnes and Ivey out to find eyewitnesses ("Something Ain’t Right"). Craig exalts in his opportunity to cover a "real" story and begins an effective campaign vilifying Leo Frank. ("Real Big News").
We then meet Luther Z. Rosser, Leo’s lawyer, who vows to “win this case, and send him home”. Meanwhile, Dorsey makes a deal with factory janitor and ex-convict Jim Conley to testify against Frank in exchange for immunity for a previous escape from Prison. Lucille, hounded by reporters, collapses from the strain and privately rebukes Craig when he attempts to get an interview ("You Don't Know This Man"). She tells her husband that she cannot bear to see his trial, but he begs her to stay in the courtroom, as her not appearing would make him look guilty.
The Trial of Leo Frank begins, presided over by Judge Roan. A hysterical crowd gathers outside the courtroom ("People of Atlanta"), and Hugh Dorsey begins the case for the prosecution ("Twenty Miles from Marietta"). The prosecution produces a series of witnesses, most of whom give trumped evidence which was clearly fed to them by Dorsey. Frankie Epps testifies, falsely, that Mary mentioned that Frank "looks at her funny" when they last spoke, a sentiment echoed verbatim by three of Mary’s teenage co-workers, Iola, Essie, and Monteen ("The Factory Girls"). In a fantasy sequence, Frank becomes the lecherous seducer of their testimony ("Come Up to My Office"). Testimony is heard from Mary's mother ("My Child Will Forgive Me") and Newt Lee before the prosecution's star witness, Jim Conley, takes the stand, claiming that he helped Frank cover up the crime (“That's What He Said”).
The courtroom is filled with cries of "hang him!" Leo is desperate, but Rosser insists he stay silent, assuring him that he has a plan. As prosecutor Hugh Dorsey whips the observers and jurors at the trial into a frenzy, Rosser is given the opportunity for his client to deliver a statement. Leo offers a heartfelt speech, pleading to be believed ("It's Hard To Speak My Heart"), but it is not enough - despite Rosser insisting that he wasn't coached or rehearsed. He is found guilty and sentenced to hang. The crowd breaks out into a jubilant cakewalk
as Lucille and Leo embrace, terrified ("Summation and Cakewalk").
The governor, upon receiving a letter from the now-retired Judge Roan asking him to reevaluate the evidence as he lies on his deathbed, ("Letter to the Governor"), reopens the case. Leo and Lucille rejoice ("This Is Not Over Yet"). Slaton visits the factory girls, who admit to their exaggeration, and Newt Lee, who claims that Dorsey did not let him finish his testimony. Slaton also visits Jim Conley, who is back in jail as an accessory to the murder, who refuses to change his story despite the noticeable inconsistencies with the evidence, and along with his Chain Gang, does not give any information, much to the chagrin of Slaton ("Feel the Rain Fall").
After much consideration, he agrees to commute Frank's sentence to life in prison in Milledgeville, Georgia, a move that effectively ends his political career. The citizens of Marietta, led by Dorsey and Watson, are enraged ("Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes?"). Leo realizes his deep love for his wife and how much he has underestimated her ("All the Wasted Time"). After Lucille departs from the prison, a party of masked men (Starnes, Ivey, Frankie Epps, and the Old Confederate Soldier) arrives and kidnaps Leo. They take him to Marietta and string him from an oak tree ("Sh'ma").
Lucille is crushed by her loss but she takes comfort in believing that Leo is with God and free from his ordeal, as the Confederate Memorial Day Parade begins again ("Finale").
Act II
Original Broadway Cast
had filed for bankruptcy protection (Chapter 11). Lincoln Center was the other producer solely responsible for covering the weekly running costs.
in Atlanta in June 2000, with Jason Robert Brown conducting at some venues. It starred David Pittu
as Leo, Andrea Burns as Lucille, Keith Byron Kirk as Jim Conley and Kristen Bowden as Mary Phagan. The Full Cast List was (including replacements): Rick Hilsabeck, Carla Hargrove, John Paul Almon, Donald Grody, Daniel Frank Kelley, David Vosburgh, Elizabeth Brownlee, Siri Howard, Tim Salamandyk, Tim Howard, C. Mingo Long, Raissa Katona, Sandra DeNise, David Coolidge, Anne Allgood, Mimi Bessette, Jamie Sorrentini
, Justin Bohon, Laura Marie Crosta , Sandra DeNise, David Dannehl, Jeff Edgerton, Jamie Johnsson, Corey Reynolds, Greg Roderick, Natasha Yvette Williams and Swings: Joe Duffy (Dance Captain) and Laura Shutter
from September 24 to November 24, 2007. It was directed by Rob Ashford
and starred Lara Pulver
as Lucielle Frank, Bertie Carvel
as Leo and Jayne Wisener
as Mary Phagan. Pulver was nominated for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. A double-CD cast recording of this production has been released by First Night Records. The recording includes new material written by Brown for the production and contains all songs and dialogue from the Donmar production.
The Donmar production transferred to the Mark Taper Forum
, Los Angeles, California, in September 2009, for a run through November 15, 2009. Lara Pulver reprised her role as Lucille opposite T.R. Knight as Leo Frank. The cast also included, in alphabetical order, Brad Anderson, Michael Berresse
, Will Collyer, Charlotte d’Amboise, Karole Foreman, Davis Gaines, Laura Griffith, P.J. Griffith, Curt Hansen, Deidrie Henry, Christian Hoff
, Sarah Jayne Jensen, Lisa Livesay, Hayley Podschun, David St. Louis, Rose Sezniak (now Hemingway), Phoebe Strole, Josh Tower and Robert Yacko.
Alfred Uhry
Alfred Fox Uhry is an American playwright, screenwriter, and member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He is one of very few writers to receive an Academy Award, Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing....
and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Jason Robert Brown
Jason Robert Brown is an American musical theater composer, lyricist, and playwright. Brown's music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics...
. The musical was first produced on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on December 17, 1998. The production was directed by Harold Prince and closed 28 February 1999 after only 39 previews and 84 regular performances. It starred Brent Carver
Brent Carver
Brent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love...
as Leo Frank
Leo Frank
Leo Max Frank was a Jewish-American factory superintendent whose hanging in 1915 by a lynch mob of prominent citizens in Marietta, Georgia drew attention to antisemitism in the United States....
, Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...
as Lucille Frank, and Christy Carlson Romano
Christy Carlson Romano
Christy Carlson Romano is an American stage and film actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the sitcom Even Stevens and the animated series Kim Possible, in which she is the voice of the title character, as well as the voice of Yuffie Kisaragi in Kingdom Hearts and Final...
as Mary Phagan.
The musical won Tony Awards for best book and best score (out of nine nominations) and six Drama Desk Awards. The show has enjoyed a U.S. national tour and numerous professional and amateur productions in both the U.S. and abroad.
Historical Background
The musical dramatizes the 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo FrankLeo Frank
Leo Max Frank was a Jewish-American factory superintendent whose hanging in 1915 by a lynch mob of prominent citizens in Marietta, Georgia drew attention to antisemitism in the United States....
, who was accused and convicted of raping
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and murdering a thirteen-year-old employee, Mary Phagan. The trial, sensationalized by the media, may have aroused some antisemitic tensions in Atlanta and the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. When Frank's death sentence was commuted to life in prison by the departing Governor of Georgia, John M. Slaton
John M. Slaton
John Marshall Slaton, or Jack Slaton, served two non-consecutive terms as the 60th Governor of Georgia.Slaton was born in Meriwether County, Georgia....
due to his detailed review of over 10,000 pages of testimony and possible problems with the trial, Leo Frank
Leo Frank
Leo Max Frank was a Jewish-American factory superintendent whose hanging in 1915 by a lynch mob of prominent citizens in Marietta, Georgia drew attention to antisemitism in the United States....
was transferred to a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in Milledgeville, Georgia
Milledgeville, Georgia
Milledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon, located just before Eatonton on the way to Athens along U.S. Highway 441, and it is located on the Oconee River. The relatively rapid current of the Oconee here made this an...
, where a lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
party seized and kidnapped him. Frank was taken to Phagan's hometown of Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, and he was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
from an oak tree. The events surround the investigation and trial led to two groups emerging, the revival of the defunct KKK and the birth of a premier Jewish Civil Rights organization. The Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
(ADL) was formed in response to the antisemitism surrounding Leo Frank's trial and lynching.
History of the Musical
Prince turned to Brown to write the score after Stephen SondheimStephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
turned the project down. Prince's daughter, Daisy, had brought Brown to her father's attention. Uhry, who grew up in Atlanta, had personal knowledge of the Frank story, as his great-uncle owned the pencil factory run by Leo Frank.
In dramatizing the story, Prince and Uhry have emphasized the evolving relationship between Leo and his wife Lucille. Their relationship shifts from cold to warm in songs like "Leo at Work/What am I Waiting For?," "You Don't Know This Man," "Do it Alone," and "All the Wasted Time". The poignancy of the couple, who falls in love in the midst of adversity, is the core of the work. It makes the tragic outcome - the miscarriage of justice - even more disturbing.
The show was Brown's first Broadway production. His music has "subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel."
The plot of the musical dramatizes the historical story and does not shy away from the conclusion of some that the likely killer was the African-American factory janitor Jim Conley, the key witness against Frank at the trial. The true villains of the piece are portrayed as the prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabid publisher Tom Watson
Thomas E. Watson
Thomas Edward "Tom" Watson was an American politician, newspaper editor, and writer from Georgia. In the 1890s Watson championed poor farmers as a leader of the Populist Party, articulating an agrarian political viewpoint while attacking business, bankers, railroads, Democratic President Grover...
(later elected a U.S. senator).
Act One
We are in Marietta, Georgia, in the time of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
The sounds of drums herald the appearance of a young Confederate soldier, bidding farewell to his sweetheart as he goes to fight for his homeland. The years pass and suddenly it is 1913. The young soldier has become an old one-legged veteran who is preparing to march in the annual Confederate Memorial Day
Confederate Memorial Day
Confederate Memorial Day, also known as Confederate Decoration Day and Confederate Heroes Day , is an official holiday and/or observance day in parts of the U.S. South as a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War...
parade ("The Old Red Hills of Home"). As the Parade begins ("The Dream of Atlanta"), Leo Frank
Leo Frank
Leo Max Frank was a Jewish-American factory superintendent whose hanging in 1915 by a lynch mob of prominent citizens in Marietta, Georgia drew attention to antisemitism in the United States....
, a Yankee Jew from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, NYC, is deeply uncomfortable in the town in which he works and lives, feeling out of place due to his Judaism and his college education ("How Can I Call This Home?"). His discomfort is present even in his relationship with his wife, Lucille, who has planned an outdoor meal spoiled by Leo’s decision to go into work on a holiday. Meanwhile, two local teens, Frankie Epps and Mary Phagan, ride a trolley car and flirt. Frankie wants Mary to go to the picture show with him, but Mary playfully resists, insisting her mother will not let her ("The Picture Show"). Mary leaves to collect her pay from the pencil factory managed by Frank.
While Frank is at work, Lucille bemoans the state of their marriage, believing herself unappreciated by a man so wrapped up in himself. She reflects on her unfulfilled life and wonders whether or not Leo was the right match for her ("Leo at Work/What Am I Waiting For?"). Mary Phagan arrives in Leo's office to collect her paycheck. That night, two policeman, Detective Starnes and Officer Ivey, rouse Frank from his sleep, and without telling him why, demand he accompany them to the factory, where the body of Mary Phagan has been found raped and murdered in the basement. The police immediately suspect Newt Lee, the African-American night watchman who discovered the body ("Interrogation"). Throughout his interrogation, he maintains his innocence, but inadvertently directs the suspicion of the police upon Frank, who did not answer his telephone when Lee called him to report the incident. Frank is arrested, but not charged, and Mrs. Phagan, Mary's mother, and her younger daughter, Lizzie, become aware of Mary's death.
Across town, a reporter named Britt Craig is thrown out of a bar and drunkenly bemoans the lack of a worthwhile story to report in the slow-moving town of Atlanta ("Big News!"). Once he hears about Mary's murder, he sobers up and sees the possibility of a career-making story.
In the meantime, Governor Slaton pressures the local prosecutor Hugh Dorsey to get to the bottom of the whole affair. Dorsey, an ambitious politician with a "lousy conviction record", resolves to find the murderer.
At Mary's funeral, the townspeople of Marietta are angry, mournful, and baffled by the tragedy that has so unexpectedly shattered the community. ("There is a Fountain/It Don't Make Sense"). Frankie Epps swears revenge on Mary's killer, as does Tom Watson, a writer for The Jeffersonian, an extremist right-wing newspaper.
Later on, Dorsey, along with Starnes and Ivey interrogate Newt Lee, but they get no information. Dorsey releases Newt, reasoning that "hanging another Nigra ain't enough this time. We gotta do better." He then attaches the blame to Leo Frank, and sends Starnes and Ivey out to find eyewitnesses ("Something Ain’t Right"). Craig exalts in his opportunity to cover a "real" story and begins an effective campaign vilifying Leo Frank. ("Real Big News").
We then meet Luther Z. Rosser, Leo’s lawyer, who vows to “win this case, and send him home”. Meanwhile, Dorsey makes a deal with factory janitor and ex-convict Jim Conley to testify against Frank in exchange for immunity for a previous escape from Prison. Lucille, hounded by reporters, collapses from the strain and privately rebukes Craig when he attempts to get an interview ("You Don't Know This Man"). She tells her husband that she cannot bear to see his trial, but he begs her to stay in the courtroom, as her not appearing would make him look guilty.
The Trial of Leo Frank begins, presided over by Judge Roan. A hysterical crowd gathers outside the courtroom ("People of Atlanta"), and Hugh Dorsey begins the case for the prosecution ("Twenty Miles from Marietta"). The prosecution produces a series of witnesses, most of whom give trumped evidence which was clearly fed to them by Dorsey. Frankie Epps testifies, falsely, that Mary mentioned that Frank "looks at her funny" when they last spoke, a sentiment echoed verbatim by three of Mary’s teenage co-workers, Iola, Essie, and Monteen ("The Factory Girls"). In a fantasy sequence, Frank becomes the lecherous seducer of their testimony ("Come Up to My Office"). Testimony is heard from Mary's mother ("My Child Will Forgive Me") and Newt Lee before the prosecution's star witness, Jim Conley, takes the stand, claiming that he helped Frank cover up the crime (“That's What He Said”).
The courtroom is filled with cries of "hang him!" Leo is desperate, but Rosser insists he stay silent, assuring him that he has a plan. As prosecutor Hugh Dorsey whips the observers and jurors at the trial into a frenzy, Rosser is given the opportunity for his client to deliver a statement. Leo offers a heartfelt speech, pleading to be believed ("It's Hard To Speak My Heart"), but it is not enough - despite Rosser insisting that he wasn't coached or rehearsed. He is found guilty and sentenced to hang. The crowd breaks out into a jubilant cakewalk
Cakewalk
The Cakewalk dance was developed from a "Prize Walk" done in the days of slavery, generally at get-togethers on plantations in the Southern United States. Alternative names for the original form of the dance were "chalkline-walk", and the "walk-around"...
as Lucille and Leo embrace, terrified ("Summation and Cakewalk").
Act Two
Leo has begun his process of appeal. The trial has been noted by the press in the north, and the reaction is strongly disapproving of the way in which it was conducted, but Newt Lee, Jim Conley, and two African-American domestics wonder if the reaction would have been as strong if the victim had been black ("A Rumblin' and a Rollin'"). Lucille tries to help Leo with his appeal, but reveals crucial information to Craig, provoking a fight between Leo and Lucille ("Do It Alone"). Lucille then finds Governor Slaton at a party ("Pretty Music") and attempts to advocate for Leo.The governor, upon receiving a letter from the now-retired Judge Roan asking him to reevaluate the evidence as he lies on his deathbed, ("Letter to the Governor"), reopens the case. Leo and Lucille rejoice ("This Is Not Over Yet"). Slaton visits the factory girls, who admit to their exaggeration, and Newt Lee, who claims that Dorsey did not let him finish his testimony. Slaton also visits Jim Conley, who is back in jail as an accessory to the murder, who refuses to change his story despite the noticeable inconsistencies with the evidence, and along with his Chain Gang, does not give any information, much to the chagrin of Slaton ("Feel the Rain Fall").
After much consideration, he agrees to commute Frank's sentence to life in prison in Milledgeville, Georgia, a move that effectively ends his political career. The citizens of Marietta, led by Dorsey and Watson, are enraged ("Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes?"). Leo realizes his deep love for his wife and how much he has underestimated her ("All the Wasted Time"). After Lucille departs from the prison, a party of masked men (Starnes, Ivey, Frankie Epps, and the Old Confederate Soldier) arrives and kidnaps Leo. They take him to Marietta and string him from an oak tree ("Sh'ma").
Lucille is crushed by her loss but she takes comfort in believing that Leo is with God and free from his ordeal, as the Confederate Memorial Day Parade begins again ("Finale").
Musical numbers
Act I- The Old Red Hills of Home Part 1 - Young Confederate Soldier
- The Old Red Hills of Home Part 2 - Old Confederate Soldier, Townspeople
- The Dream of Atlanta - Townspeople
- How Can I Call This Home? - Leo Frank, Townspeople
- The Picture Show - Mary Phagan, Frankie Epps
- Leo At Work/What Am I Waiting For? - Leo Frank, Lucille Frank
- Interrogation: "I Am Trying to Remember..." - Newt Lee with Leo Frank, Detective Starnes, Officer Ivey, Mrs. Phagan, Lizzie Phagan, and the Young Policeman
- Big News! (cut for the Donmar Warehouse production) - Britt Craig
- Funeral: There is a Fountain/It Don't Make Sense - Frankie Epps, Britt Craig, Iola Stover, Essie, Monteen, Prison Guard, Lizzie Phagan, Townspeople
- Watson's Lullaby - Tom Watson
- Somethin' Ain't Right - Hugh Dorsey with Detective Starnes and Officer Ivey
- Real Big News - Britt Craig, Townspeople
- You Don't Know This Man - Lucille Frank
- Trial Part I: People of Atlanta (Replaced with "Hammer of Justice" in the Donmar Warehouse production) - Fiddling John, Tom Watson, Townspeople
- Trial Part II: Dorsey's Statement: Twenty Miles From Marietta - Hugh Dorsey
- Trial Part III: Frankie's Testimony - Frankie Epps, Mary Phagan
- Trial Part IV: Factory Girls/Come Up to My Office - Iola Stover, Essie, Monteen, and Leo Frank
- Trial Part V: Newt Lee's Testimony (cut for the Donmar Warehouse production, replaced with Minnie McKnight's Testimony) - Newt Lee
- Trial Part VI: My Child Will Forgive Me - Mrs. Phagan
- Trial Part VII: That's What He Said - Jim Conley, Townspeople with Randy, Fiddling John, and Lizzie Phagan
- Trial Part VIII: Leo's Statement: It's Hard to Speak My Heart - Leo Frank
- Trial Part IX: Summation and Cakewalk - Hugh Dorsey, Judge Roan, Foreman Of The Jury, Jurors, Townspeople
Act II
- Rumblin' and a Rollin' - Riley, Angela, Jim Conley, Newt Lee
- Do It Alone - Lucille Frank
- Pretty Music - Governor John Slaton
- Letter to the Governor (Replaced with "The Glory"* in the Donmar Warehouse production) - Nurse, Judge Roan
- *The Glory (Used only in Donmar Warehouse production in place of "Letter to the Governor") - Judge Roan, Hugh Dorsey
- This Is Not Over Yet - Leo Frank, Lucille Frank, Prison Guard
- The Factory Girls (Reprise) - Iola Stover, Essie, Monteen
- Newt Lee (Reprise) - Governor John Slaton, Lucille Frank, Newt Lee
- Blues: Feel the Rain Fall - Jim Conley, Chain Gang, Governor John Slaton, Chain Gang Guard
- Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes? - Tom Watson, Hugh Dorsey, Mrs. Phagan, Britt Craig, Townspeople
- All the Wasted Time - Leo Frank, Lucille Frank
- Abduction - Leo Frank, The Old Confederate Soldier, Frankie Epps, Detective Starnes, Officer Ivey
- Sh'ma - Leo Frank
- Finale - Lucille Frank, Leo Frank, Frankie Epps, Mary Phagan, Full Company
Characters and original Broadway cast
- Leo Frank - A Jewish man who runs the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is accused of killing Mary Phagan
- Lucille Frank - His young wife
- Mary Phagan - A thirteen-year-old employee at the National Pencil Company who is murdered in the basement of the factory
- Frankie Epps - Mary's friend and suitor
- Britt Craig - A drunken journalist for the Atlanta Georgian
- Governor John Slaton - The governor of Georgia
- Sally Slaton - Slaton's wife
- Tom Watson - The editor of the zealot newspaper, the Jeffersonian
- Jim Conley - The janitor at the National Pencil Company, and the star witness at the trial
- Newt Lee - The night watchman at the National Pencil Company the night that Mary was killed
- Hugh Dorsey - The charismatic and ambitious prosecuting attorney
- Mrs. Phagan - Mary and Lizzie's mother
- Judge Roan - The sickly judge presiding over Leo's trial
- Luther Z. Rosser - Leo's attorney, a Southern 'Good Old Boy'
- Detective JN Starnes - Chief of the Atlanta Police Department
- Officer Ivey - Starnes' assistant
- Iola Stover - Mary's best friend from the factory
- Monteen - Mary's other friend from the factory
- Essie - Mary's other friend from the factory
- Fiddlin' John - A young townsman with a fiddle
- Young Confederate Soldier - A young Confederate soldier that appears in the Prologue
- Old Confederate Soldier - An older version of the young Confederate soldier, but he has now lost his leg
- Lizzie Phagan - Mary's younger sister
- Nurse - Judge Roan's perky nurse
- Prison Guard - The guard at the Fulton Tower Prison
- Mr. Peavy - The guard at the Milledgeville Prison
- Floyd MacDaniel - Owner of MacDaniel's Bar
- Helen - A woman at Slaton's party
- Roy - Her husband
- Young Policeman - Also of the Atlanta Police Department
- Ensemble of Townspeople
Original Broadway Cast
- Leo Frank - Brent CarverBrent CarverBrent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love...
- Lucille Frank - Carolee CarmelloCarolee CarmelloCarolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...
- Jim Conley - Rufus Bonds Jr.
- Mary Phagan - Christy Carlson RomanoChristy Carlson RomanoChristy Carlson Romano is an American stage and film actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the sitcom Even Stevens and the animated series Kim Possible, in which she is the voice of the title character, as well as the voice of Yuffie Kisaragi in Kingdom Hearts and Final...
- Tom Watson - John Leslie Wolf
- Iola Stover - Brooke Sunny Moriber
- Frankie Epps - Kirk McDonald
- Mrs. Phagan - Jessica Molaskey
- Britt Craig - Evan Pappas
- Hugh Dorsey - Herndon Lackey
- Newt Lee - Ray Aranha
- Governor John Slaton - John Hickok
- Monteen - Abbi Hutcherson
- Essie - Emily Klein
- Old Soldier/Judge Roan - Don Chastain
- Young Soldier/Fiddlin' John - Jeff Edgerton
- Floyd MacDaniel/Luther Rosser -J.B. AdamsJ.B. AdamsJ.B. Adams is an American character stage and film actor, director and singer. He has credits in film, television and, most notably, musical theatre. Originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he attended Oklahoma City University, where he studied voice, piano, opera, and musical theatre, after...
- Aide/Mr. Peavy - Don StephensonDon StephensonDon Stephenson in Chattanooga, Tennessee is an American actor, and director. He is a graduate of Hixson High School in Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee. He has numerous credits on both television and in Broadway plays. He starred as Leo Bloom in the Tony Award winning Broadway...
- Assistant - Melanie Vaughn
- Sally Slaton - Anne Torsiglieri
- JN Starnes - Peter Samuel
- Officer Ivey - Tad Ingram
- Prison Guard - Randy Redd
- Lizzie Phagan - Robin Skye
- Angela - Angela Lockett
- Riley - J.C. Montgomery
- Nurse - Adinah Alexander
Response
Most critics praised the show, especially the score. However, the public and some critics received the show coolly. A number felt the show took too many liberties in the use of racial slurs. When the show closed, LiventLivent
The Live Entertainment Corporation of Canada, Inc., also known as Livent, was a theatre production company in Toronto, Ontario, begun as a division of the motion picture exhibitor Cineplex Odeon...
had filed for bankruptcy protection (Chapter 11). Lincoln Center was the other producer solely responsible for covering the weekly running costs.
U.S. National tour
A U. S. national tour, directed by Prince, started at the Fox TheatreFox Theatre (Atlanta)
The Fox Theatre , a former movie palace, is a performing arts venue located at 660 Peachtree Street NE in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia, and is the centerpiece of the Fox Theatre Historic District....
in Atlanta in June 2000, with Jason Robert Brown conducting at some venues. It starred David Pittu
David Pittu
David Pittu is a versatile American actor known primarily for his work in the theater.-Career:Pittu who is of Romanian descent grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and graduated from New York University in 1989. He is also a writer and director, and member of the Atlantic Theater Company...
as Leo, Andrea Burns as Lucille, Keith Byron Kirk as Jim Conley and Kristen Bowden as Mary Phagan. The Full Cast List was (including replacements): Rick Hilsabeck, Carla Hargrove, John Paul Almon, Donald Grody, Daniel Frank Kelley, David Vosburgh, Elizabeth Brownlee, Siri Howard, Tim Salamandyk, Tim Howard, C. Mingo Long, Raissa Katona, Sandra DeNise, David Coolidge, Anne Allgood, Mimi Bessette, Jamie Sorrentini
Jamie Sorrentini
Jamie Sorrentini is an American film, television and theatre actress. She starred as Kathy Grovner in the 1987 TV movie A Hobo's Christmas. Sorrentini was a cast member during the 2000 U.S. tour of the 1999 musical Parade...
, Justin Bohon, Laura Marie Crosta , Sandra DeNise, David Dannehl, Jeff Edgerton, Jamie Johnsson, Corey Reynolds, Greg Roderick, Natasha Yvette Williams and Swings: Joe Duffy (Dance Captain) and Laura Shutter
Los Angeles Production
The Los Angeles premiere, directed by Brady Schwind, and choreographed by Imara Quinonez opened July 10, 2008 at the Neighborhood Playhouse of Palos Verdes with Craig D'Amico as Leo Frank, Emily Olson as Lucille Frank and Alissa Anderegg as Mary Phagan.Donmar Warehouse/Los Angeles Production
The first major production in the United Kingdom played at the Donmar WarehouseDonmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
from September 24 to November 24, 2007. It was directed by Rob Ashford
Rob Ashford
Rob Ashford is an American choreographer and director. He is a seven-time Tony Award nominee , five-time Olivier Award nominee, Emmy Award winner, Drama Desk winner, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner.-Biography:...
and starred Lara Pulver
Lara Pulver
Lara Pulver is an English actress who has received nominations for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Awards and 'Whatsonstage' Theatregoers Choice Awards.-Career:...
as Lucielle Frank, Bertie Carvel
Bertie Carvel
Bertie Carvel is a British actor.He received a first from Sussex University in English, and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2003.-Theatre:...
as Leo and Jayne Wisener
Jayne Wisener
Jayne Wisener is a Northern Irish actress and singer. She is best known for playing Johanna in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.-Background:...
as Mary Phagan. Pulver was nominated for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. A double-CD cast recording of this production has been released by First Night Records. The recording includes new material written by Brown for the production and contains all songs and dialogue from the Donmar production.
The Donmar production transferred to the Mark Taper Forum
Mark Taper Forum
The Mark Taper Forum is a 739 seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center built by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of downtown Los Angeles...
, Los Angeles, California, in September 2009, for a run through November 15, 2009. Lara Pulver reprised her role as Lucille opposite T.R. Knight as Leo Frank. The cast also included, in alphabetical order, Brad Anderson, Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse
Michael Berresse is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and director. The son of artist and author Cynthia Berresse Ploski, he has appeared on Broadway in many shows including: Kiss Me, Kate, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel and Damn Yankees, and The Light in the Piazza as Giuseppe...
, Will Collyer, Charlotte d’Amboise, Karole Foreman, Davis Gaines, Laura Griffith, P.J. Griffith, Curt Hansen, Deidrie Henry, Christian Hoff
Christian Hoff
-Biography:Hoff was born in San Francisco, California, and later moved with his family to San Diego. At eight years old he began acting at the San Diego Junior Theater, and not long after was playing Winthrop in The Music Man.-Career:...
, Sarah Jayne Jensen, Lisa Livesay, Hayley Podschun, David St. Louis, Rose Sezniak (now Hemingway), Phoebe Strole, Josh Tower and Robert Yacko.
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Drama Desk Award Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category... |
Outstanding Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since. Before the 21st Drama Desk Awards, acting awards were given without making distinctions between roles in straight dramas as opposed to musicals, nor were there... |
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| Outstanding Book of a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee which comprises New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
Alfred Uhry Alfred Uhry Alfred Fox Uhry is an American playwright, screenwriter, and member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He is one of very few writers to receive an Academy Award, Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing.... |
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| Outstanding Actor in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Brent Carver Brent Carver Brent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love... |
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| Outstanding Actress in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels... |
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| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical was first awarded at the 1974-1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Rufus Bonds, Jr. | |||
| Outstanding Director of a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical was first awarded at the 1974–1975 Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded every year since... |
Harold Prince | |||
| Outstanding Choreography Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography -1970s:* 1970: Ron Field – Applause** No nominees* 1971: Michael Bennett – Follies and Donald Saddler – No, No, Nanette** No nominees* 1972: Patricia Birch – Grease and Jean Erdman – Two Gentlemen of Verona... |
Patricia Birch Patricia Birch Patricia Birch is an American choreographer and director for musical theatre and film.Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon, Goldilocks, and West Side Story . She has directed and choreographed music videos for Cyndi Lauper, the... |
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| Outstanding Orchestrations Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
Don Sebesky Don Sebesky Don Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton... |
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| Outstanding Lyrics Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
Jason Robert Brown Jason Robert Brown Jason Robert Brown is an American musical theater composer, lyricist, and playwright. Brown's music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics... |
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| Outstanding Music Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by the Drama Desk, a committee comprising New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
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| Outstanding Set Design Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee composed of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
Riccardo Hernandez | |||
| Outstanding Lighting Design Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors... |
Howell Binkley Howell Binkley Howell Binkley is a professional lighting designer in New York City. He received the 2006 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a musical for Jersey Boys.... |
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| Outstanding Sound Design Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee of New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It honors the sound designers of productions staged on Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway, and for legitimate not-for-profit theaters, all... |
Jonathan Deans | |||
| Tony Award Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway... |
Best Musical Tony Award for Best Musical This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack... |
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| Best Book of a Musical Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of the spoken, non-sung dialogue, and storyline of a musical play. Eligibility is restricted to works with original narrative framework; plotless revues and revivals are ineligible... |
Alfred Uhry Alfred Uhry Alfred Fox Uhry is an American playwright, screenwriter, and member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He is one of very few writers to receive an Academy Award, Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for dramatic writing.... |
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| Best Original Score Tony Award for Best Original Score The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. The score consists of music and lyrics... |
Jason Robert Brown Jason Robert Brown Jason Robert Brown is an American musical theater composer, lyricist, and playwright. Brown's music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics... |
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| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival... |
Brent Carver Brent Carver Brent Carver is a Canadian actor.Carver is known for a variety of stage and film roles, including The Wars, Kronborg: 1582, Lilies, Larry's Party, Elizabeth Rex, Millennium, Shadow Dancing, and Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love... |
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| Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels... |
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| Best Direction of a Musical Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Prior to 1960, category for direction included plays and musicals.-1950s:Note: this category was for both dramatic and musical productions... |
Harold Prince | |||
| Best Choreography Tony Award for Best Choreography -1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls... |
Patricia Birch Patricia Birch Patricia Birch is an American choreographer and director for musical theatre and film.Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including Brigadoon, Goldilocks, and West Side Story . She has directed and choreographed music videos for Cyndi Lauper, the... |
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| Best Orchestrations Tony Award for Best Orchestrations -1990s:1997*Jonathan Tunick – Titanic**Michael Gibson - Steel Pier**Luther Henderson - Play On!**Don Sebesky and Harold Wheeler - The Life1998*William David Brohn – Ragtime**Robert Elhai, David Metzger and Bruce Fowler - The Lion King... |
Don Sebesky Don Sebesky Don Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton... |
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| Best Scenic Design | Riccardo Hernandez | |||
Original London production
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Laurence Olivier Award | Best New Musical | ||
| Best Actor in a Musical | Bertie Carvel Bertie Carvel Bertie Carvel is a British actor.He received a first from Sussex University in English, and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2003.-Theatre:... |
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| Best Actress in a Musical | Lara Pulver Lara Pulver Lara Pulver is an English actress who has received nominations for the 2008 Laurence Olivier Awards and 'Whatsonstage' Theatregoers Choice Awards.-Career:... |
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| Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical | Shaun Escoffery Shaun Escoffery Shaun Escoffery is a British soul and R&B singer and actor, who was born in London. He first major release was the single "Space Rider", released by Oyster Music in March 2001. It was played regularly by the BBC Radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson and The Dreem Team. It peaked at #52 in the UK Singles Chart,... |
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| Best Director | Rob Ashford Rob Ashford Rob Ashford is an American choreographer and director. He is a seven-time Tony Award nominee , five-time Olivier Award nominee, Emmy Award winner, Drama Desk winner, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner.-Biography:... |
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| Best Theatre Choreographer | ||||
| Best Sound Design | Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster | |||