Reviews: What Do Critics Think of New York City Center's Parade? | Playbill

The Verdict Reviews: What Do Critics Think of New York City Center's Parade?

Ben Platt, Micaela Diamond, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Gaten Matarazzo, Alex Joseph Grayson, and more star in the Jason Robert Brown musical.

Alex Joseph Grayson (center) and company of New York City Center’s Gala Presentation of Parade Joan Marcus

Reviews are rolling in for the New York City Center production of Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry's Parade. Performances began November 1 for the run continuing through November 6, with Michael Arden (Once On This Island, Spring Awakening) at the helm and Brown conducting the orchestra.

Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond lead the cast as Leo and Lucille Frank, respectively, alongside Jay Armstrong Johnson as Britt Craig, Stranger Things and Dear Evan Hansen star Gaten Matarazzo as Frankie Epps, and Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley.

Read the reviews here.

AMNY (Matt Windman)

New York Stage Review (Steven Suskin)

The New York Times (Juan A. Ramírez)*

Queerty (Matthew Wexler)

Theater Pizzazz (Carole Di Tosti)

TheaterMania (David Gordon)

Theatrely (Kobi Kassal)

*This review requires creating a free account or a paid subscription.

Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.

Telling the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was wrongfully accused and convicted of murdering a 13-year-old girl in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1913, Parade features a score by Brown and a book by Uhry. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1998, receiving nine 1999 Tony nominations and winning two, for its book and score. In the years since, a major revision premiered at London's Donmar Warehouse in 2007, which later played Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum in 2009. City Center's production is using the revisions from the work's London premiere.

Micaela Diamond and Ben Platt in New York City Center’s Gala Presentation of Parade Joan Marcus

Also in the cast are Florrie Bagel as Nurse, Stacie Bono as Nina Formby, Courtnee Carter as Angela, Max Chernin as Mr. Turner, Eddie Cooper as Newt Lee, John Dossett as Old Soldier/Judge Roan, Erin Rose Doyle as Mary Phagan, Manoel Felciano as Tom Watson, Brody Grant as Young Soldier, Danielle Lee Greaves as Minnie McKnight, Christopher Gurr as Mr. Peavy, Sean Allan Krill as Governor Slaton, Douglas Lyons as Riley, Erin Mackey as Mrs. Phagan, Ashlyn Maddox as Lila/Monteen, Sophia Manicone as Iola Stover, Howard McGillin as Luther Rosser, William Michals as Lt. Starnes, Paul Alexander Nolan as Hugh Dorsey, Sofie Poliakoff as Essie, Jackson Teeley as Officer Ivey, and Jennifer Laura Thompson as Sally Slaton.

Rounding out the company as understudies are Harry Bouvy, Tanner Callicutt, Anthony Chatmon II, and Caroline Fairweather.

Ben Platt (center) and company of New York City Center’s Gala Presentation of Parade Joan Marcus

Arden's creative team includes choreographer Cree Grant, music director Tom Murray, scenic designer Dane Laffrey, costume designer Susan Hilferty, lighting designer Heather Gilbert, sound designer Scott Lehrer, production designer Sven Ortel, and hair and wig designer Tom Watson. Kimberlee Wertz is music coordinator, and Cody Renard Richard serves as production stage manager. Casting is by Craig Burns of The Telsey Office, and Josh Clayton serves as director of music administration and score restoration.

This production of Parade was licensed by Music Theatre International (MTI).

For tickets, visit NYCityCenter.org.

 
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