[NEohioPAL]Review-Parade Triumphs at Beck Center

Fri Sep 20 16:52:20 PDT 2002

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<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">  Friday, September 20, =
2002   </FONT>

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">   </FONT>

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Cleveland Jewish News</FONT>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">'Parade' triumphs at Beck =
Center</FONT></B>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Sandra Emerick and Keith Gerchak star =
as Lucille and Leo Frank in Beck Center's moving production of =
"Parade."</FONT>

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial"> </FONT>

<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">By FRAN HELLER</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">When "Parade" fizzled on =
Broadway two months after it opened in December 1998, a number of =
naysayers questioned the appropriateness of the subject matter, the Leo =
Frank lynching, as fitting material for a musical.</FONT></P>

That question is laid to rest at the =
Beck Center for the Arts, where "Parade" is being presented =
through Oct. 6. The more intimate theater setting changes the focus from =
musical spectacle to a moving and tragic story set to music. From the =
outset we are swept up in the inexorable tide of events and emotions =
that triggered the worst incident of antisemitism in American =
history.

Music director Larry Goodpaster and a =
great-sounding orchestra illuminate Alfred Uhry's book and composer =
Jason Robert Brown's innovative score and lyrics. Director Scott =
Spence's fluid staging and a peerless, albeit heavily miked cast do the =
rest. The result is a production that is not merely entertaining but =
deeply felt.

The setting is Atlanta, Georgia, 1913, =
where Leo Frank, a Brooklyn, New York, Jew, is a manager of the National =
Pencil Factory. (The factory belonged to Alfred Uhry's =
great-uncle.)

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">The college-educated Frank is clearly a =
fish out of water in a town where, he says, "Jews are not like =
Jews." The townfolk are equally resentful of Leo's Yankee =
ways.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">When Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old =
employee in Frank's factory, is found dead, it isn't long before Leo =
Frank is linked to the murder, fanned by a virulently antisemitic press =
and a bruised South still licking its wounds from the Civil =
War.</FONT></P>

There is also the disagreeable =
character of Frank himself, an uptight, prissy man who is intellectually =
arrogant, an exacting employer, and an emotionally distant husband. When =
Frank first sees Mary's dead body, his greater concern is for his =
factory and reputation rather than the murder, arousing suspicion from =
the outset.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Keith Gerchak is a shoe-in for the =
mousy, bespectacled Frank, and his strong voice reaches the rafters with =
every song he sings.</FONT></P>

The role is a challenging one because =
the character of Leo is not that of a tragic figure of heroic =
proportions. While Frank is innocent beyond doubt, his unpleasant nature =
elicits little sympathy for his plight.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Leo's growth from rigid self-absorption =
to a man of passion and compassion is fully realized in Gerchak's =
portrait.</FONT>
</P>

As Lucille Frank, the lovely-to-look-at =
Sandra Emerick has a voice as big as Gerchak's. Lucille and Leo are like =
two strangers, locked in a marriage. While Leo hides behind his work, =
Lucille comes across as a shallow woman who marries for security rather =
than love.

But adversity draws them together, and =
Lucille's efforts to free her husband lead to a deepening of their =
relationship and enduring love. Their beautiful love song, "All the =
Wasted Time," is a highlight.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">As the bond between Lucille and Leo =
grows, a gallows is being built in the background, heightening the =
impending sense of tragedy.</FONT></P>

A governor worried about his political =
standing; a prosecutor concerned about his future; an antisemitic =
rabble-rousing publisher; a public sympathetic to child labor conditions =
(Mary worked six days a week and was paid 10=A2 an hour). All conspired =
against Frank who was hanged by the press before he was tried in =
kangaroo court proceedings.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Every "character" type is =
played well, including Ian Atwood as the bored and sodden reporter =
looking for a story in a town where the weather or a cat up a tree is =
"Big News!" Colin Cook is outstanding as the sweet-talking and =
singing Frankie in the catchy melody, "The Picture Show," who =
later thirsts for revenge after Mary is killed.</FONT></P>

Kyle Primous blends humor and menace as =
a double-dealing ex-con not above lying to save his skin. Primous leads =
the chain gang in the stirring blues-y number, "Feel the Rain =
Fall."

Robert Gibb is excellent as the =
conscience-stricken governor who commutes Leo's sentence, thereby =
sacrificing his political future. The act also triggers a wave of =
physical violence against Jews and the smashing of windows of Jewish =
businesses in the town. The unleashing of such virulent antisemitism led =
to the formation of the Anti-Defamation League.

The ensemble scenes are terrific, from =
the opening parade to the courtroom fracas and the governor's tea dance. =
Erik Seidel's imaginative lighting turns a cot and a wall into a jail =
cell and reality into fantasy in the courtroom scene when Leo is =
portrayed as a lascivious employer in the delicious number, "Come =
Up to My Office."

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Ace production values include Alison =
Hernan's veritable parade of costumes cloaking a 30-plus member cast and =
the creative use of Don McBride's minimalist props to maximize =
setting.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">The leads received a standing ovation =
the night I attended.</FONT>
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The Beck Center for the Arts is located =
at 17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. For information and tickets, call =
216-521-2540.

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