[NEohioPAL]Review: PARADE AT BECK/D. Wiener/Times Newspapers

[Roy Berko]

PARADE AT BECK LEAVES AUDIENCES APPLAUDING

Debra Wiener

In the first two minutes of Beck Center's production
of Alfred Uhry and Jason Robert Brown's PARADE, the
audience was sure it was in for a dramatic evening of
excellent theatre. The strong vocals and excellent
orchestra in the first number, the beautiful lighting
of Don McBride, and the elaborate period costumes of
Alison Hernan, set a high standard for the evening.
The ensemble and orchestra performed from their
hearts. The musical numbers spanned ballads, anthems,
and comedy, from period music to contemporary pop. The
genius of this show is found in the lyrics and music,
and let's hope to hear more from Jason Robert Brown,
perhaps the next Stephen Sondheim. The theme of the
parade that celebrates Dixie is a backdrop for the
action, and audiences will not feel like cheering once
they understand the ensuing tragedy. 

Beck's high quality production conveys the very moving
and rarely told true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man
living in Georgia early in the 20th century, who was
wrongly accused of the murder of a thirteen-year-old
girl. The show is a historical retelling of the sad
story, and audiences are left to think about race
relations, social class issues, and our prejudices
today. Director Scott Spence deserves credit for
launching such a challenging production. 


It is not easy to sit through this play. The issues of
prejudice are painful. Hatred and fear are hard to
admit for some, although easier to live. For social
liberals it may be difficult to watch the show out of
frustration at their inability to stop the injustice.
Seeing a man railroaded and witnessing people lying to
get a man killed so the politicians could have a
"conviction", can move even the most hardened person.
While watching this injustice unfold, one might be
reminded of that famous saying by Martin Luther King,
"Let justice roll down." But there was no justice for
Leo Frank. His sentence was commuted to life by the
governor, but not before some people took justice into
their own hands and lynched him. Articles about this
incident indicate that in 1986, Mr. Frank was given a
posthumous pardon. Mr. Frank was convicted in 1913 of
a crime he did not commit - it was 73 years until
justice rolled down.  


Act I was 1-1/2 hours long, but the pacing was
excellent. The audience did not know when to applaud
because the show is paced so well. With tight
direction by Scott Spence and the passionate
dedication of this ensemble, Act I proceeded without
pause to its sad conclusion. The audience knew what
was coming at the end of Act II, but even with
forewarning, it was eerie to see what fear, hatred and
misunderstanding can do to an individual, a family and
a whole society. Visions of the deeper meanings of
9-11. 


There is a romantic side to this very sad story. Leo
Frank and his wife Lucile had a marriage of
convenience, apparently, and did not marry for love.
Lucile sings a song early in the play about wanting
more and about choosing Leo because he was a hard
working, good man, who would provide all the material
things she would want. But she wanted more; she wanted
love. It is the saving grace of this tragic show the
husband and wife fall in love after he is
incarcerated. We do not know if this is part of the
true story or not, but it deepens our catharsis. The
beautiful voice of Lucile, played with passion by
Sandra Emerick, haunts the audience as we see her
husband go to his inevitable death.. 


PARADE has never been staged in Georgia. The authors
have refused to stage it there because the subject is
still sensitive there. There are family members of
those involved in this true story who are still alive,
and the authors respect them enough not to bring this
pain into their lives. This is more respect than was
ever given to Mr. Leo Frank and his grieving widow and
other family members.. 

PARADE is highly recommended. Audiences will want to
applaud the performances, but wouldn't imagine
cheering the injustice done to Mr. Frank.
Congratulations to Beck Center on a great production. 

(Debra Wiener is the new Lorain County/West Side
community theatre reviewer for the Times newspapers.)


__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
http://sbc.yahoo.com