Review by Chris Heide

Good theater leaves an impression. Great theater leaves an impact. Parade is the latter of the two.

Set in the early 1900’s, Parade is the story of a Jewish man who is accused of murdering a 13-year-old girl. The narrative that unfolds is one of false accusations that lead to the conviction of the man. It is a harrowing tale of racism, antisemitism, sexism, and a total abuse of the legal system. Sound familiar? It is amazing that a musical created in the late 90’s has such potent and timely resonance today.

The show is emotional and, at times, uncomfortable. But that uncomfortably is exactly the point. The themes explored in the show are meant to reflect modern society, the complexity, ugliness, and brutality of our world. It is a mirror- one that reveals all the imperfections within. Those reflections are deeply important.

Creatively, the show is a brilliant success. The staging, the choreography, the movement on the stage- all of it is purposeful and serves to world-build within a one set stage. Every member of the cast, from primary players to supporting actors remains on the stage for a good duration the production. It serves to illuminate an almost claustrophobic feeling that visually represents those themes. It is a creative use of the stage, similar to Hamilton. One of the most interesting uses of stages comes during intermission- the main character who was just convicted or murder sits in his cell, on stage, for the entire duration of intermission. It adds a layer or realism and conversation to Parade.

The vocals are bombastic in just the right way. It is exactly what you would expect from a Broadway touring company. The leads, Max Chernin and Talia Suskauer, are especially talented. The vocal performances were impactful, emotional, and on a technical level, pitch perfect. This is exactly the kind of show that Broadway is known for. One that is emotionally resonant, perfectly cast, brilliantly choregraphed, and ingenuously conceived. See it at the 5th Avenue Theatre while you can!