My Review of Parade
Andrew, Dad and I had the opportunity to go see Parade last night and it was such a great show. I've included a short review of it here, if you are curious:
When I heard that Parade was coming to the Mark Taper Forum, I was so excited. I’ve never had the opportunity to see this previous Broadway flop live, and the dramatization of the actual 1913 case has always resonated with me.
First of all, this production was brought over from London, and is a scaled down version of the original production. Gone are the huge production numbers with all 35 cast members; instead we get a core of 15 actors who bounce between 2-3 characters throughout the show to cover all of the parts. This scaling down worked well, I thought, with the small space of the Taper, and created a more intimate feel for the musical.
T.R. Knight, who I was initially concerned about, was excellent. I’ll say it again. T.R. Knight was excellent as the ill-fated Leo Frank. He brought a kind of depth to the character that was very realistic and moving. He brought humor to the role, which was something I hadn’t seen before. Leo came across as unlikable and yet completely innocent at the same time. T.R. Knight was especially captivating in the “Come Up to My Office” number where he created the depiction of a creepy lecherous man, all the while keeping the audience laughing. Poor T.R. does have a weak voice, but his acting skills are so wonderful that he sells the songs most of the time. There are weak points, of course, especially when he’s paired with Laura Pulver (Mrs. Frank), who has a stunning voice. Considering that T.R. Knight hadn’t taken a single voice class prior to getting this role, I think he does a magnificent job.
Dad, Andrew and I all agreed that the real star of the show was David St. Louis, whose gruff baritone gave me the chills. His portrayal of Jim Conley (likely the true murderer) is equally intriguing and frightening. The audience’s response after “Blues: Feel the Rain Fall” definitely showed that we weren’t the only ones who were impressed by his talent.
Other great stand-outs for me were Charlotte D’Amboise (of A Chorus Line) and Christian Hoff (of Jersey Boys). I was a bit saddened to see that Davis Gaines, who I had the pleasure of seeing during his run with LA’s Phantom, was relegated to the “old man” bit roles. I wonder if he’s getting desperate for work, which is unfortunate because his voice is as gorgeous as ever.
Anyway, if you happen to be interested in a night of depressing, yet thought-provoking, theatre, do consider Parade.
When I heard that Parade was coming to the Mark Taper Forum, I was so excited. I’ve never had the opportunity to see this previous Broadway flop live, and the dramatization of the actual 1913 case has always resonated with me.
First of all, this production was brought over from London, and is a scaled down version of the original production. Gone are the huge production numbers with all 35 cast members; instead we get a core of 15 actors who bounce between 2-3 characters throughout the show to cover all of the parts. This scaling down worked well, I thought, with the small space of the Taper, and created a more intimate feel for the musical.
T.R. Knight, who I was initially concerned about, was excellent. I’ll say it again. T.R. Knight was excellent as the ill-fated Leo Frank. He brought a kind of depth to the character that was very realistic and moving. He brought humor to the role, which was something I hadn’t seen before. Leo came across as unlikable and yet completely innocent at the same time. T.R. Knight was especially captivating in the “Come Up to My Office” number where he created the depiction of a creepy lecherous man, all the while keeping the audience laughing. Poor T.R. does have a weak voice, but his acting skills are so wonderful that he sells the songs most of the time. There are weak points, of course, especially when he’s paired with Laura Pulver (Mrs. Frank), who has a stunning voice. Considering that T.R. Knight hadn’t taken a single voice class prior to getting this role, I think he does a magnificent job.
Dad, Andrew and I all agreed that the real star of the show was David St. Louis, whose gruff baritone gave me the chills. His portrayal of Jim Conley (likely the true murderer) is equally intriguing and frightening. The audience’s response after “Blues: Feel the Rain Fall” definitely showed that we weren’t the only ones who were impressed by his talent.
Other great stand-outs for me were Charlotte D’Amboise (of A Chorus Line) and Christian Hoff (of Jersey Boys). I was a bit saddened to see that Davis Gaines, who I had the pleasure of seeing during his run with LA’s Phantom, was relegated to the “old man” bit roles. I wonder if he’s getting desperate for work, which is unfortunate because his voice is as gorgeous as ever.
Anyway, if you happen to be interested in a night of depressing, yet thought-provoking, theatre, do consider Parade.