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'Parade' musical begins performances at Strand Theatre
A powerful musical retelling a painful chapter of local history takes the stage just steps from where the real events unfolded over a century ago.
MARIETTA, Ga. - Art is imitating life inside Marietta's Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre, as the Tony Award-winning musical "Parade" takes the stage for the next three weekends.
"Parade" opens Friday, September 4th at The Strand, with performances continuing through Sunday, September 20th.
The musical is based on the story of Leo Frank, the Jewish factory manager who was accused of the 1913 murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan here in Atlanta.
Frank's trial and eventual conviction were heavily covered at the time.
They ignited a wave of antisemitism across the state, although most historians now agree that it was a wrongful conviction and that Frank was likely innocent.
In 1915, Frank was kidnapped by a lynch mob and taken to Marietta, where he was hanged from a tree.
The book for "Parade" was written by Atlanta native Alfred Uhry ("Driving Miss Daisy"), and Jason Robert Brown composed the score; both won Tony Awards for their work.
In 2023, the show was revived on Broadway in an acclaimed production that won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.
Andy Gaines, who serves as executive director of The Strand, says the theater feels a sense of "responsibility" in staging the work, both because of its intense subject matter and its local connection.
The Leo Frank Lynching historical marker, which sits near the site of the hanging, is located only about two miles from The Strand.
Tickets for "Parade" at The Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre range from $35 to $47, and are available now by clicking here.
And click the video player in this article to check out our morning in Marietta, chatting with cast and crew about this powerful new production.
The Source: Information for this story comes from a press release provided by the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre and original reporting by Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken.