***The author issues a trigger warning ahead of reading; mentions of sexual abuse and lynching appear in this article.***

Last week, I took my seat in the 5th Ave. Theatre in Seattle amongst a crowd full of anticipatory theatre-goers. There was a bustle of conversation around me, including sharing photos from vacation, sharing family updates, and marveling at the recent improvement in the weather. There was little conversation about the show we were all about to see. 

“Parade” tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who moved to Atlanta to pursue a career at a pencil factory in 1913. There, he met Lucille Selig, whom he later married. As a Jewish man from Brooklyn, Leo is portrayed as a man who often felt out of place even with his Southern Jewish wife. Leo, who held a management position at the pencil factory, was later charged with the rape and murder of thirteen-year-old factory worker Mary Phagan. 

The original production of “Parade” debuted in 1998, but it was recently revived on Broadway in 2023 with a star-studded cast featuring Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”) as Leo Frank and Micaela Diamond (“The Cher Show”) as Lucille Frank. The North American Tour features Max Chernin as Leo Frank and Talia Suskauer as Lucille Frank. 

As an audience member, I walked away from this show a changed person, and I know I’m not alone in that feeling. Even though I am Jewish and very proud of it, I grew in my understanding and appreciation of the experiences of Jews throughout history.

After seeing this show, I would like to argue that while Leo’s story was greatly impactful, I found Lucille Frank’s arc to be most crucial. 

While “Parade” tells an important story of the impacts of antisemitism, it also tells the story of accepting one’s identity. The lynching of Leo Frank is tragic, yet Lucille’s growing comfort with her own Judaism is hopeful, which truly shows that tragedy and hope can coexist. 

The stage had a platform set up with a screen in the back. Minutes before the show began, a distant sign on the screen began to zoom in, revealing a plaque detailing Leo Frank’s lynching. The audience chatter quickly quieted down, and the show began. 

Lucille Frank was a character I wasn’t so sure about at the start of the show. She repeatedly challenged Leo’s attempts to engage in his Jewish identity, such as scolding his use of the word “meshuggeneh,” despite being Jewish herself (“meshuggeneh” is a Yiddish word meaning crazy). 

Lucille and Leo also had very different views on the treatment of people of color. Leo was evidently very uncomfortable with Lucille’s tendency to overlook the staff members in their household, all of whom were people of color. 

Perhaps Lucille, having grown up a white woman in the South, felt at ease ignoring her Jewish identity and instead focusing on her whiteness. After all, Jews throughout history have been persecuted and have been forced to become skilled at hiding in plain sight. Although this is understandable, I felt a bit of judgment from Lucille towards Leo for showcasing his Jewishness with pride, so I was not sold on rooting for her as a character. 

On the other hand, I immediately found myself rooting for Leo. As a Jewish American myself, seeing Leo become an easy target simply because he was an outsider felt visceral. 

At first, Lucille’s reactions to Leo’s arrest and trial were almost upsetting. Although she was upset and wanted to support Leo, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to watch the trial and show her outward support. As the show progressed, though, Lucille grew more comfortable with showing outward support for Leo and, by proxy, her Jewishness. 

It was her connections, initiative, and motivation that got Leo closer to proper justice, not just a courtroom spectacle that led to the death penalty. It was Lucille who was willing to visit Leo often in prison and bring in Shabbat candles on Fridays. Lucille grew the most in how she overcame her internalized antisemitism, which is a journey I find to be deeply inspiring. 

Upon accepting herself, she also treated the people of color in her community with more respect. While this show didn’t go deeply into that progression, it was still developed enough for me to take notice. 

This show was unique in many ways. One of those is the tendency to use showtune-styled songs to create discomfort. Many songs showed white Southerners showing immense enthusiasm for the Confederacy, even waving Confederate flags across the stage as they revved up for their annual Confederate Memorial Day Parade. Applauding such content felt wrong despite the exquisite choreography and vocal ability. 

Additionally, Leo Frank remained on the stage (held in prison) during intermission, which is very unconventional in the world of musicals. While some audience members returned to their phones and side conversations, many couldn’t help but stare at Leo, who constantly reminded the audience that the repercussions of Leo’s sentencing didn’t end with an intermission. 

Behind me, one audience member mused about if Leo would stay on stage the whole time. Another member commented on the intensity of the show. 

In the most heartbreaking moment of the entire show, Leo sings the “Sh’ma,” which is a Jewish prayer that is often recited during morning and evening prayer services, as a final act of showcasing his identity. These are Leo’s last words before he is hanged by a prejudiced mob. 

The show ends in present-day Atlanta. On a screen, it is revealed that Leo’s case was opened in 2019 and is still being reviewed. There are no updates as of today.

Anyone would agree that the death of a young girl, especially one whose life in poverty forced her to drop out of school and work at a pencil factory, is tragic. What is also tragic, though, is that her death has been clouded by seemingly false accusations against Leo Frank, which were created for the simple reason that history has an easy time with blaming a Jew.  

This run of “Parade” at the 5th Ave. Theatre in Seattle started on April 16 and will run through May 4, so there’s still time to check out this impactful show. You can purchase tickets on 5th Ave. Theatre’s website, or TeenTix users can call the box office for access to $5 tickets.