Few New Englanders attending the Boston Red Sox victory parade this weekend stood on the sidelines with anything less than a mountain of pride for their clutch good ol' boys.
The Drama Department also presented Boston with a premiere "Parade" this weekend, a musical directed by Professor Barbara Grossman that marches to a beat of its own, more solemn drummer, one echoing familiar American themes of bigotry and racism, this time with a tragic and anti-Semitic tempo.
Indeed, as the painted and abstract promotional posters plastered throughout campus suggest, "Parade," written by Alfred Uhry with lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, is a "documusical" that challenges the Meridith Wilson (The Music Man) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita) happy-go-lucky musical theater mold. Its style and subject provoke change.
The production details the true story of Leo Frank (Greg Fujita) and his plucky wife Lucille (Julia Arazi) as their American dream quickly becomes a nightmare consisting of false accusations, a death sentence, partial acquittal and, finally, an unjust lynching.
Welcome to Atlanta circa 1913.
With Civil War wounds unhealed and protruding from the city like exposed bone, the South is no place for Frank, a Jew who falls victim to the religious and racial tension simmering in General Sherman's bloody wake.
On the whole, Fujita and Arazi give excellent, convincing lead performances. Yet while Lucille's character possesses extra dimensions that transform her scripted part into an empathetic, warm-blooded woman, Leo feels closer to the stereotype of a desperate, dead-man-walking character. This gripe may be an issue with the script, however: a lack of character development is the crux of many musical theater grievances. That this show attacks a serious, dramatic issue makes it all the more noticeable. Yet, admirably, Fujita was exactly what the script called for: nervous, aloof and nothing short of fidgety.
As for Arazi, she speaks and sings like a genuine southern belle, with an infallible southern accent and sweet but confident voice. At the same time, her nuanced, detailed performance conveys a particularly human image of Lucille. For example, during a courtroom scene in which Leo stands to be convicted of murder, Arazi's facial expressions genuinely reflect a personal conflict concerning her husband's complex situation - and their marriage.
Together, Fujita and Arazi provide the show with a hopefulness and emotion that helps the audience connect to the story. Ironically, the on-stage couple's relationship evolves from lackluster to impassioned as Frank's death sentence renders him more alive.
Some of the ensemble, incidentally, would do well to follow Arazi's southern lead, as stubborn Yankee accents resurface a bit too often. Borrowing a line from Leo Frank, a suggestion for them: don't be such "Meshuganahs!" However, light, entertaining choreography interspersed throughout and a full, clear choral sound render the ensemble a pleasurable component.
Any overt Yankeeness can be forgiven, though, since most of the acting is assured, energetic and confident. Actor Dan Balkin provides some of the most entertaining moments and badly needed comedic relief as the drunken sensationalist reporter Britt Craig. His performances are lively, funny and very physical as he sings, dances, rolls on the floor and stumbles all over the stage during his solo "Big News" and its reprise, "Real Big News."
He might play an irresponsible, conniving reporter, but the audience loves him anyway. Mischievous, charismatic and imperfect, Craig represents many of the larger issues addressed by the play at the end, when he contemplates his opportunistic role in the death of Leo, unable to reach a full catharsis for his jaundiced misdeeds.
George Rausch plays a convincing Governor John Slaton who, despite a forthcoming election, sides (mostly) with reason and principle to eventually pardon Mr. Frank from an official death sentence. On the opposite end of the moral spectrum, Alex Sherman is appropriately nasty as the ambitious prosecutor Hugh Dorsey.
But a review of this production would be remiss without noting the excellent performance of Jaime Cepero, who plays Jim Conley, a Black janitor who becomes a viable suspect in the murder long after Frank has been incarcerated. Cepero inhabits his character so well and so professionally that, at times, his performance overshadows the other actors.
One of the reasons that Cepero's performance was so outstanding could be attributed to the fact that he was chosen from a wider pool of actors than Tufts could provide - he is a part-time student at Bridgewater State College. Cepero's ability to fill the role so perfectly left some parts feeling hollow when they otherwise would have appeared sound.
A fantastic set and beautiful period costumes contribute greatly to the southern feel of the story. Balch Arena becomes archetypal Main Street, Atlanta, complete with authentic-looking porches, screens and even a politician's parade float that would make any southerner nostalgic.
Both cast and musicians deftly navigate the complex rhythms, rounds and melodies demanded by the award-winning score. Interwoven throughout the performance, recognizable American folk tunes delight, trumpet calls invigorate and slow pieces move. The orchestra plays hidden behind the large set, creating a sometimes overly subdued sound. This was especially noticeable during the full-ensemble scenes, as it contributed to occasional intonation and timing problems among the performers.
All in all, Tufts students are fortunate to have such a poignant, touching and important musical just footsteps away.
Balch Arena becomes archetypal Main Street, Atlanta, complete with authentic-looking porches, screens, and even a politician's parade float that would make any southerner nostalgic.
