Award-winning musical PARADE opens tonight in El Cerrito

Youth Musical Theater Company (YMTC) closes its 13th season with the Tony award-winning musical Parade. The show will run for six performances over two weekends (July 20-29) at the performing arts theater at El Cerrito High School (540 Ashbury Avenue), and will feature 30 young artists accompanied by a full, live orchestra conducted by David Möschler. The show is directed by Jennifer Boesing, who is supported by a professional design and production staff, who have all worked to create the look and feel of 1913 post- Civil War Georgia in the set, costumes, and props.

Set in 1913, Parade tells the true story of Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-raised Jew living in Georgia. Frank is put on trial for the murder of thirteen-year-old Mary Phagan, a factory worker he employed. Already deemed guilty in the eyes of everyone around him, Frank suffered the added consequences of sensationalist news stories and a janitor's false testimony. His only defenders were a governor with a conscience and, eventually, his assimilated Southern wife, who finds the strength and love to become his greatest champion.

“Parade is a story about one of the most glaring miscarriages of justice in recent American history,” says Director Jennifer Boesing. “It’s also a cautionary tale, a warning against scapegoating, racism, xenophobia, and sensationalism in the media—all issues that we can see playing out in American politics today.”

Boesing adds, “Underneath these issues, Parade reveals a deeply human lesson about how love and human connection can be forged, even in a climate of intolerance—a story that needs to be told now more than ever. Theater has the power to change hearts and minds, and the young artists at the heart of YMTC take their role as storytellers very seriously.”

More information ABOUT PARADE, the history of the time and the characters can be found on the YMTC website.

Tickets are available for all performances and can be purchased ONLINE or at the box office, which opens one hour before each show.

Note: Parade examines adult themes, depicts acts of violence, and is not recommended for children.

Performances:

Friday, 7/20, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, 7/21, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, 7/22, 2:00 p.m., includes a post-show conversation with directors and cast members.

Friday, 7/27, 7:30 p.m. (Pay-What-You-Can performance, cash only, at the box office.)

Saturday, 7/28, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, 7/29, 2:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $15–28. Student, senior, teacher, military, and group discounts are available. Purchase tickets at www.ymtcbayarea.org or at the door, which opens one hour prior to performance.

Dress rehearsal photos courtesy of Ann Ziegler

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