PARADE
Andrew Gans
Listening to the breathtaking cast recording of Parade, I was even more
convinced how wonderful a
score this highly underrated musical possesses. Easily the most moving
musical of the season to date,
Parade lasted just a few months at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont
Theater; however, thanks to RCA Victor and Lincoln Center, the score
for
the Jason Robert Brown production now lives on, and those who were
not able
to see the production can revel in the joys of another must have show
recording.
Like the show, the single CD begins with the haunting ballad, "The Old
Red
Hills of Home," forcefully sung by Jeff Edgerton and then delivered
by the
company to a stirring effect. Other
highlights include the bright and bouncy "The Picture Show," sung by
Kirk
McDonald (as Frankie Epps) and Christy Carlson Romano (Mary Phagan);
Carolee Carmello's (who portrays Lucille Frank) melodic self-doubts
in
"What Am I Waiting For?"; the chilling "It Don't Make Sense," sung
by Mary
Phagan's friends after death; Carmello's passionate, full-voiced "You
Don't
Know This Man"; the lies of Phagan's young co-workers in "The Factory
Girls"; Rufus Bonds' (who plays Jim Conley)
show-stopping "That's What He Said," the final nail in Leo Frank's
coffin;
and Carmello and Carver's soaring second-act duet, "All the Wasted
Time."
Let's hope the unfortunately quick demise of Parade doesn't discourage
Jason Robert Brown from writing for the musical theatre. Of the
up-and-coming new generation of composers -- those that Audra McDonald
saluted on her solo debut album -- Mr. Brown has the greatest gift
for
melody and is a wonderful lyricist to boot.
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