Ben Platt to lead ‘Parade’ revival on Broadway

Ben Platt will lead the “Parade” as it marches its way to Broadway.

The Tony winner will star in the revival of the musical “Parade,” which announced its Broadway transfer on Tuesday following its run at the New York City Center, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Based in the early 20th century, the musical follows Jewish factory boss Leo Frank, who is accused of murdering a young girl, and the following trial, which is plagued by prejudices.

Also starring in the show is Micaela Diamond, who played a younger version of Cher in “The Cher Show,” as Frank’s wife Lucille.

“Jason Robert Brown’s and Alfred Uhry’s masterpiece, ‘Parade’, is one of the most beloved musicals of the past 25 years,” said the producers of the show. “Whenever you mention the show to a theater fan, they light up talking about the first time they saw a production or heard a recording.

“At City Center, Michael Arden mounted a magnificent production with incandescent performances from Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond that had audiences enraptured. We are overjoyed that we can bring this to Broadway so more people can experience ‘Parade’ anew.”

The show will be directed by Micheal Arden, who has previously directed a revival of “Once on This Island” and Deaf West’s “Spring Awakening.”

“Twenty-five years ago, we were honored to bring the story of Leo Frank to the musical stage, guided by our visionary director, Hal Prince,” Uhry and Brown said in a statement.

“It was an extraordinary gift to watch a whole new audience connect with ‘Parade’ at City Center under the thrilling direction of a new visionary: Michael Arden. We couldn’t be more grateful that this production is now moving to Broadway, where even more people will get to see Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond deliver phenomenal performances and lead this large and gifted cast.”

“The story of Leo Frank is more important than ever to re-examine, and it is my hope that audiences are both inspired and activated to reflect on both the past failure and the enduring promise of the complicated tapestry we call America,” director Michael Arden said in a statement.

During the original Broadway run of the production, “Parade” received nine Tony nominations and two wins for both best book and best score.

The revival is scheduled to play at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on 45th Street starting March 16, 2023, and will run until Aug 6, 2023.