Bear Likes Broadway

A revival of Jason Robert Brown‘s musical Parade, starring Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen), is transferring to Broadway from the New York City Center run. OMG

Jason Robert Brown is one of the BEST composers out there. Parade is probably his best known work, but I came to appreciate his songwriting when I heard (and subsequently obsessed over) the cast album of Bridges of Madison County. It’s a masterpiece. He also very recently had a show on Broadway called Mr Saturday Night, with Billy Crystal.

Just to make things more exciting, the production will be directed by innovator Michael Arden. He recent-ish-ly directed a revival of Once on This Island for Broadway. He also directed a production of Annie at the Hollywood Bowl. I’m so mad at myself for missing that one. I saw some clips and it looked great.

Parade is “a musical about an early-20th-century lynching of a Jewish businessman in Georgia”. It’s a heavy show. I listened to the cast album in it’s entirety once, and it was a lot to take in. I’m sure this production will be quite powerful, especially with Ben Platt taking lead.

This will be something to check out, for sure! Official opening is March 16th 2023, and it must end by August 6th.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-York-City-Centers-PARADE-Will-Transfer-to-Broadway-Starring-Ben-Platt-and-Micaela-Diamond-20230110