Tony Award-Winning PARADE opens 10/5 (Nashville)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 12, 2012

Contact: Corbin Green, Managing Director 615-596-1549

Sondra Morton, Operations Manager 615-294-0667

BOILER ROOM THEATRE TO STAGE

MIDDLE TN PREMIERE OF

PARADE

FRANKLIN, TENN. – The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT), Williamson County’s original and longest-running professional theatre company, follows its successful run of Steel Magnolias with Jason Robert Brown’s Tony Award Winning PARADE. The production will run from October 5th through the 20th at the theatre’s iconic namesake venue in the historic Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd., Building Six, in Franklin, Tennessee.

With book by Alfred Uhry (Pulitzer Prize for DRIVING MISS DAISY) and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (THE LAST FIVE YEARS), PARADE had its world premiere at Lincoln Center Theater in 1998. It won the Tony Awards for best book and score, and the Drama Desk and New York Critics’ Circle awards for Best Musical. The show quickly built an international following for its haunting score and powerful narrative and has subsequently been produced by renowned companies around the world, including recent acclaimed productions in London and Los Angeles. Thanks to the BRT production, PARADE will finally have its Middle Tennessee premiere.

PARADE takes place in 1913 Atlanta, Georgia. After a teenaged factory employee is assaulted and murdered, Leo Frank, the young Jewish manager of the factory, is charged with the crime. By manipulating witnesses and tampering with evidence, the prosecution sets about convincing the jury that the wrongly accused Frank is guilty. Considered one of the most sensational trials of the early 20th century, the Frank case pressed every hot-button issue of the time: North vs. South, black vs. white, Jewish vs. Christian, industrial vs. agrarian. The musical recounts the press frenzy and public outrage surrounding the trial and conviction, including the crusade for justice amid religious intolerance, political injustice and racial tension fought by Frank’s wife, Lucille. “This show holds such an important message about prejudice and stereotypes,” says director Sondra Morton. “It is an influential part of our southern history. I am honored to direct such an incredible and integral piece of work. My hope is that each audience member leaves reflecting on who they are and how they perceive others.”

Morton’s company of 17 actors, who will play the musical’s 40 roles, includes many of Middle Tennessee’s finest talent. Having recently directed the acclaimed Pippin for the BRT, Paul Cook stars as Leo Frank. Back after her tour de force portrayal of Diana in Next to Normal is Megan Murphy Chambers as his wife Lucille Frank. Also starring are Matt Baugher as Hugh Dorsey, Jordan Ravellette as Britt Craig, Josh Lowry as Frankie, Laura Crockarell as Sally and Ms. Phagan, Dominique Howse as Jim Conley, Hope Dyra as Mary Phagan, Morganne Best as Iola Stover, Paige Brouillette as Essie, Arden Guice as Monteen, Colin Carswell as Newt Lee, Piper Jones as Minnie, and rounding out the cast by playing several characters are Dan McGeachy, Dan Ziegler, Flynt Foster, and Darci Wantiez.

Jamey Green and Lauri Bright serve as PARADE’S musical director and choreographer, respectively, while Jayme Smith (stage manager), Corbin Green (set design) and Katie Delaney (costumes) make up its production team.

A unique feature of this production is the use of Jaz Dorsey, the grandson of the controversial prosecuting attorney depicted in PARADE, as its dramaturge. “Doing the dramaturgy means doing the research, and the first book one grabs these days on the subject of Leo Frank is AND THE DEAD SHALL RISE by Steve Oney. Oney's book isn't just about Leo Frank - it is an amazing and compelling history of Atlanta at the turn of the century, so rich in research and knowledge that one paragraph can provoke an entire day Googling the various players who keep coming on the scene. From Oney I learned that Leo's defense attorney, Luther Rosser, was directly connected to the Dorsey clan, as his son, Luther Rosser, Jr. was married to my grandfather's sister. Creepy. It seems that there is much that is suspect about Rosser's defense. Can you say ‘conflict of interest’?”

Performances will be held every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening during the run at 8 p.m. There will also be one Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on October 14 and one Thrifty Thursday show at 8 p.m. on October 18. Ticket prices are $27 for adults, $25 for seniors (age 60 and up) and students (age 13 through college with valid ID), and $21 for children ages 3 through 12. Matinee prices are $2 less respectively. All Tuesday shows are two-for-one ($27 for two tickets; no other discounts apply). Thrifty Thursdays allow guests to beat the weekend crowds and grab tickets at the bargain price of $17. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Boiler Room Theatre at 615-794-7744 or ordered online at www.boilerroomtheatre.com.

Following Parade, A Special Revival of the Rocky Horror Show (Directed by Megan Murphy Chambers), then continuing with our 2012 season, A Year With Frog and Toad, and Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge running in repertory. Tickets can be purchase by contacting the BRT Box Office at 615-794-7744.

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The Boiler Room Theatre (BRT) is Williamson County’s first and longest-running resident professional theatre company, established in 2000, launching its inaugural season in March 2001. A 501(c)(3) non-profit Arts organization, BRT’s mission is to present intimate stagings of classic Broadway musicals, area premieres of recent off-Broadway plays and musicals, and original works by local playwrights and composers. BRT’s Youth Educational Programs (YEP!) and its partnership with performance group the ACT TOO Players have provided theatre arts instruction and performance opportunities to more than 10,000 children since its inception in 2001.

Strange Dramaturgy: Leo Frank

Hugh M. Dorsey

Leo Frank

My father and I were what you might call "estranged," and the only thing I got when he died was an odd little book with the rather cumbersome title "Argument of Hugh M. Dorsey, Solicitor General, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, at the trial of Leo M. Frank, Charged with the murder of Mary Phagan."

Hugh Dorsey was my grandfather and, after his frighteningly successful prosecution of Leo Frank, he was elected to two terms as Governor of Georgia, 1917 - 1921, From a very early age, I knew the story of Leo Frank.

This fall, The Boiler Room Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee brings us PARADE, a musical based on the trial and lynching of Leo Frank, with my grandfather pretty much the villain of the piece. I first saw PARADE when it ran at Lincoln Center in the late 90s. It was very strange to watch my grandfather, who I never knew, sing, dance and prosecute Leo Frank.

PARADE is by renowned Atlanta playwright Alfred Uhry, with music by composer Jason Robert Brown, and I am excited to have the opportunity to be on board the Boiler Room team as dramaturg, but it is, I must concede, a very "strange dramaturgy" because it hits so close to home and rattles a lot of skeletons in a lot of the closets of my life.

Over the years, people have told me that I should write a play about Leo. I never understood why anyone would think I would want to do that, so I was relieved when PARADE came along. At the same time, always knowing in my heart somehow that Leo was innocent, I think it is a story that needs to be told and listened to.

Doing the dramaturgy means doing the research, and the first book one grabs these days on the subject of Leo Frank is AND THE DEAD SHALL RISE by Steve Oney. Oney's book isn't just about Leo Frank - it is an amazing and compelling history of Atlanta at the turn of the century, so rich in research and knowledge that one paragraph can provoke and entire day googling the various players who keep coming on the scene.

From Oney I learned that Leo's defense attorney, Luther Rosser, was directly connected to the Dorsey clan, as his son, Luther Rosser, jr. was married to my grandfather's sister. Creepy. It seems that there is much that is suspect about Rosser's defense. Well duh. Can you say "conflict of interest"?

Leonard Dinnerstein's book THE LEO FRANK CASE pretty much attributes every possible variable of prosecutorial misconduct to my grandfather. It seems that Dorsey had only recently acquired his post as Solicitor General and had lost his first two cases. To put it mildly, his ass was on the line. This was a case he had to win and damn did he.

It is strange dramaturgy indeed which strikes so close to home.

Dancing skeletons from my family closet!

Come to Nashville and Go to the Theatre

Jaz Dorsey

jazmn47@aol.com

Confessions of a Dramaturg or Atlanta Gothic, Part One

When I was a little boy growing up in my grandmother's home at 99 Peachtree Battle Avenue down in Atlanta, Georgia, spending my afternoons listening to the lp vinyl recordings of the soundtracks of the great Hollywood versions of the great Broadway musicals, I had no idea that I would grow up to be...

a dramaturg.

And when I became a dramaturg, how could I imagine that my own dark and troubled family history would come back to me in the form of a play and an opportunity to "do the dramaturgy" on a production of that play.

Most of y'all know Alfred Uhry - certainly for DRIVING MISS DAISY and LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO.

Now you're about to learn about PARADE from my point of view. PARADE is Uhry's musical about the trial and lynching of Leo Frank.

My family sat on both sides of the trial table on this wretched miscarriage of justice. My Grandfather, Hugh Manson Dorsey, was Leo's prosecutor. Another nearly related gentleman, Luther Rosser, was Leo's defense attorney. I'm not quite sure how Luther is related - just that we used to call him "Uncle Luther" when I was growing up and the adults were having cocktails.

My grandfather went on to become the Governor of Georgia - 1917 - 1921- because of the fame that the trial brought him.

That was after Leo Frank was lynched.

Strange subject for a musical. I certainly felt that way when I saw it in New York at the end of the last century, sitting there watching my grandfather sing, dance and prosecute Leo Frank.

Leo was exonerated about 50 years later when another man confessed to the murder of "little Mary Phagan".

Well, as Kurt Vonnegut says in one of his novels - so it goes.

The Boiler Room Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee, has a production of PARADE coming up in the fall. Between now and then, Jamey Green and his crew have some other cool stuff going on. You can check 'em out by clicking the post's title.

Come to Nashville - no, make that Franklin - and Go to the Theatre.

Jaz Dorsey
The Nashville Dramaturgy Project