Musical theater at its best.

Micaela Diamond stepping into musical theatre legend, by being a part of what will ultimately become the definitive recording of this breathtaking score, is a moment that all alive today are privileged to witness. Ben Platt’s vocals are as warm and heartbreaking as ever, punctuated by his costar’s ability to transcend an audio recording and bring us right into darkest folds of this story. Bravo.

But songs are cut off on the download. 🥲

A remarkable capture of a remarkably sung and played staging. So glad this was released!

Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry’s 1998 Tony-winning musical “Parade,” based on the true story of the real life 1913 trial of American Jewish factory superintendent Leo Frank, who was wrongfully accused of murder while living in Atlanta, Georgia, returns to Broadway in a timely revival starring Ben Platt (of “Dear Evan Hansen” fame) as Leo and Micaela Diamond as his wife Lucille, who works independently to secure his release. This powerful and tragic story has never become more relevant than it has now, and Platt and Diamond’s well-matched pairing and a talented cast of actors (that also includes Paul Alexander Nolan as prosecutor Dorsey, Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley and Sean Allan Krill as the sympathetic Governor Slaton, to name a few) under the direction of Michael Arden refresh this material for a new generation to experience. All of that is forever immortalized in this cast recording that sounds just as great as it did live, especially Ben and Micaela’s tour-de-force rendition of the iconic anthem “This is Not Over Yet.” However, one issue I should take note of is the sound mixing, which can at times make it hard to hear certain musical elements in the orchestra, but that does not effect the vocals. And I know some will feel a bit disappointed that familiar elements that were on past recordings that made them so impactful, such as the lines of dialogue during certain numbers (like Slaton’s declaration during “Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes”) and very importantly the raging, loud bell chimes that ring after Leo sings the Sh’ma during the climax are absent on this recording, but that does not hurt the overall impact the story still has on the art of musical theater. If you’re a fan of this beloved work, download this now!