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July 13, 2023 The CuratorLeave a Comment on Broadway’s ‘Parade’ will leave you in tears – review – The Jerusalem Post

Mary Phagan

Broadway’s ‘Parade’ will leave you in tears – review – The Jerusalem Post

Parade, winner of the 2023 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, is an absolute must-see Broadway hit. Starring Jewish performers Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond and supported by a colorful and passionate cast at New Yorks Bernard B. Jacobs Theater, the revival of this show is not only timely but an absolute necessity for theater enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

Parade tells the story of a community shaken by tragedy and in search of answers, turning to scapegoat local minorities because the pain of an unsolved case is too unbearable and of course, because of the engrained mindset of post-Civil War Georgia.

The show starts out with a symbolic love scene between a Confederate soldier and a woman of the era. Although not graphic, it is clear what they were doing. What is unclear is just what this detail does for the show, but it certainly catches the attention of the audience.

The productions historical context humanizes the creative version of real-life events. This is aided by the presence of historical portraits of the real-life characters each player depicts. Every character has a historical connection in the story and their photo and name are illuminated at the back of the stage. They are key figures in the story and prosecution of Leo Frank, a Jewish man falsely accused of the murder of 14-year-old Mary Phagan, found dead in the basement of her place of work, the National Pencil Company, on Confederate Memorial Day in April 1913.

Platt plays Leo, the superintendent of the company and an easy scapegoat for a grieving community in search of answers not as much because of his place of work as because of his heritage.

Leo, from Brooklyn, married to a southern Jewish woman from Marietta, Georgia, part of the greater Atlanta area. He runs the National Pencil Company in Atlanta because his in-laws have afforded him the opportunity and he attends work on a state holiday to earn extra money, trying to save up so that he and his wife can have a baby.

On that particular day, his employee, Mary Phagan, comes to collect her pay, neither of them aware that it will be her last. She is found, deceased, in the basement of the factory that night by the night watchman, a Black man named Newt Lee.

A trial ensues with trusted neighbors, colleagues, and employees attacking Leo and his character. Their house cleaner, the boy who flirted endlessly with Mary, as well as many factory workers, come forward to give testimony that not only appears false but is also suspiciously similar to the testimonies of others.

In an interview with Playbill, Platt discussed the overlap in his own Jewish heritage and playing a role at such a time.

Its a way I can pay homage to Leo nightly. Its a very ritualistic thing for me, he said. He has become this symbol and martyr, but that 15 minutes is the moment every night where I can remember that this was a man who was, for the last two years of his life, stuck in a room by himself, then wrongfully murdered. It just personifies him for me, and never lets his story get too big or too far in my head.

In its multiple runs from Broadway and back again, audiences do not stray from their overwhelming love of the production.

Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond were Tony-worthy, [plus] the score was fantastic, said Melissa Solomon, a resident of Roslyn Estates, New York. Its never been more timely to have a show about antisemitism back on Broadway.

Her mother, Eileen Adler of Atlantic Beach, New York, added, Its an important play in this day and age. I actually saw it in 1998. I truly didnt appreciate a play with this topic back then, especially as a musical. However, I read a book about the case and I see things through a more enlightened lens [now.],

Parade leaves its mark on the hearts of audience members. Whether you are looking for true crime, songs to belt out with passion, history, or an equal amount of laughter and intense tears, this is the show for you.

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Broadway's 'Parade' will leave you in tears - review - The Jerusalem Post

Leo Frank

The Tree of Life shooter will likely receive the death penalty. Only one question remains – Forward

A child stands at a memorial outside the Tree of Life synagogue after a shooting there left 11 people dead in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Senior Contributing Editor Rob Eshman July 13, 2023

The man who committed the deadliest crime against Jews in American history was just found eligible to receive the death penalty.

On Oct. 27, 2018, he walked into the Tree of Life synagogues in Pittsburgh carrying three handguns and an AR-15. He opened fire, killing 11 worshipers and wounding six others. On June 16, a jury found him guilty on all 63 counts.

Justice has finally been served. But five years after the gunman told officers All Jews had to die, are American Jews really any safer?

Many of the biggest threats to American Jewish safety have only gotten worse. But still, I see a few reasons for optimism.

The only person to blame for the Pittsburgh massacre is the shooter himself. But hate doesnt happen in a vacuum. The killer was ostensibly enraged because American Jews were hosting Shabbat dinners to support refugees. And at the time, Trump had spent months whipping up his base with anti-immigrant rhetoric.

For years, Trump has been an accelerant for hate and extremism in general and there is a strong correlation between the former presidents hateful leadership and real-world consequences.

In 2015, the number of antisemitic acts in the United States had been in decline for almost 15 years. But in 2016, the year Trump ran for office and won, they increased by 37%, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The numbers have stayed high since.

By 2020, most Americans had seen enough. Two-thirds of voters, Republicans and Democrats, said they turned out because they were excited to vote against Trump. Joe Biden said he only made up his mind to run for president after witnessing the Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville. He framed his campaign as a battle for the soul of the nation.

The good news is the nation took Bidens side in that battle.

The bad news is that, while Americans overwhelmingly spurned Trump in 2020, a large percentage of the country is ready to vote for him again. In the latest YouGov poll, Trump and Biden are in a dead heat.

For his part, Trump seems not to have learned the lessons of 2018. Last November, he dined with the rapper Ye and Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist propagandist, despite both having a history of antisemitic remarks and actions.

Trump has surrounded himself with even more fringe characters. The so-called moderating influences in his administration his Jewish daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, have both since stepped back from politics.

In 2024, who around him will step on the brakes?

The Pittsburgh shooter actively participated in the social media site Gab, where he found validation for his hateful views. Civil rights groups, including the ADL, correctly point fingers at social media companies for providing platforms for hate speech and communities for haters.

That problem is far from solved. While Twitters former owners deplatformed users who engaged in hate speech, the new owner, Elon Musk, has invited many of them back. And hate and disinformation continue to proliferate on virtually every social network, mainstream or not.

Meanwhile, its not clear deplatforming hate speech even works. A Stanford study found that following the Jan. 6 riots, when social media companies kicked thousands of users off for inciting violence, many just migrated to Gab, swelling its user base by 40%.

Technology has marched ahead in the past five years in even more challenging ways. AI now can produce deep fake stories and videos that promote extremist agendas at scale. We are still very much coming to terms with technology that can empower the best and worst of humanity.

The Biden administration treated Pittsburgh like a national wake-up call. It tapped first gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, to chair the first national strategy to counter antisemitism.

The plan, released in May, called for a mix of the concrete, like increased security grants to Jewish institutions and better cybersecurity monitoring, and the aspirational encouraging leaders to speak out against prejudice and institutions to be on guard against antisemitic comments and images.

There arent many instances in history when a government mobilized so many resources, at such a high level, to protect its Jewish citizens.

But by other measures, we are no better able to prevent what happened in Pittsburgh from happening again.

The shooters defenders claimed he struggled with mental illness. Whether or not this is true and it certainly doesnt justify his actions America still fails miserably to treat people whose illness sends them into dark and hateful places.

In five years, Congress has passed no significant legislation that would prevent a man like the Pittsburgh shooter from arming himself to the teeth. And the networks of hate groups that amplified the killers conspiracy theories still attract their damaged souls.

But despite all this, we have one major reason for optimism: American Jews have not been bystanders to their fate.

Weve organized, lobbied, nurtured allies, formed coalitions and donated to Jewish defense and civil rights groups. Weve spoken out, often using the very social media channels that have so often been used against us.

Will it work? Will there be a time when antisemitism is eradicated, when well be able to enter a guardless synagogue without taking a quick, nervous glance around us?

I take strange comfort in thinking back on a much earlier antisemitic trauma in American history, the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank and how very different things are this time.

After Frank was wrongly convicted of murder, dozens of men, whipped up by vicious antisemitic press and politicians, dragged Frank from his prison cell and hung him from a tree. Many of those men boasted of their involvement and posed for pictures beside Franks body. Not one was ever arrested, much less prosecuted.

Though we have a long way to go until hate is eradicated, the aftermath of Pittsburgh looked very different. Politicians flocked to Pittsburgh to express their condolences. The country united around American Jews.

And finally, after a protracted legal process that gave ample opportunity for survivors and the loved ones of those killed to be heard, justice was served in Pittsburgh today.

We still have a long way to go. But today, American Jews are not alone. Our place in this country has gotten better. And it can, working together with others, always get better still.

Rob Eshman is Senior Contributing Editor of the Forward. Follow him on Instagram @foodaism and Twitter @foodaism or email [emailprotected].

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspective in Opinion.

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The Tree of Life shooter will likely receive the death penalty. Only one question remains - Forward

Leo Frank

Outrage soars as swastikas fly outside synagogues and Disney World – JNS.org

(June 30, 2023 / JNS)

Two weeks after the Pittsburgh synagogue terrorist was convicted on June 16 of killing 11 Jews and only days after Nazi flags were flown outside Disney World, neo-Nazis held hate rallies outside two Georgia synagogues on Shabbat. Venomous demonstrators held Nazi flags, stood on top of an Israeli flag and yelled anti-Jewish messages.

The Nazi swastika sends a chilling message of hatred and persecution to the Jewish community. When Nazi flags are brazenly displayed outside of synagogues, white supremacists instill fear and anxiety within minority communities that were systemically murdered just because of who they were. It is a painful reminder of the historical persecution Jews have endured and the persistent threat they now face in America. The swastika is a symbol forever linked with the horrors of the Holocaust.

Worshipper Stewart Levy described the rally as terrifying: Antisemitism at my synagogue. I am shocked, absolutely shocked to see this here. The most frightening thing I have seen in my 65 years. The neo-Nazis are affiliated with a known hate organization that is part of a network that routinely engages in shocking displays of antisemitism.

The Goyim Defense League is an anti-Jewish hate group that harasses Jews and spreads antisemitic conspiracy theories in local neighborhoods and on the Internet. The group is led by a few organizers but has dozens of supporters and thousands of online followers who celebrate the attention that their antics earn them.

The GDLs rallies often dont draw many people but it uses its online channel to stream its actions and disseminate anti-Jewish content to supporters. The Internet allows neo-Nazi networks to facilitate the dissemination of extremist ideologies, provide platforms for recruitment and allow extremists to coordinate and share violent tactics.

One of the GDLs consistent tactics is distributing anti-Jewish fliers in neighborhoods across the country. Nearly every week there is at least one report of fliers alleging another Jewish conspiracy theory. The fliers are distributed on peoples cars and doorsteps. The GDL often targets areas with a sizeable local Jewish population.

Sometimes GDL leaders are arrested on charges of disorderly conduct, public disturbance or littering. GDL leader Jon Minadeo II was arrested in Georgia on a Friday eveninghe smiled for his mug shotthen led a rally in front of yet another Georgia synagogue on Saturday.

A few months before, the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement rallied outside the Broadway musical Parade, stunning theater-goers and throngs of tourists. The play portrays the true story of American Jew, Leo Frank, who was falsely convicted of murdering a 13-year-old Christian girl in Atlanta in 1913 and then hung by a lynch mob.

Democratic and Republican politicians have spoken out against the recent acts of hate. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) forcefully stated: Georgias Jewish community will never be intimidated by antisemitism. Today, as symbols of genocide are paraded in front of synagogues, we continue to stand strong, proud and unbowed. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted: There is absolutely no place for this hate and antisemitism in our state. I share in the outrage over this shameful act.

U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that terrorism rooted in white supremacy is the greatest threat within America today, according to the recently released U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. It also noted that white supremacy, prejudice and bigotry, and conspiratorial thinking have fueled antisemitic discrimination and violence throughout American history.

The Ku Klux Klan targeted not only African-Americans but also Jewsstarting in the late 1800s and continuing todayviewing them as threats to their vision of white supremacy. The KKK and GDL propagate similar conspiracy theories about Jewish influence.

In the 1930s, American white supremacists looked to Adolf Hitlers Germany for inspiration. The German American Bund held rallies; more than 20,000 Americans attended a Nazi rally at New York Citys Madison Square Garden. The Bund promoted Nazi propaganda, intimidated Jews and sought to spread anti-Jewish sentiment among Americans.

The American Nazi Party emerged in the 1960s, followed later by the Aryan Nations and the White Aryan Resistance. From the KKK to todays neo-Nazi groups, these extremists all perpetuate hatred, conspiracy theories and discrimination against American Jews. White supremacist propaganda in America soared to an all-time high in 2022, according to the ADL.

Points to consider:

The Pittsburgh and Poway, Calif., synagogue attacks serve as haunting proof that the white supremacist agenda is undeniably real. These heinous acts targeting innocent worshippers exposed the deep-rooted hatred and extremism fueled by extremist ideologies that dont stop with words and flag-waving. The continuing attacks and demonstrations across the country shatter the illusion that hate groups do not pose a severe threat. Social media allows a few hate-mongers to influence thousands. The assaults against American Jews revealed the stark reality that neo-Nazi ideology continues to thrive, posing a significant threat to society. Americans must acknowledge that these ideologies are not isolated incidents but part of a larger, interconnected network that spreads its poisonous messages online and offline.

White supremacists have increasingly resorted to attention-seeking stunts to gain publicity and fund their hateful causes. Recent incidentsdemonstrating with Nazi flags outside synagogues and even at family-friendly locations like Disney Worldexhibit their tactics of provocation and disruption. These acts of hate are intended to incite fear among American Jews and attract media attention. Although only a handful of neo-Nazis participate in these events, the shocking displays amplify their extremist messages, serve as recruitment tools and gain financial support. These stunts are not isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy to spread ideologies of hate and division.

Silence in the face of hatred is not just indifference but a dangerous endorsement that promotes prejudice and discrimination. When hate against Jews isnt aggressively faced down, it spreads and intensifies. Unchallenged hatred fosters a climate of fear, exclusion, and eventually, violence. It is crucial to speak out and reject the underlying biases and stereotypes that fuel anti-Jewish hatred. By standing up against all forms and acts of antisemitismwhether by two people or 2,200a powerful message is delivered that hate has no place in the U.S. Complacency must be rejected. American Jews deserve to live without fear and to fully participate in a free society that promotes tolerance and respect.

Mary Phagan

Leo Frank and the state of antisemitism then and now – Heritage Florida Jewish News

The Tonys, the awards for the Best of Broadway, were really interesting this year. Their diversity, their power and their depth showed a rather new attitude on Broadway towards the acceptance of reality.

Most interesting to me was the winner of best Musical. The Tony was awarded to the revival of a show from 1998. It tells, with strong musical accompaniment, the story of Leo Frank, a young Jewish factory manager in Atlanta who was accused of raping and killing a 13-year-old factory worker, Mary Phagan, at the pencil factory he managed. Lets start with that fact. Mary Phagan was 13 years old, working in a factory. Times change.

On a Saturday morning in 1913 Mary Phagan came to the factory to get her paycheck. Thirteen years old. The next morning she was discovered in the basement of the factory, raped and strangled to death.

A number of men who were working at the factory that day were arrested, including Leo Frank. While there were rumors at the factory that two other men were seen following her into the basement, only one was arrested with Frank. He was released. Frank was indicted. Newspapers of the day played it up. Leo Frank, a Jew accused of a brutal rape and murder.

The rape and murder of young Mary Phagan and the arrest of Leo Frank gained national attention. Some National Jewish Organizations came to his defense.

He was transferred to a jail in Atlanta for his own protection. A mob stormed the jail, abducted him, took him to Marietta, Georgia, Mary Phagans hometown, and lynched him on a tree in a city park.

There were cries of hang the Jew and the stain of antisemitism was on the whole event. Lynching and antisemitism were not uncommon in the South at the time. The story had a unique quality in the press coverage, the drama of the crowd storming the jail and the lynching. After a time of course, the publicity died, the first World War started and peoples attention turned elsewhere.

Antisemitism in the Jim Crow south was rampant at the time. The lynching of young Leo Frank was much more of an item in the North than where it occurred. Various northern newspapers, including the New York Times took up the case and ran a series of editorials with evidence of Franks innocence.

It backfired. Southern newspapers, specifically the Atlanta Journal Constitution condemned Frank and supported his hanging. While it was an impactful event of antisemitism, it really took its place among other violent acts of prejudice at the time. While the Leo Frank case was always in stories of antisemitism in the South, its overall history was debated in both North and South newspapers.

Alfred Ochs, publisher of the Times, kept the subject alive in the North. Papers like the Jeffersonian, a popular tabloid in the South at the time, kept the subject alive in the South.

They published articles blasting Ochs with stories that said when are the Northern Jews going to let up on their insane attempt to bulldoze the State of Georgia?

The situation caused a rebirth of virulent antisemitism in the South. While the Anti-Defamation League led the fight against it gaining most of its national strength from this situation, its still with us.

My experience here in New Orleans has shown a decided hands off this subject. This has spilled over to not being allowed to make speeches defending the State of Israel at Service Clubs or any other venue outside of Jewish Life.

I have told before of a cab ride where my son Tom asked the driver what country he was from and got the answer Palestine only to have it repeated shortly thereafter in another cab ride. That means an active Arab movement here in NOLA where the good times roll.

The local Jewish Federation ignores this danger in this community. Antisemitism takes many forms. Degrading the State of Israel is only one. But it is a huge one.

Yet, I have found no way to get the true story of the Jewish State to the general community here. It seems to me and this is my opinion that this Jewish Community reeks of the bygone time in American Jewish life when we just did not discuss our lives, our fears, our heritage in public. A time I call the Sha Still generation.

It was a time where Jews were reluctant to be seen as Jews. We had our daughters noses bobbed so they wouldnt look so Jewish. We changed our names from Cohen to Kane, from Abrams to Adams. We literally hid our Jewish Identity.

What changed all that? The State of Israel and the resulting Jewish pride. It was missing in the time of Leo Frank. Let us not lose it again.

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Leo Frank and the state of antisemitism then and now - Heritage Florida Jewish News

Mary Phagan

The connection between three queer Broadway talents, a Tony … – Queerty

(l-r) Jay Armstrong Johnson, Michael Arden, and Eddie Cooper from Broadways Parade, photographed at The Skylark in New York City. Photo by Seth Caplan for Queerty

Michael Arden, Eddie Cooper, and Jay Armstrong Johnson meet me in the secluded billiards room at The Skylark, a rooftop venue overlooking midtown Manhattan. From our vantage point with the theater district just blocks away and skyscrapers piercing the skyline the world feels full of limitless possibilities. But history has shown us otherwise.

Weve gathered to talk about their experiences working on Broadways Parade, the musical revival based on the real lives of Leo and Lucille Frank (Ben Platt and Michaela Diamond), a newly married Jewish couple living in 1910s Atlanta. Leo worked as a pencil factory superintendent, where Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old factory worker, was found murdered. Prosecuting attorney Hugh Dorsey led a racially and religiously charged trial, resulting in Leos conviction and death sentence.

The case made national headlines, and after two years, several appeals, and a change of heart by then-governor John M. Slaton, Leos case was commuted to life in prison. But on August 16, 1915, several dozen men kidnapped Leo, drove to Marietta, and lynched him near where Phagan had once lived.

Parade despite a title that evokes patriotic American flags and marching bands tells a much different story, one that our nation continues to reckon with. Our ideologies around race, religion, and sexual orientation continue to collide. And with the next presidential election looming, the threats against marginalized communities are more vulnerable than ever.

The following are excerpts from our conversation, just days before Parade won the Tony Award for Best Revival and Arden was honored with Best Direction of a Musical.

I saw the original 1999 production of Parade at Lincoln Center as well as this revival both at City Center and its Broadway transfer. Each time, Ive been moved by the uncompromising exploration of racial and religious discrimination and how that intersects with my queer identity. Michael and Jay youre both from Texas what kind of impact did that have on you in relation to your LGBTQ+ identities?

Michael: In Texas, I certainly felt that being queer was being queer. Meaning that whether you felt shame about it or not, it was something that was on the outskirts of what was accepted.

I was lucky enough to have a coming-out moment that was really supportive. My ninth-grade English teacher asked us to write an essay on the first day of school about what we learned about ourselves that summer. I revealed that I was gay, and she pulled me aside and said, I just want you to know that this place that we are in can be very judgmental. But you always have a friend, a supporter, and an ally in me. And this was before we used words like ally.

That first interaction was incredible. But, you know, in acknowledging where we were, it was like, yeah, this, this is going to be hard. But there are people who will always support you. If you look at states like Florida or Texas, or many places that are seemingly very conservative, the people who are allies and who support queer folks like us are so incredible and so vital.

Its easy to say, Oh, the South is one thing. But its actually those allies who work twice as hard.

What about your experience, Jay?

Jay: I started out Southern Baptist. Yikes. And then we went to Disciples of Christ, which is a bit more of a liberal denomination, but my whole life growing up, gay was bad. As a straight-A student who went to church every Sunday and considered himself a good Christian boy, I did not fully believe I was gay even though everyone could smell it on me, and I was being called slurs from a very early age, like third grade.

I started doing professional theater at 13 years old. They would fly in talent from New York City, and it was the first time I met gay people that were smart, kind, and successful.

How does it feel now to show up as your authentic self? Your outfit is fantastic, by the way.

Jay: Whats wild is that I was always strolling around in my grandmothers closet and trying on her heels, muumuus, and wigs. That was a secret I kept hidden from the world, and if I got caught, Id probably be in a lot of trouble.

Its only this year that Im leaning into this kind of nonbinary way of dressing and thinking about appearing anything other than hypermasculine. My friend DW [costume designer David Withrow] dresses me, and thats helped me step into what has always been me but Ive always been so scared of.

I even had a manager when I was in my early 20s that told me to not be seen in public with my boyfriend. When I got to New York, there were still those who tried to keep me as closeted as possible.

Michael: Thats why its so important to have a teacher like mine, being like, Hey, it might be difficult, but you have to live your life, and I will support you in whatever you want.

Who are the allies in Parade?

Michael: There are allies and people who become allies. Leo Franks defense attorney, Luther Rosser [played by Christopher Gurr], certainly. But then we see people like Minnie McKnight [played by Danielle Lee Greaves], the Franks household servant, who would be an ally, but because of who she is and the time she is living in, isnt able to function as the human she dares to be. She is a victim of this place, but I believe she is an ally. [In the musical, McKnight gives false testimony against Leo Frank but eventually retracts her statement.]

By the way, Danielle is absolutely phenomenal. I couldnt keep my eyes off her during the lengthy trial scene, where her character is forced to sit in the back of the courtroom. I could feel the heat of that room by watching her. As is Micaela Diamond as Lucille. That character evolves into a powerful advocate.

Eddie: The play is just as much about feminism as it is about anti-Semitism.

Michael: You also see allyship in very small ways, and tiny little lines of dialogue, like Officer Ivey [played by Jackson Teeley], questioning the district attorney But we got no evidence people trying to do the right thing. Unfortunately, its the systematic structure of the American judicial system

Eddie: and white supremacy. The story takes place during a time when this is ever-present; its just the way of the world.

Michael: Its so present that its invisible.

Eddie, you grew up in Manhattan Plaza, a famous New York City 1,692-unit housing complex known for its theater residents.

Eddie: Yes, I grew up in a theater family in a building that was for people in the arts. On paper, I should have been super comfortable coming out the second I had an inkling. But I didnt. I mean, my fathers an actor; my mother is wonderful. Intellectually, I knew that they would have no problem with it. But I guess, just growing up and taking in the media that I took in, it still scared me.

What do you think was holding you back?

Eddie: Its something Ive asked myself a lot.

Jay: Youve mentioned the AIDS epidemic, Eddie, and how that was so visible to you. Could that be part of it?

Eddie: Yeah, growing up in Manhattan Plaza during the 80s and 90s, people were dying all around me.

[According to the NYC LGBT History Sites Project, at one point, the building had the highest per-capita concentration of AIDS-related deaths in the world. Residents established the Manhattan Plaza AIDS Project, a community initiative that provided care for those living with HIV/AIDS.]

I would see someone in the elevator and I was very young and notice a lesion and think, Oh, Im not going to see him for much longer. So maybe there was some internalization that I darkly equated with being gay.

Jay: When I came out in 2005, the first words out of my mothers mouth were, Dont get AIDS and die.

Michael: That was so much of Americas introduction to the idea that there were actually queerpeople right around them. Im certain some kids now have trouble coming out, but were not living with youll probably die in the way kids of the 80s faced. But that particular response to AIDS and the fear of it was really, really big. And so we became silent.

Eddie: It was scary watching that. There was a table in the lobby and every time someone in the building passed away, they would put their name, the day that they were born, and the day they passed. Before I even looked at the name, Id look at the date and theyd be in their 20s or 30s.

So I didnt come out until much later and was actually living in Japan at the time. My mother called me at 3 a.m. and said we need to talk. I asked about what, and she said, About you being gay. And I thought, oh, that just happened! So, I said, Yeah, Im gay. What do we need to talk about? And she said, Well, nothing, I guess. And it was amazing. Theres no feeling like that moment when its just out there and youre accepted.

Michael: Ian McKellen taught a masterclass when I was in school, which was wild. And he said that he couldnt actually be the artist he is until that moment when he came out because he was spending so much of his energy acting in his life that he couldnt live his life and absorb the tools he needed in order to do his work.

Do you feel that way, Michael?

Michael: Totally. When I fully came out to my grandparents, who raised me, it was huge. I had a panic attack, which led to me realizing thats what I need to deal with. You know, fear can take many different shapes.

I suppose we all find ways of getting by, depending on our circumstances. Growing up in a primarily Italian suburb of Cleveland, I knew I was a Jew before I knew I was gay and felt like an outsider with just a handful of other Jewish students. But like Jay, I was pegged as queer long before I had the vocabulary to describe or defend myself. So I found a way to fit in.

Michael: We spend an unbelievable amount of energy assimilating.

Jay: And thats so baked into Parade and the character of Lucille as a homegrown Southern Jew

Michael: to the point where shes perpetuating white supremacy. Like shell wave a confederate flag because she doesnt want to be seen as different, but shes hated just as much, though she thinks she can hide in her assimilation.

Eddie: Early in the play, when Leo tells her not to be such a meshuggeneh [crazy in Yiddish], she says, Why do you use words like that?

Its interesting that this musical is playing on Broadway at the same time as Tom Stoppards Leopoldstadt, which deals with the repercussions of generational assimilation, and Alex Edelmans Just For Us, in which the comedian examines the source of anti-Semitic online threats.

Michael: When you think about it, most religion is based on the idea of an afterlife. People are obsessed with our insignificance on Earth. If Ive only got 80 years to live if Im lucky then what is the rest of eternity going to be? So we wake up, build buildings, and form societies, because we have to believe in something. But dont we have better things to talk about, to figure out, like the lives of those after us, and not just our own?

Eddie: Religion is a very big part of my characters story in Parade. [Newt Lee, a night watchman at the factory, discovered Phagans body and was initially considered a prime suspect.] When all is lost for him, he turns to God, which is something incredibly foreign to me. But its been interesting to step into that, question it, and live that onstage.

Its interesting I hadnt drawn the parallel between Leo and Newt. Your character repeats a passage from John 11:25-26 while being interrogated. And in Leos final moment before being lynched, he sings the Shema, a central Jewish prayer and affirmation of God. Its very haunting in retrospect to see that connection. Michael, as a director, how do you tackle these broad themes of collective consciousness with detailed story arcs and character development?

Michael: In the case of that particular moment with Leo, the lights come up. I wanted to leave the play for a moment and have the audience see each other. To shine a light on ourselves that were actually part of this, too. The audience can take that as they will, whether theyre culpable in the death of this man who may or may not have been innocent, to examine their own relationship to religion, and ultimately be seen by this person who is hoping to hold someone both accountable or as a witness.

What Im hoping to do in Parade is to break the time continuum. Who knows what happens in the moment of death? The audience can find their way toward their own version of truth.

Jay, your character, Britt Craig, is an opportunistic reporter who wrote for theAtlanta Constitution and colored the publics perception of Leo Frank and the circumstances surrounding the trial. Can you speak more about that?

Jay: He was absolutely opportunistic the fake news of it all is very much 2023. My approach was Tucker Carlson meets Charlie Chaplin in terms of spreading so much misinformation and the physicality of the performance.

Its interesting to me because some of my family are such Fox News aficionados. I cant walk into my moms, dads, or aunts home without Fox News being ever-present. Dipping into those actual facts I am a racist in recovery because of how I was raised in Texas its been difficult for me to play this character, and also cathartic. Hes a hateful dude. Its been a gift and also a scary excavation, but Michael has created such a safe space. And weve been given some really great tools, with sensitivity and wellness coaches to help us navigate the harder parts of our jobs.

Michael: The Civil War was lost by the South, and they were told this is the new way of life. They needed an outlet for hate, and the easiest outlet is the other.

Eddie: Theres the moment in the show where two suspects are being investigated: a Black man and a Jewish man. Its old hat to hate Black folks. Theres a line where prosecuting attorney Dorsey says, Hangin another nigra aint enough this time. We gotta do better.

Jay: Ive thought about this a lot in our process. And weve had a lot of tough conversations in our rehearsals about what it was to be a person of color or a Jewish person of faith in the South in 1913. We never really touched on queerness.

Theres a starkly crafted moment when defense attorney Rosser questions Leo before the trial. Rumors spread that Leo frequented a cat house (brothel), and Rosser insinuates that he liked boys, too. Leo exclaims, That is vile! I never in my life Oh my God! He shutters in a way that, at least for me, portrays someone who, despite being pegged for a crime because of his religious beliefs, can be prejudiced. Its a potent reminder of how fear of other runs so deep. Can we as a society change?

Jay: The dial has been moved, but the opposition is moving even fiercer, and I can feel that in a terrifying way. Pride is a protest, and it really does feel like we have to continue that energy. Because its still so scary out there, especially for our young ones. You know, Im thinking about kids in Texas. With all of this legislation, our trans and nonbinary youth are having their identities shut out and being told that they dont exist. Im nervous about it.

Eddie: There is so much anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but it also feels to me like the death throes. Young people are with it, right? And the people doing all this stuff dont get that. Theyre just scared of change that is so beyond their control. Its their screams of desperation.

Jay: We had neo-Nazis show up at our first preview.

Michael: I was buoyed by the fact that a handful of protesters showed up who were incredibly ugly and loud and yet, when we were united on stage with the audience, we outnumbered them by 100 times, and how beautiful we sounded.

I have faith. We are the consumers, we are the voters, and the children are smart. We have to look to them and reach out. Im hopeful that we can offer a hand in dark moments and sing even louder.

And get them to vote!

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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The connection between three queer Broadway talents, a Tony ... - Queerty

Mary Phagan

Kevin Spacey Net Worth 2023: Career, Controversy, Achievement … – Southwest Journal

Kevin Spacey, whose birth name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, was born on July 26, 1959, in South Orange, New Jersey. He grew up with two siblings, raised by his mother, who worked as a secretary, and his father, a technical writer. When Spacey was just four years old, his family relocated to California. Spacey has openly discussed the physical abuse he endured from his father, who he also described as a racist with Nazi sympathies.

During his 10th and 11th grades, Spacey attended a military school. However, for his senior year, he transferred to Chatsworth High School. It was there that he joined the schools production of The Sound of Music, marking his entry into the world of theater. After finishing high school, he adopted the name Spacey and moved to New York City to study at the prestigious Juilliard School. From 1979 to 1981, while studying at Juilliard, Spacey also tried his hand at stand-up comedy.

So how much is Kevin Spaceyactually worth? According to our research, Kevin Spaceys net worth is estimated to be$110 Million Dollars. Kevin Spaceys net worth is largely the result of his success as an American actor.

Kevin Spacey, the acclaimed American actor, possesses a physical stature that complements his commanding on-screen presence. Standing at approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and weighing around 80 kg (176 lbs), Spaceys height and weight contribute to his ability to portray a wide range of characters with depth and authenticity.

Spaceys average height allows him to blend seamlessly into various roles, whether he is portraying a charismatic lead, a sinister antagonist, or a vulnerable character. His weight, which aligns with a healthy and balanced physique, allows him to exude a presence that captures the attention of audiences.

Kevin Spaceys career took off in the realm of theater. After a minor role in a Shakespeare play, he made his Broadway debut in Ghosts in 1982. He continued to build his reputation in the New York theater scene with roles in The Misanthrope, Hurlyburly, Sleuth, and The Seagull. His major breakthrough came in 1986 with a role in the critically acclaimed Long Days Journey Into Night.

Spacey briefly ventured into television with Crime Stories, but soon shifted his focus to film. Even as he was trying to make a name for himself in Hollywood, he continued to perform in plays, including Lost in Yonkers in 1991, for which he won a Tony Award. He also appeared in TV series such as L.A. Crime and The Murder of Mary Phagan.

His first significant film role was in See No Evil, Hear No Evil in 1989. His captivating performances in series like Wiseguy and films like Glengarry Glen Ross soon caught the attention of critics. After roles in The Ref and Swimming With Sharks, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Usual Suspects in 1995.

In the same year, he delivered a chilling performance as a serial killer in Se7en. He followed this up with a memorable role as an attorney in A Time to Kill and a voice acting role in the animated film A Bugs Life. His performance in American Beauty in 1999 earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Spacey kicked off the 2000s with roles in Pay it Forward and K-Pax, and in 2006, he played Lex Luthor in Superman Returns. He also appeared in 2008s 21.

The 2010s were dominated by his role as Frank Underwood in House of Cards, which he played from 2011 until 2018 when he was removed from the cast due to sexual assault allegations. During his time on the show, Spacey won numerous awards and also worked as a producer, earning up to $20 million per year. In 2011, he played the antagonist in Horrible Bosses, and in 2018, he appeared in Billionaire Boys Club.

In 2017, Kevin Spacey faced serious allegations of making sexual advances towards a 14-year-old boy in 1986 when Spacey himself was 26. In response, Spacey issued a public statement attributing his actions to alcohol, but this did not stop the influx of similar accusations. In total, 15 individuals came forward with stories of Spaceys inappropriate behavior. Many of these individuals were parents of boys involved in the entertainment industry, including the Old Vic theater. The Old Vic confirmed that they had received 20 complaints about Spacey, with three individuals reporting him to the police.

These allegations had significant repercussions on Spaceys career. Production of House of Cards was halted, and the final season was cut down to only eight episodes. Several of Spaceys films had to be reshot with different actors after he was removed from the cast. His agent and publicist subsequently severed ties with him.

In 2018, more allegations emerged, further tarnishing Spaceys reputation. In 2019, a man who claimed to have been groped by Spacey committed suicide. That same year, three individuals associated with Spacey passed away. Despite facing multiple court cases for sexual and criminal assault, all cases against Spacey have been closed without any legal penalties imposed on the actor.

As a celebrated actor, Kevin Spacey proudly holds American nationality. His birth and upbringing in the United States have played a significant role in shaping his illustrious career, offering him a platform to showcase his exceptional acting skills. While nationality doesnt solely define a persons talent or accomplishments, its undeniable that Spaceys American roots have had a profound impact on his career path and the opportunities hes encountered within the world of entertainment.

Being an American actor, Spacey has had the extraordinary privilege of immersing himself in the diverse and vibrant landscape of American film and theater. Hes had the honor of working with some of the most respected American directors, sharing the screen with gifted American actors, and adding his unique touch to the tapestry of American storytelling through his compelling performances. His American nationality has enabled him to establish a deep connection with his audience, drawing on shared cultural experiences and narratives that strike a chord with his fellow countrymen and women.

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Kevin Spacey is currently facing a trial in London over sexual assault charges. The charges were brought by four men, most of which stem from his time leading a London theater. The trial began in June 2023.

Kevin Spacey is an American. He was born and raised in the United States.

As of 2023, Kevin Spaceys net worth is estimated to be $110 million.

Kevin Spacey has won numerous awards throughout his career, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for The Usual Suspects and Best Actor for American Beauty. He also won a Tony Award for his role in Lost in Yonkers.

Kevin Spacey stands approximately 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall and weighs around 80 kg (176 lbs).

Some of Kevin Spaceys most notable roles include Verbal Kint in The Usual Suspects, Lester Burnham in American Beauty, and Frank Underwood in the television series House of Cards.

Kevin Spacey has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, which have significantly impacted his career. He was removed from the cast of House of Cards and several of his films were reshot with different actors. Despite facing multiple court cases for sexual and criminal assault, all cases against Spacey have been closed without any legal penalties imposed on the actor as of 2023.

Kevin Spaceys birth name is Kevin Spacey Fowler.

In conclusion, Kevin Spacey is a highly accomplished actor who has made significant contributions to the world of theater, film, and television. Born Kevin Spacey Fowler in South Orange, New Jersey, he rose to prominence through his exceptional acting skills and charismatic on-screen presence. Despite facing numerous personal and professional challenges, including serious allegations of sexual misconduct, Spacey has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

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Kevin Spacey Net Worth 2023: Career, Controversy, Achievement ... - Southwest Journal

Leo Frank

OPINION: The Leo Frank case – the ‘Parade’ that won’t end – The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Its the case that wont go away, the story that embodies Faulkners quote that the past is never dead. Its not even past.

The tragic saga of Leo Frank, the Jewish businessman long ago convicted of a heinous crime and lynched, has again found new legs.

The Broadway play Parade, written by Atlanta-born author Alfred Uhry and based upon the early-1900s case, recently won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.

Parade is a reboot of Uhrys 1998 Broadway flop. This time, ticket sales were so strong that computers crashed.

The difference? Maybe better marketing. Or perhaps its because antisemitism is on the march in this argumentative and divided country. Antisemitic incidents are up a third this year, more so in Georgia, says the Anti-Defamation League. The case is still so contemporary that Neo-Nazis protested outside the New York theater this year, calling Frank a pedophile.

Its a 110-year-old story thats timely again, said Steve Oney, author of the definitive book on the case, And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank. The Frank case will not go away. Its kind of the original sin of Georgia.

In fact, buzz created by Parade rocketed Oneys 20-year-old, 700-page book to No. 1 in Amazons true crime sector.

The Dead have Arisen.

I recently read Oneys book for the second time and thought Id call him.

During a recent episode of the radio show Political Rewind, Oney appeared with Uhry to talk about Parade and the Frank case. (The show was recorded just hours before Georgia Public Broadcasting announced its asinine decision to ax Rewind and send host Bill Nigut packing.)

As the show warmed up, Nigut asked Uhry about the case. Uhry, the famed author of Driving Miss Daisy, paused before saying, Im a little gun shy to talk about it with Steve here. Our show was unfortunately written before Steves book came out. I wish he was a little quicker with it.

Oneys book was a laborious process 17 years to be precise.

The former Atlanta Journal-Constitution Magazine writer came to the case in 1985 when writing for Esquire magazine. At the time, there was a movement in Georgia to exonerate Frank for the 1913 murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, whose strangled body was found in the dank basement of the downtown Atlanta pencil factory that Frank managed.

Phagan worked at the factory, as did scores of young teen girls. Frank was a taciturn outsider, a Jew from Brooklyn. The day of her murder, Mary was headed to the Confederate Memorial Day parade, hence the name of Uhrys play, Parade.

I wont dive deep into facts of the case: One could spend 17 years filling up a 700-page tome doing so. But during the trial, several girl employees testified that Frank leered at them and was not a person of good character. A Black employee named Jim Conley, first thought to be a suspect, pointed a finger at Frank and the case shifted forever.

During the trial, jurors heard mobs outside shouting, Hang the Jew! He was convicted and sentenced to death.

After the conviction, The New York Times led a campaign to undo the conviction. The story became a national phenom. (Interestingly, a scathing Times review of the 1998 version of Parade helped quickly usher it from the Broadway stage.)

To rebut the Times coverage, Tom Watson, the incendiary populist who became a U.S. senator in 1920, went after Frank in his magazine, The Jeffersonian, calling him a lecherous Jew. His circulation skyrocketed.

Oney noted it was a time with a breakdown of verifiable facts. Sounds familiar, eh?

The trial judge, as well as Conleys attorney and Gov. John Slaton, all had misgivings about Franks guilt. When Slaton commuted Franks sentence, a mob stormed the state Capitol and later headed for the governors home.

It was a mob egged on by what was characterized as a miscarriage of justice, Oney said, likening it to the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol. Things can get out of hand more quickly than wed like to think.

A highly orchestrated crew from Marietta, put together by that towns elites, drove the 120-plus miles to the prison in Milledgeville, stormed into the facility, hand-cuffed the warden, drove Frank back to Cobb County and strung him up in a tree near where the Big Chicken now stands.

Oney said the trial transcripts, which would have stood 6 feet tall, disappeared from Fulton County court archives in the 1960s. He was left reading two years worth of Atlantas three papers from the time: The Journal, The Constitution, and the Hearst-owned Georgian, all which had voluminous and different takes on the proceedings.

There was also a mountain of documents created by the appeals and an untold number of diaries, letters and reminiscences from contemporaries now stored in various institutions.

Itll be hard to do this kind of research again, Oney said. Its all pre-digital, all on paper.

A century later, some things have changed.

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OPINION: The Leo Frank case - the 'Parade' that won't end - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Leo Frank

Antisemitism-themed Leopoldstadt and Parade are big Tony … – jewishpresspinellas

Broadway made a statement about antisemitism Sunday evening, June 11, as two high-profile shows on the subject this season the play Leopoldstadt and the musical revival Parade pulled in multiple major Tony awards.

Some of the shows honorees, in turn, made statements of their own linking hatred of Jews with other forms of hatred, including homophobia and anti-transgender sentiment.

Leopoldstadt, Tom Stoppards epic semi-autobiographical play about three generations of a Viennese Jewish family before and after the Holocaust, won four of the six Tonys for which it was nominated, including best play. (It was Stoppards fifth Tony, coming 55 years after his first, for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.)

The Leopoldstadt actor Brandon Uranowitz, the only member of the plays large cast to receive an acting nomination, won for featured actor in a play and thanked Stoppard for writing a show about antisemitism and the false promise of assimilation. He noted that members of his family were murdered by the Nazis in Poland.

Uranowitz, who is gay, ended with a plea to parents: When your child tells you who they are, believe them.

Parade, about the 1915 lynching of American Jew Leo Frank, won two prizes, including best revival of a musical. Alfred Uhry, who wrote the book to the original 1998 production of Parade, wore a Star of David lapel pin when he came up to accept the award for best revival.

Michael Arden, the shows director, noted in his speech that Leo Frank had a life that was cut short at the hands of the belief that one group of people is more or less valuable than another, which he noted is at the core of antisemitism, of white supremacy, of homophobia, of transphobia, of intolerance of any kind.

Arden warned the crowd to learn the lessons of the show, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.

The non-Jewish actor Sean Hayes won best actor in a play for his role as Oscar Levant, the real-life Jewish concert pianist, actor and entertainer who had lifelong struggles with mental illness, in Good Night, Oscar.

There were several other Jewish moments at the show. Jewish Broadway legends John Kander (96 years old) and Joel Grey (91 years old) received the evenings lifetime achievement awards, with Greys actress daughter Jennifer Grey presenting him with his honor. Among the pairs many achievements: Kander composed and Grey starred in Cabaret, a musical set in Weimar-era Germany, and Grey mounted the recent successful Yiddish-language revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Kander is also the composer behind New York, New York, a new show whose musician characters include a Jewish refugee from Nazi-occupied Poland.

Miriam Silverman won the featured actress in a play award for her role in The Sign in Sidney Brusteins Window, a revival of a long-overlooked Lorraine Hansberry play about a Jewish bohemian couple in 1960s Greenwich Village.

And an unexpected Jewish shoutout came near the end of the ceremony, when the cast of the musical comedy Shucked, a corny-looking show about corn, performed a song instructing viewers about the many places where the vegetable can be enjoyed. Among the options: Bring it to a bris!

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Antisemitism-themed Leopoldstadt and Parade are big Tony ... - jewishpresspinellas

Leo Frank

Watching the Tonys, thinking about church Baptist News Global – Baptist News Global

The presenters sound like ministers winging the announcements.

I am watching The 76th Annual Tony Awards, celebrating the best of Broadway, and missing the writers.

The Writers Guild of America is on strike, so they came up with a curious compromise with the Tonys. They agreed to an unscripted broadcast. Presenters are not allowed to read off prompters, but they can use cue cards. The effect was amusing at first but then became depressing like an unfortunate solo on Youth Sunday. (Imagine the opposite of Lea Michelle singing Dont Rain on My Parade.)

Brett Younger

The shows nominated for Tony Awards can be depressing enough to make everyone want to go on strike. Broadway is all about heartache.

Leopoldstadt is a heart-wrenching play about a World War II-era Viennese Jewish family, many of whom die at the hands of the Nazis.

Prima Facie comes with a trigger warning. A criminal defense attorney must rethink her views after she is sexually assaulted.

Good Night, Oscar is the true story of Oscar Levants struggles with mental illness.

Life of Pi is about a boy who survives a shipwreck, but his family does not.

This years shows take tragedy seriously war, antisemitism, misogyny, mental illness, death.

The revivals are depressing, too.

Parade is a painful story of antisemitism. In Atlanta in 1915, Leo Frank is arrested, sentenced, and lynched for the rape and murder of a teenager. The play concludes he was the innocent victim of prejudice.

Sweeney Todd is murder and revenge.

Camelot is adultery and war.

The Sign in Sidney Brusteins Window ends with a suicide.

Funny Girl ends with a seriously rained-out parade as Fanny and Nick go their separate ways.

A view of the audience during The 76th Annual Tony Awards at United Palace Theater on June 11, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions )

Three new shows Kimberly Akimbo, which won the most Tonys with five, Fat Ham, and New York, New York had 22 Tony nominations and seem to fit the pattern of despair.

Kimberly Akimbo has a disease that causes her to age four times faster. Her life expectancy was 16. She is aging fast and surrounded by adults who never grow up a hypochondriacal mother, an irresponsible father, and an aunt who has only terrible ideas.

Patrick Marber, winner of Best Direction Of A Play Award for Leopoldstadt, poses in the press room during The 76th Annual Tony Awards at Radio Hotel on June 11, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Fat Ham is Shakespeares Hamlet set at a North Carolina barbecue, a backyard celebration of Juicys moms marriage to his uncle a week after the death of his father. The fathers ghost demands that Juicy, a queer, Black, Southern, college kid, avenge his murder. Juicy asks, What do you do when God dont want you and the devil wont have you? The play deals with homophobia and the inherited trauma of Black men going in and out of prison since the Civil War.

New York, New York is based on the movie of the same name set just after World War II. Robert DeNiro and Liza Minnelli are musicians with big dreams that are not coming true. They want music, money and love and do not get them.

These three shows reflect a culture that leans in the direction of despair disease, crime, murder, racism, homophobia, greed and shattered dreams. But then each show unexpectedly chooses not to give up and leaves room for hope.

The 1977 movie New York, New York ends with the star-crossed lovers breaking up. The new musical has a loud, happy ending. If they can make it there, they can make it anywhere, and they do.

Isnt changing the ending an interesting choice?

LaChanze, winner of the awards for Best Musical for Kimberly Akimbo and Best Revival of a Play for Topdog/Underdog, poses in the press room during The 76th Annual Tony Awards at Radio Hotel on June 11, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

In the original Hamlet, nine of the 11 characters die. Fat Ham is supposed to be the same tragedy, but Juicy does not want to go down the same road as his father. He longs for hope, love and joy. To be or not to be? he wants to be. In the retelling, there are two deaths, still too many, but less than nine. Why would the playwright make the most famous tragedy hopeful?

Kimberly Akimbo ends not with Kimberlys death, but with a love scene between a tuba-playing, high school ber-nerd and a 16-year-old girl who looks like his grandmother. She has figured out how to live each day to the fullest. She wants to have an adventure while she can. The sun shines through the clouds. Hope overcomes tragedy.

The 24-hour news cycle runs on misery about 23 of those hours.

Why would Broadway celebrate optimism in a world that reveres pessimism? Our culture encourages us to give up and give in. Our national ethos promotes anxiety and belittles hope. We treat despair, relativism and cynicism as signs of intelligence. The 24-hour news cycle runs on misery about 23 of those hours.

One of the purposes of art is to challenge the status quo. When the culture is obsessed with the clouds, the best artists aim for the sun. When the national ethos seems to prefer darkness, the church has an opportunity to focus on light. Deconstruction makes room for reconstruction. People need sincerity, idealism and truth. When our country embraces gloom, Christianity points to a brighter day.

We do not have to deny the problems to recognize the joy beyond despair.

The churchs message is that we should not give up, except to give up our worries to God. We should not give in, except to give in to the love that brings Gods intentions in the world, in spite of what gets the most attention. When things are falling apart, God comes in a new way of seeing things and a new sense of purpose.

When it feels like whoever is supposed to be writing our story is on strike, the church gets to say, Life can be a tragedy, but it is also a brand-new musical.

Brett Younger serves as senior minister at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Leo Frank

Award-winning Broadway shows: Stories of painful Jewish history … – JNS.org

(June 16, 2023 / JNS)

Eight times a week, I watch a Jewish man get lynched on Broadway. Parade actress Micaela Diamond

Two antisemitism-themed Broadway plays, Parade and Leopoldstadt, both recently won several Tony Awards. They portray how deep-seated anti-Jewish hostility combined with disinformation led to tragic results. Heinous historic acts against Jews serve as powerful reminders of what happens when hatred against Jews is allowed to fester.

Parade portrays the true story of American Jew, Leo Frank, and the consequences of unchecked hatred and discrimination. He was a factory manager accused of murdering a 13-year-old Christian girl in Atlanta in 1913. The case received sensationalized national media attention. His trial was marred by a biased investigation, a prejudiced jury and a hostile public sentiment fueled by anti-Jewish propaganda. Despite inconsistencies in the evidence against him, Frank was convicted and sentenced to death.

After public outrage, his sentence was reduced to life in prison. Enraged residents believed that lynch law is a good sign because it shows that a sense of justice lives among the people. They formed a Vigilance Committee, culminating in the abduction and hanging of Frank in 1915. The ringleaders included a former Georgia governor and the mayor of Marietta. In 1986, he was pardoned after a witness came forward and testified to seeing the victims body being carried to the basement by an employee.

During the early 1900s, discrimination against American Jews was endemic across society, reflecting a broader climate of bigotry, racism and intolerance. Jews faced various forms of discrimination, including social exclusion, limited employment opportunities and harmful stereotypes.

While the overt antisemitism of 1913 has somewhat diminished, it is resurgent across America. It was on display in 2023 when a small group of neo-Nazis staged a rally outside the Broadway theater showing Parade, an ironic display of hate underscoring the importance of these portrayals. Ben Platt, the Jewish actor playing Leo Frank, described the scene as definitely very ugly and scary, but a wonderful reminder of why were telling this particular story, and how special and powerful art and particularly theater can be.

In a somber tribute, Parade cast members gather before almost every performance, stand in a circle and say the Mourners Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead. It is an expression of community as we tell this hard story, wrote Diamond, who plays Lucille Frank, the wife of Jewish lynching victim Leo Frank.

Leopoldstadt reveals the devastating consequences of anti-Jewish hatred against individuals and communities. The play by Tom Stoppard is based in part on the experience of his own family. It portrays the lives of a prosperous Jewish family in Vienna and spans the late 19th century to the aftermath of the Holocaust.

The extended family fled pogroms in Eastern Europe and largely assimilated into the local culture; two of them served in World War I against the Allies. None of this mattered when the Nazis took control of Austria to implement Hitlers Final Solution. Many Austrians enthusiastically supported Nazi Germany and cheered its annexation of Austria.

In the mid-1600s, Rabbi Yom-Tov Lipmann, the rabbi of Vienna, obtained the right for Jews to create a central Jewish community in a Vienna suburb. One hundred years later, the Jews living there were forced to live in a ghetto. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, forcefully expelled the Jews and destroyed their community, much to the delight of the locals. The remaining residents thanked the emperor by renaming the area Leopoldstadt, Leopolds City. A century later, Jews returned to the area, beforeonce againthe Jewish community was destroyed.

Events in Jewish history parallel todays events. The Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting in Pittsburgh in October 2018 was the deadliest attack against Jews in American history. The shooter is a white supremacist who believes in deeply anti-Jewish myths and conspiracy theories. He regularly shared social-media posts from Jew-hating bigots and Holocaust deniers.

The trial for the Pittsburgh terrorist attack began on May 30. Rabbi Jeffrey Myers testified that a prayer book with a bullet hole in it is a powerful witness to the horror of the day. One day when Im not there, this book tells a story that needs to be told.

Points to consider:

Broadway plays that delve into Jewish history maintain their relevance today by capturing the timeless essence of Jewish experiences. Whether exploring themes of identity, assimilation or persecution, these plays offer profound insights into the historical struggles of Jews. Unfortunately, the narratives and characters they present serve as a mirror to Jewish lives today, as American Jews are the most targeted religious group. Virtually every day, there are reports about attacks against Jews, including Jewish students living in fear on campus because of their Zionist identity and Jews being assaulted on city streets in broad daylight. The more society changes, the more threats against Jews stay the same.

The Leo Frank story in Parade delivers a forceful reminder that spreading intentionally false messages about Jews continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to prejudice and discrimination. The tragic events surrounding Franks wrongful conviction and lynching in 1915 highlight the devastating consequences of baseless accusations and the dangerous impact of anti-Jewish propaganda. Disinformation is not new; it was prevalent for millennialet alone 100 years ago in Americaand had the same devastating consequences as today, as seen in the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre. The destructive power of false narratives shows why it is essential to promote accurate information and encourage critical thinking to combat prejudice.

The multiple Tony Award wins show the power of storytelling and its connection with audiences. The producers, writers and actors deserve credit for tackling these tragic historical accounts to transport hundreds of thousands of viewersJews and non-Jewsback in time to better understand the persecution Jews faced. The plays prove that Jews should always be proud of their identity and heritage, and be proud to tell the stories of Jewish people; clearly, audiences are listening. Parade director Michael Arden described how Leo Franks life was cut short at the hands of the belief that one group of people is more or less valuable than another. Arden warned that it is imperative to learn the lessons of the show, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history.

Americans must learn about the dark chapters of history, promote tolerance and prevent the repetition of past atrocities. By shining a light on the horrors of the Holocaust and other instances of persecution, the narratives in the Leopoldstadt and Parade Broadway plays serve as powerful reminders of the consequences of hatred, bigotry and discrimination. Through education and understanding, we can challenge prejudice, foster empathy and inspire a commitment to safeguarding human rights. Sharing these stories not only honors the memory of those who suffered but also encourages us to stand up against injustice in all its forms and create a more compassionate and inclusive society.