Parade

Joel has wanted to see this musical for a while.  We saw it over the weekend when it came to Kauffman Center.  It's based on the true story of a Jewish Northerner being falsely accused and found guilty of killing a young girl at his factory.  He was later lynched by a mob.  If you can't tell it's a rather heavy musical.  The music is brilliant.  James Robert Brown is ridiculously talented.  While I was in awe of the music itself and some of the beautiful complexity of the company numbers, I was also a little frustrated. There aren't many "singable" songs in the musical.  If you were doing a cabaret none of these songs would likely be used.  I think it is probably why none of the music is very well known.  I'm glad we saw it.  It is a masterfully crafted musical.  Joel definitely liked it more than I did, but the caveat is that I don't think we'd go back to see it again.