“THE SOUTH’S LEAST FAVORITE SON:” PARADE AND THE HISTORIC MEMORY OF THE LEO FRANK CASE

Abstract

This paper explores the historical presentation of the Leo Frank case in the 1998 musical Parade. While the Frank case, the 1915 lynching of a Jewish factory manager wrongly accused of murdering a young employee, has been given artistic treatment in film and television, Parade’s depiction is unique in its medium as a work of musical theatre, combining dramatic narrative with music. After considering the theoretical relationship between historical memory formation and theatre, this paper identifies themes of American history present in Parade, including late nineteenth century economic anxieties, the legacy of slavery, Civil War memory, and JewishAmerican identity. In examining the plot, characters, and musical numbers, this paper assesses how Parade accomplishes this presentation, finding that, despite general historical accuracy, the musical’s tone and artistic choices potentially alienate viewers. In turn, this alienation limits cultural interest in the relevancy of the Frank case. By contrast, this paper compares Parade to more effective memory formation achieved in Fiddler on the Roof and Cabaret, musicals with similar historical themes. In general, the paper calls upon historians to consider the influence of popular works of art on historical memory.