PARADE Returns to Brisbane in July
Performances run 19 July to 3 August.
By: Stephi Wild Jun. 03, 2025
Tony Award-winning musical drama Parade will make its Brisbane premiere 19 July to 3 August at the Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills Arts Hub. Embark on a powerful and gripping theatrical journey as Parade – the groundbreaking musical by Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry – returns to the Brisbane stage for the first time in two decades. This debut Qld season by Bump In Productions opens 19 July.
Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Georgia, Parade tells the true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager wrongly accused of the murder of a 13-year-old girl. Through its evocative score and riveting narrative, Parade explores both the darkest depths and most inspirational heights of human nature, illuminating themes of historical injustice and personal redemption.
With a score celebrated for its emotional depth – from haunting ballads to stirring anthems – Parade has left a lasting mark on the musical theatre canon. It won the Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book in 1998, and Best Revival in 2023. Praised for its courageous storytelling and nuanced exploration of complex social issues, Parade remains a powerful and poignant examination of a shameful chapter in human history.
Established in Sydney in 2004, Bump In Productions has been redefining Australian musical theatre by staging award-winning Broadway and West End shows that local producers have neglected. And winning popular and critical acclaim along the way!
This production – featuring an entirely professional cast – is directed by musical theatre veteran Johnny Peek (Rent, Sweeney Todd, The Merry Widow), with musical direction by Michael Keen (The Rake’s Progress, A Little Night Music, Suor Angelica), and choreography by regular QPAC collaborator Maureen Bowra (Xanadu, Little Shop of Horrors, Good Morning Vietnam national tour), with set design by David Lawrence and costumes by Kate Campbell-Westerway.
The all-star cast is led by veteran musical theatre couple Michael and Belinda Lewis – the founding forces behind the company – as Leo and Lucille Frank. They are joined by Casey Martin, Chris Herden, Jay Monck, Alex Watson, David McLaughlin, Beau Wykes, Matthew McKenzie, Ashton Simpson, Nicole Kaminski, Mabel Tamone, Carly Bettinson, Paige McKay, Lucy Ross, Mina Aanat, and Chris White.
Michael met Belinda when they starred opposite each other in the Australian premiere of Urinetown, and—though they married soon after—they wouldn’t share the stage again until two decades later in Beauty and the Beast (with Belinda, of course, playing her namesake ‘Belle’).
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