The musical dramatizes the 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, who was accused and convicted of raping and murdering a thirteen-year-old employee, Mary Phagan.

The events surrounding the investigation and trial led to two groups emerging: the revival of the defunct KKK and the birth of the Jewish Civil Rights organization, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

The villains of the piece are the ambitious and corrupt prosecutor Hugh Dorsey (later the governor of Georgia and then a judge) and the rabidly anti-semitic publisher Tom Watson (later elected a U.S. senator).

His music, according to critic Charles Isherwood, has "subtle and appealing melodies that draw on a variety of influences, from pop-rock to folk to rhythm and blues and gospel.

The young soldier has become an old one-legged veteran who is preparing to march in the annual Confederate Memorial Day parade ("The Old Red Hills of Home").

As the Parade begins ("The Dream of Atlanta"), Leo Frank, a Yankee Jew from Brooklyn, New York, is deeply uncomfortable in the town in which he works and resides, feeling out of place due to his Judaism and his college education ("How Can I Call This Home?").

His discomfort is present even in his relationship with his wife Lucille, who has planned an outdoor meal spoiled by Leo's decision to go into work on a holiday.

That night, police Detective Starnes and Officer Ivey rouse Leo from his sleep, and without telling him why, demand he accompany them to the factory, where Mary has been found raped and murdered in the basement.

Across town, reporter Britt Craig is informed about Mary's murder and sees the possibility of a career-making story ("Big News").

Craig attends Mary's funeral, where the townspeople of Marietta are angry, mournful, and baffled by the tragedy that has so unexpectedly shattered the community.

He then attaches the blame to Leo Frank and sends Starnes and a reluctant Ivey out to find eyewitnesses ("Something Ain't Right").

Meanwhile, Dorsey makes a deal with factory janitor and ex-convict Jim Conley to testify against Leo in exchange for immunity for a previous escape from prison.

Lucille, hounded by reporters, collapses from the strain and privately rebukes Craig when he attempts to obtain an interview ("You Don't Know This Man").

A hysterical crowd gathers outside the courtroom, as Watson spews invective ("Hammer of Justice") and Dorsey begins the case for the prosecution ("Twenty Miles from Marietta").

Testimony is heard from Mary's mother ("My Child Will Forgive Me") and Minnie McKnight before the prosecution's star witness, Jim Conley, takes the stand.

Conley refuses to change his story despite the noticeable inconsistencies with the evidence, and along with his Chain Gang, does not give any information, much to the chagrin of Slaton ("Blues: Feel the Rain Fall").

A year later, after much consideration, he agrees to commute Leo's sentence to life in prison in Milledgeville, Georgia, a move that effectively ends his political career.

After Lucille departs from the prison, a party of masked men (including Starnes, Ivey, Frankie Epps, and the Old Confederate Soldier) arrives and kidnaps Leo.

The musical premiered on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center on December 17, 1998, and ended its limited run on February 28, 1999, after 39 previews and 85 regular performances.

[10] It starred David Pittu as Leo, Andrea Burns as Lucille, Keith Byron Kirk as Jim and Kristen Bowden as Mary.

[13] It was directed by Rob Ashford and starred Lara Pulver as Lucille, Bertie Carvel as Leo, Jayne Wisener as Mary and Stuart Matthew Price as Young Soldier/Frankie.

The large Broadway orchestration was reduced by David Cullen and Brown to a nine piece ensemble consisting of two pianos, accordion, percussion, clarinet, horn and strings.

It was directed by Thom Southerland, with musical staging by Tim Jackson, starring Alastair Brookshaw as Leo, Laura Pitt-Pulford as Lucille, and featuring Simon Bailey as Tom Watson and Mark Inscoe as Hugh Dorsey.

Joining them were Kelli Barrett as Mrs. Phagan, Howard McGillin, who played Luther Rosser at City Center, as Old Soldier/Judge Roan, and Jake Pedersen as Frankie Epps.

Jeremy Jordan and Laura Benanti starred as Leo and Lucille, with Ramin Karimloo as Tom, Joshua Henry as Jim, Andy Mientus as Britt, Emerson Steele as Mary, Katie Rose Clarke as Mrs. Phagan, John Ellison Conlee as Hugh, Davis Gaines as Judge Roan/Old Soldier, Eric Anderson as Detective Starnes, and Alan Campbell as Governor Slaton.

[27] Other notable cast members included John Dossett as Old Soldier/Judge Roan, Manoel Felciano as Tom Watson, Jay Armstrong Johnson as Britt Craig, Sean Allan Krill as Governor Slaton, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Sally Slaton, Erin Mackey as Mrs. Phagan, Gaten Matarazzo as Frankie Epps, Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley, Erin Rose Doyle as Mary Phagan, Howard McGillin as Luther Rosser and Paul Alexander Nolan as Hugh Dorsey.

"[32] Parade was staged in May 2003 at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California, in a production directed by Ryan Mekenian and produced by Susan Egan.

It was directed and choreographed by Simon Eichenberger with translations by Wolfgang Adenberg and starred Alejandro Nicolás Firlei Fernández as Leo and Fabiana Locke as Lucille.