West Orange Resident Megan McGinnis To Star In Production Of 'Parade'

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange resident and Broadway actress Megan McGinnis (Les Miserables) will lead the cast of the American Theater Group's upcoming production of Parade, to be performed at the Maurice Levin Theater at JCC MetroWest located at 760 Northfield Ave in West Orange, NJ from March 9-11th. Tickets are available at https://our.show/american-theater-group1/78917

The musical by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and score by Jason Robert Brown (Bridges of Madison County), received the 1999 Tony Awards for “Best Score” and “Best Book of a Musical,” and tells the heart-wrenching, true story of Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-raised Jewish man living in Atlanta who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of a 13-year-old employee. Amid religious intolerance, political injustice and racial tension, the stirring musical explores the endurance of love and hope against all odds.

McGinnis will portray Lucille Frank. She recently toured with the North American company of Come From Away. Prior to that, she completed the Off-Broadway run of Daddy Long Legs, originating the role of Jerusha Abbott, both nationally and internationally, receiving an Ovation Award and Jeff and London What’s On Stage Nominations. Her other Broadway credits include Side Show, Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Beauty and the Beast. She also appeared in the original Broadway production of Parade. Her film/TV appearances include "Anywhere But Here," "A Goofy Movie," “Younger,” and "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (2nd season recurring). Recordings: Daddy Long Legs, Little Women, Parade, Sutton Foster’s Wish and Take Me to the World. She made her directing debut in 2018 with Daddy Long Legs at Theatre Raleigh.

David R. Gordon has been cast as Leo Frank, and his Broadway National Tour credits include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Flashdance. Fort Lee resident Joseph Dellger will portray Gov. Slaton and Judge Roan. His Broadway credits include Scandalous, Lestat and Ragtime. The following cast members are also NJ residents: Jack Dossett (Frankie/Young Soldier), Kaleb Jenkins (Craig), Doug McLaughlin (cover) Samantha Soybel (Mary Phagan), and Amaya White (Minnie/Angela). Non-NJ residents are: Kirsten Bleu Kaiser (Factory Girl), Liam Boone Searcy (Watson), RJ Cristian (Jim Conley), Peter Green (Dorsey), Abby Middleton (Mrs. Phagan/Sally Slaton), C. Mingo Long (Newt), James Schultz (Ivey/Rosser/Peavy), Reilly Wilmit (Factory Girl) and covers Alex Carr and Rachel Sabo-Hedges.

Broadway veteran Hunter Foster will direct the production, with musical direction by Keith Levenson. Foster, an actor, writer and director, has directed Off-Broadway and at regional theaters across the US. His Broadway acting credits include Little Shop of Horrors (Tony Nomination), Urinetown, The Producers, The Bridges of Madison County, Hands on a Hardbody, Million Dollar Quartet, Footloose and Les Miserables. Levenson has conducted and created arrangements for major rock groups and Broadway musicals and conducted ATG’s enormously successful 2019 production of The Bridges of Madison County.

American Theater Group (ATG), founded in 2012, produces new and classic works primarily by American playwrights with an emphasis on the development of new works and the rediscovery of undeservedly neglected older ones. It also provides quality arts-in-education initiatives, including its annual DramaFest for students and its PlayLab program for BIPOC and queer playwrights. ATG programming is made possible in part by an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support general operating expenses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Made possible by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. More information can be found at www.americantheatergroup.org.