Actor Ramone Nelson Sees and Feels the Complexities of 'Parade'

When "Parade" opened at Lincoln Center Theatre in late 1998, one critic called it a "feel-bad musical," due to the meticulous way librettist Alfred Uhry and composer/lyricist Jason Robert Brown told its little-known and frustrating story of injustice slightly more than a hundred years ago in the Jim Crow South. With critics calling it that, little wonder Harold Prince's production closed in three months (though both Uhry and Brown, in his Broadway debut, would go onto win Tony Awards). It would take some 25 years for "Parade" to be appreciated for the rich, dark, and engrossing musical it is, and to become a hit, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical Revival and Best Director (Michael Arden).

Perhaps, during the complacency of the Clinton years, the musical was a bold, sombre outlier – appreciated, but not embraced by either critics or audiences who were flocking to see Bernadette Peters in "Annie Get Your Gun," or "Footloose," or "Fosse," the improbable winner of that season's Best Musical Tony. And it took the growing awareness of social injustice in the 21st century for the show to stir and touch audiences. It was shocking, but not all that surprising, that when this revival opened on in February, 2023 a small group of neo-Nazi protesters gathered outside the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York City in what was surely a sign of our times.

"Parade" tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man from Brooklyn living uneasily in 1913 Atlanta, where he is the superintendent of a pencil factory. On Confederate Memorial Day – a major holiday in Georgia – a young woman is raped and murdered in Leo's factory, and he is wrongly accused of the crime. A perfect storm of factors – a district attorney with political ambitions, a press out to sensationalize the story, and, most tellingly, the rampant antisemitism of the local population, lead to Frank's conviction. A key factor of his being found guilty comes when the DA coerces Jim Conley, a Black janitor at the factory with a criminal past, to become the prosecution's star witness and claim that he was with Frank at the time of the crime. In reality, Conley could have been the perp, but the case has never been solved.

In "Parade," Conley is a key figure during the trial sequence, giving his testimony in "That's What He Said," a powerful R&B-influenced song that uses the call-and-response style of gospel to convince those in the courtroom of his false testimony. It is a pivotal moment in the musical, currently on a national tour that brings it to Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre from March 11 through 23. (For more information, follow this link.) The tour continues through September 7, 2025 with stops in Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Seattle, WA; Sacramento, CA; San Francisco, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; Des Moines, IA; Chicago, IL; and Washington DC. For more details, visit the show's website.

On the tour, Conley is played by Ramone Nelson, a young actor previously seen in various roles in "MJ: The Musical" on Broadway and on tour, as well as "Ragtime" and "Jelly's Last Jam" at New York City Center's Encores. A BFA Musical Theatre graduate of Florida State University, he has also appeared in regional theater productions of "Footloose," "Guys and Dolls," "The Music Man," "The Wizard of Oz," and "Damn Yankees."

EDGE spoke to Conley about his complicated character, the power of the musical, and its message to the LGBTQ+ community.
Introduction by Robert Nesti.

EDGE: Were you familiar with the show and the history of Leo Frank?

Ramone Nelson: I didn't know the story of Leo Frank. I was introduced to "Parade" in high school, listening to the soundtrack, and saw an abridged version of it at the Georgia Thespian Conference in high school. I never knew the true complexities of the story.

EDGE: Growing up in Atlanta, where the events of "Parade" took place, how does that help you?

Ramone Nelson: I think it's interesting, because even growing up in Atlanta I didn't hear about the story from the Georgia Education System, which I find unfortunate. As an actor, we had a dialect coach, so being from there helped strengthen my Southern accent and bring it back.

EDGE: What excites you most about playing Jim Conley?

Ramone Nelson: The show has many layers because it's based on actual events and real people. Honoring these people and their lives is great, and something I haven't done before. Specifically with Jim, there are complexities that he doesn't show. I'll never forget seeing an interview with Alfred Uhry, who said, "You can look at the facts of the trial, and you can see that he's had some troubles in the past." He wanted to explore who Jim was. I love that he wanted to make Jim the smartest person in the room. That stuck with me, because he has a few scenes and songs which are crucial to the show. He's a key witness in the trial, and, unfortunately, the prosecutor is using Jim's past to help fabricate a story about Leo. Also, the two songs that Jason Robert Brown wrote for Jim are unreal, and for me, as a musical theater nerd, I can't believe I get to sing them. Once, I was pulled aside during rehearsals and told, "Jason wanted to sing with you." That was crazy, but I loved it.

EDGE: Is there anything you have learned about yourself from the lives of Leo and Lucille, Frank, or Jim?

Ramone Nelson: Specifically from Lucille, she finds her voice through the show. Talia Suskauer does a great job of exploring, discovering, and learning how to speak up for her husband and herself as a woman in 1913 Georgia. I've learned to speak up for myself and stand firm in that. This show holds a mirror up to the audience, and us as the actors on stage. Unfortunately, there are a lot of similarities and differences between 1913 Georgia and 2025 America. We must ensure this story and others like it don't happen again. I will continue to find my voice and speak up more; that is one of my biggest lessons.

EDGE: You perform a powerful and emotionally charged song "That's What He Said." Where do you go to be able to perform it?

Ramone Nelson: From the beginning of the rehearsal process, director Michael Arden relieved us of trying to figure out or try to have us identify who did it. That's not our job. He said explicitly that this is a Black man (Jim Conley) in 1913 Georgia who has a past in the criminal justice system. He's walking into the trial, a room full of white people, and he's about to lie in front of all of them to alleviate blame for himself and place that blame on another human, all because they're trying to find someone to blame. Also, we are an extension of the audience, and I get to look right at them and see them. I see them as an extension of the people on stage and their reactions, so there are moments when I get lost in the song.

The song is also long, and by the time I start getting into the meat of the song, Jim begins to get excited and expand on the story in a way that becomes believable. There's a balance of knowing that I am fabricating a story against this man, but also, I'm trying to get the blame off of myself. There's that balance of playing that in the scene and then trying to get out of there as quickly as possible while remembering to breathe, because it's so long.

EDGE: Performing in this emotionally charged show night after night must be challenging. How have you been able to navigate it?

Ramone Nelson: I'm still learning that as we go. We are only about two months into the tour. The creative team warned us this would be a heavy show, so they informed us to find time for ourselves. For me, number one is therapy. I'm in therapy weekly, which is great. There are times when the audience will have a reaction that is so jarring. "Parade" in New York is different from "Parade" in Ohio.

Surprisingly, the Ohio audiences deserve some praise; they are great. We've had some reactions in the first few months that have stuck with us. I take several breaths before or after leaving the theater, which helps me focus. Luckily, I can start that process towards the end of the show. Then, I always make sure when I get home I either talk to my friends on FaceTime or watch something mindless on TV. Right now, I'm watching "Hot Ones" to move my mind to something else that is not the show; plus, I love the exploration of the chicken wing flavors.

EDGE: "Parade" is a moral lesson about the dangers of prejudice and ignorance that exist in today's society, especially in the LGBTQIA+ community. What is your message to them?

Ramone Nelson: First, to tie it to "Parade," some people believe that one group of people is better than another. And because of those views, as we see in "Parade," that can turn into some horrific events.

We find that same belief, unfortunately, in homophobia, transphobia, racism, and antisemitism. If we don't stop this ignorance and belief, we will only see more of it in the future. As a queer person, but also right now, specifically for our trans siblings that are under attack, we need to stand up for each other and fight. Like I said earlier, through Lucille, there's a voice that I have to use to speak up for others. I can't be a queer person and not speak up for our trans siblings, especially now. We must continue to educate others and speak up when we see injustice. Go out and protest, but please do it as safely as possible. Also, at the same time, protect your peace, live unapologetically, and rely on your community to help you.

EDGE: On your website, you state that you are a vessel for different stories, and with your art, you can impact the world. Tell us what you mean.

Ramone Nelson: I made my Broadway debut in "MJ the Musical." To date, it is the hardest show that I've done, physically. It was a challenging show. I would see so many Black faces in the audience, which made me smile, pushing me to question myself: What is my why? When I was leaving "MJ," I wondered why I wanted to do theater. In high school, I did a production of "Les Miz," and I played Jean Valjean and loved playing that role. After the show, a friend's grandfather approached me and told me he wept when I sang "Bring Him Home" in Act II. It reminded me of when my father used to sing to me, and the reaction that music and art can have on people. I want to allow audiences to have conversations beyond what they see on stage when they see me perform in a show. I want to tell stories about queer people, straight people, the Black experience, and fairytale experiences. I want to continue to be a vessel for other stories, so that people can come to the show and use it in whatever capacity they need.

"Parade" comes to Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre on March 11 through 23. (For more information, follow this link.)

The National tour continues through September 7, 2025 with stops in Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Seattle, WA; Sacramento, CA; San Francisco, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; Des Moines, IA; Chicago, IL; and Washington DC. For more details, visit the show's website.