5Q: Griffin Binnicker of ‘Parade’

Sean Allan Krill, Stacie Bono and the cast of PARADE.
Sean Allan Krill, Stacie Bono and the cast of PARADE. Photo by Joan Marcus.

For audiences that enjoy shows that leave them in an emotional state, explore social issues and stir conversation, the national tour stop of “Parade” at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre is a must-see. The Tony Award-winning musical is based on the 1913 trial, imprisonment and eventual lynching of Leo Frank, who was accused of murdering 13-year-old factory worker Mary Phagan. Today, historians generally agree he was wrongly convicted thanks to a flawed trial and media coverage fueled by antisemitism.

Helping to fan the flames against Frank was Tom Watson, who published the inflammatory and viciously racist and antisemitic newspaper, “The Jeffersonian.” Taking on the role of Watson in the national tour is Griffin Binnicker.

“Parade” deals with topics that some people might not associate with a musical format. How do you find the show is able to tackle this dark and real story in ways that a play might not?

I think that music is perhaps the best way to tackle a story as rich and complex as this one. Our music supervisor, Tom Murray, often talks about why characters sing — what gets them to that place? Song is a way to express oneself when words are not enough, when emotions and desires have reached a tipping point.

It also offers more perspective in terms of the characters and their intentions. Hearing someone speak allows you to understand their thoughts, but when you include music, you begin to feel (whether you mean to or not). The combination of these two ideas (speech and music), as one of my mentors described it, allows us to feel thought.

The company of PARADE.
The company of PARADE. Photo by Joan Marcus.

The Broadway revival cast spoke out about being intentional about the transparency and emotional safety that needed to be established among the cast and crew. Is that something that the touring production also paid attention to? How do you unwind and process the heavy material that you spend so much time with during the week?

I am grateful for this production for taking such care when it comes to the intense nature of the show. Our mental and emotional health has always felt like a top priority. We have the privilege of working with Ann James, our show’s sensitivity specialist. They have been an invaluable part of our process, both within the world of the show, as well as how those themes are affecting us outside the theater.

I take every opportunity I can to decompress from this heavy material and I am certainly a social being by nature. I have loved getting to know my fellow cast and crew, not only on days off but in the moments we share on stage. The production has done a wonderful job of incorporating moments into the show that allow us to check in with ourselves and our company that has continued to keep me grounded and uplifted during the telling of this story. I have found many of our company members are fans of exploring the food scenes of each city, so if anyone has any Minneapolis staples we have to try, let me know!

Do you have a moment or line in the show that resonates with you personally?

“It means the journey ahead might get shorter

I might reach the end of my rope;

But suddenly, loud as a mortar

There is hope!”

At the time, this case earned national attention. In recent years, disinformation, sensationalization and the power of the media to shape public opinion have been hot topics. Is that something you thought about in your portrayal of Tom Watson?

Sadly, I had a lot of inspiration for Tom Watson. He created anger, fear and resentment by using a public platform — and was able to pit people against one another based off of their intrinsic differences. I see that in today’s media quite a bit: personalities and careers that are based in fear-mongering and hate. Watson used his publication, “The Jeffersonian,” to the same end.

I am comforted by the knowledge that people who sought out truth in our story, regardless of differences, still remain hopeful and mobile today.

Given the heavy themes of “Parade,” how do you hope audiences connect with or respond to the story?

I hope they leave with a renewed commitment to protecting those that are most vulnerable, [and] an understanding that someone’s marginalizations have nothing to do with their character.

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