Its been over a 100 years since Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old Atlanta pencil factory worker, was horrifically murdered. Leo Frank, the Jewish man who managed the factory, was convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. Though his sentence was later commuted to life by the Georgia governor, an antisemitic mob kidnapped Frank from jail and lynched him.

Many believe Frank was wrongly convicted. The thunderous consequences of the case can still be felt in todays news as incidents of antisemitism and violence against Jews continue to reverberate throughout the country.

A play, television movie and a musical have all recounted the tragedy and each one has been critically praised. The musical version, titled Parade, debuted in 1998 and it has proven especially enduring, having recently completed a highly regarded revival on Broadway.

Actors Repertory Theatre of Simis current production, which opened Feb. 24, shows why Parade should be regarded as a milestone in American musical theater. ARTS production is gripping, disturbing and often thrilling, keeping its audience on the edge of its seat from the first martial drumbeat to the last.

The parade takes place in 1913 during Georgias annual Confederate Memorial Day celebration honoring its Civil War dead, but also suggests the methodical procession toward Franks ultimate injustice, caused by a systematic cortege of tainted witnesses.

Alfred Uhrys book pits a trio of protagonists against an equal number of antagonists. On one side is Frank, a bespectacled Jewish college graduate from Brooklyn who arrives in Atlanta to work as the superintendent of the National Pencil Company, supervising over 100 underage female workers. The inordinately talented Aaron Ellis, a gifted actor, singer and son of a cantor (his Shma will bring tears to your eyes), plays Frank as an unsympathetic hero, complaining of his fish-out-of-water existence: an immigrant in his own country. Obsessive-compulsive, the mild-mannered Frank ignores his Georgia-born wife while immersing himself in his work. Even while incarcerated, facing the death penalty, he obsesses about paying his bills.

Franks wife, Lucille, is beautifully played by Samantha Craton, who gives a stunning performance as the woman who stands by her man, pleading for his freedom even after he is railroaded for committing the heinous crime for which he is accused. Her song You Dont Know This Man is one of her many achingly beautiful moments in the show. Ellis and Craton are terrific as they show the Franks relationship grow from distant and strained to tragically tender (All the Wasted Time). Both are a revelation.

Lew Stowers plays the conscientious outgoing Georgia governor John Slaton, who refuses to vacate his office before conducting his own investigation of the case. Stowers imbues his convincing performance with a perfectly honeyed Georgia accent, learned by studying the speech patterns of former president Jimmy Carter.

The three antagonists are ambitious prosecuting attorney Hugh Dorsey, played with sly guile by Mark Haan; antisemitic newspaper publisher and religious zealot Tom Watson (the excellent Joey Grady), who uses yellow journalism to inflame the citizens against Frank; and the amazing Keith Borden as Jim Conley, a Black janitor who is coached by Dorsey to implicate Frank in the murder (Thats What He Said). The confrontation between Stowers, as Gov. Slaton, and Borden, as the cunning Conley, is the musicals dramatic highlight. To a pulsating chain gang ostinato, Slaton and Conley square off, with Borden providing the thunder on the rafters-raising blues shout Feel the Rain Fall.

Other outstanding performances are turned in by Noah Gephart-Canada, who delivers a smoldering performance as young Frankie Epps, a friend of Marys; Maxwell Oliver as opportunistic journalist Brit Craig (Real Big News is his tour de force); Noa Levy as the unfortunate Mary; Joshua Ray as fearful night watchman Newt Lee; and Sarah Steiker as Mary Phagans grieving mother.

Gary Poirots upstage orchestra plays Jason Robert Browns Tony-winning score, with its Charles Ives-influenced references to Southern folk and sacred tunes, spirited marches and dissonant counter-melodies. Parade is produced by Jan Glasband (who also designed the drab, earth-toned costumes) and directed by David Ralphe.

The musical continues through March 24 at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. Due to mature themes, its not recommended for anyone younger than 13. For tickets and information, go online to actorsrepofsimi.org.

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A searing indictment of antisemitism in the South - Simi Valley Acorn