Peach Buzz: 'Parade's' Redd gets big story
Richard L. Eldredge - Staff
Monday, June 19, 2000
Randy Redd (right) isn't an Atlanta Constitution
newshound, but he plays one onstage. Redd
portrays Britt Craig, the real-life reporter who broke
the Mary Phagan murder story for the Constitution,
in the touring production of "Parade," which ended
its weeklong run Sunday night at the Fox Theatre.
Redd says it was a smidge surreal debuting his
city-scathing solo number, "Big News," in front of
an Atlanta audience. "It's a tricky song to do here,"
Redd told us, laughing. "The song is essentially
trashing the town, and I tried to find a way to do it
so I didn't (tick) everyone off in the audience.
Nobody's thrown anything so far, so I guess I'm
doing OK."
During their stay, Redd says, he and other "Parade"
cast members have ventured to Cobb County to
visited Phagan's grave and see the plaque that
marks where her employer, Leo Frank, was
lynched. "Someone had placed an opening-night
ticket on her tombstone," Redd says. "That was
pretty wild. Also, doing scenes about Atlanta and
Peachtree Street while performing in a theater in
Atlanta on Peachtree Street has been amazing."
Being a scribbler ourselves, Buzz felt compelled to
quiz Redd on why he opts not to take a single note
during Frank's emotional murder trial testimony at the
end of Act 1. "It's completely intentional," he says of
the move. "It's a turning point for the Craig character.
He begins to see which direction this thing is headed.
But I do actually take notes during the rest of the show.
That notebook is full of testimony every night!"
The "Parade" cast heads to Memphis today.
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