This well-intentioned musical tale has moments of intense poignancy, but is plagued by inconsistent execution and an unreliable chorus.

The Story
 
In 1913, when a13-year-old Southern girl is found brutally murdered in an Atlanta factory, Leo Frank, the Jewish, Northern manager, is arrested, convicted and lynched, despite inconclusive evidence of his guilt.

 
The Critic's View
 
The program notes claim the musical is less about the trial and lynching than
about the deepening relationship between Frank and his wife. Unfortunately,
this development is sketchy, evidenced best in the hokey duet "All the
Wasted Time." The chorus which plays the Georgia mob scampers around
the stage creating a rather unbelievable ruckus. On the other hand, David
Pittu shines as Leo Frank, a nervous, unapproachable man who is still
undeniably innocent. And Keith Byron Kirck leads a show-stopping
gospel-style chain gang song, "Feel the Rain Fall." As a whole though, the
music and dialogue don't do justice to the multiple dimensions of this
shocking historical event.

                     —Orya Hyde-Keller
 
 

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