Cami Rose Hancock Works as Dramaturg for City Center's 'Parade'

Second year Dramaturgy student, Cami Rose Hancock, is working as a dramaturg for New York City Center’s upcoming Annual Gala Presentation of Parade. The production runs for seven performances only, from November 1–6, 2022. 

Parade, a 1998 musical with a book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, chronicles the true, devastating story of Leo and Lucille Frank. In Atlanta, Georgia in 1913, Jewish factory manager Leo Frank was accused and convicted of the rape and murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, an employee of the factory. Though he was originally sentenced to death, Frank’s fate was commuted to life in prison in 1915. Despite what appeared to be a stroke of luck, Frank’s reduced sentence necessitated a transfer to a new prison that, in time, led to his demise; it was from that new prison that a lynching party kidnapped Frank, took him to Phagan’s hometown of Marietta, Georgia, and hanged him. Parade reveals the antisemitic tensions and hate crimes that arose as Frank’s accusation and conviction hit the spotlight. In the midst of it all, it is also a heartbreaking love story between Leo and Lucille Frank, whose bond deepens even as they’re forced apart by Leo Frank’s conviction and, ultimately, his death. The City Center production is directed by Michael Arden and stars Ben Platt as Leo Frank.

Hancock became involved in this project rather serendipitously. Soon after she completed an extensive research assignment on Parade for a class, City Center’s revival production was announced, and Hancock knew she wanted to work on it. She submitted her research to the creative team and was hired in her current role. Her passion for this work is obvious—when asked about the project, Hancock said: “Parade has long been one of my most loved musicals. It showed me that musicals can cover serious subject matter and provide education for audiences—in addition to entertainment. I've long awaited a New York revival, so it's surreal that I'm a part of it, and that this show that already meant so much to me is now my first professional production.” She added that the chance to work under director Michael Arden is particularly thrilling.

Hancock is a dramaturg and writer born and raised in Michigan. She received her BA from Michigan State University in Arts and Humanities with a minor in Arts and Cultural Management. There, she served as the Dramaturg for Chapters, an original musical by NYU graduate and composer Alanya Bridge. As a dramaturg, Cami is interested in approaching projects from a lens of intersectional empathy and is especially passionate about working on pieces created by women-identifying artists.

Tickets to New York City Center’s Annual Gala Presentation of Parade can be found here.