When Does "Parade" (1998) Take Place?
"Parade" is a historical fiction stage-musical written by Jason Robert Brown with Alfred Uhry that released December 17th, 1998. So when is "Parade" set?
It takes place in the years:
We know this because real-world Governor John Slaton (1866-1955) appears while he is governor of Georgia, which lasted from November 16th, 1911 AD to January 25th, 1912 AD and then (when he returned to office) from June 28th, 1913 AD to June 26th, 1915 AD. So it must be between November of 1911 AD and June of 1915 AD.
1913 AD - 1915 AD
We know this because real-world Governor John Slaton (1866-1955) appears while he is governor of Georgia, which lasted from November 16th, 1911 AD to January 25th, 1912 AD and then (when he returned to office) from June 28th, 1913 AD to June 26th, 1915 AD. So it must be between November of 1911 AD and June of 1915 AD.
More specifically, act 1 begins during a Confederate Memorial Day parade. The holiday is always held on the fourth Monday in April in the American state Georgia from 1874 AD to 2016 AD. Almost immediately, the plot really begins with murder of real-world pencil factory worker Mary Phagan which happened on April 26, 1913 AD and continues to the arrest of the real-world pencil factory's manager Leo Frank on the accusation of her rape and murder and this happened on April 29th, 1913 AD. Phagan’s body is found between the fifth and sixth songs. So the tale begins in late April of 1913 AD.
Later, the tragic trial itself is depicted in the tenth song, "The Trial: Hammer of Justice", through the seventeenth song, "Closing Statement & Verdict". This occurred in the real world from July 28th, 1913 AD to August 25th, 1913 AD. So act 1 moves through July of 1913 AD and ends in August of 1913 AD.
Later, act 2 shows us the results of a reexamination of the case by Governor Slaton, which was announced on June 21st, 1915 AD in the real world. So this part must take place during or after June of 1915 AD.
Additionally, the last song, "Finale", forms an epilogue in which a character can be heard saying "Happy Memorial Day" so it is once again during a Confederate Memorial Day parade. As, again, this holiday is always held on the fourth Monday in April, it must now be April of 1916 AD.
