OCC’s presentation of ‘Parade’ examines history, bias and division

Antonio Hood performs as Jim Conley in “Parade” alongside American Sign Language shadow actor Sav Szewczul.

Photo by Keith Tolman

FARMINGTON HILLS — Over the next two weeks, “Parade” will be marching across the Smith Theatre stage at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills with a poignant reminder that history often repeats itself and that people should look past their differences.

Set in Marietta, Georgia, the play tells the story of the life and trial of Leo Frank, an affluent, Jewish man from New York, who was accused of killing a 13-year-old girl who worked at his pencil factory in 1913.

“It’s a story of injustice and a man being wrongfully convicted, tried, convicted, tried, and eventually lynched over labels, like being Jewish, being a Northerner, being an outsider. Essent