learn more at boost.com/tv ♪ ♪ >> byron: actor and singer-songwriter ben platt is back.d sobering message. the production is a full circle moment for him. here is my nightline coanchor, juju chang. ♪ you can't believe i do these deeds ♪ >> juju: what is it like being back in broadway? >> it is wonderful. i grew up doing musical theater when i was five years old. >> juju: i read that you were singing songs from "parade" in the car when you were a kid. >> definitely. we had a compilation. i remember not quite knowing the context of it and i remember seeing it and i was fascinated by the whole story and the realization that it was true. >> juju: now 20 years later, ben platt is belting out those same tunes in the revival of "para "parade." it follows the story of leo frank, a jewish factory manager who was falsely accused of killing a 13-year-old female worker and ultimately lynched by a white mom. ♪ i never touched that child ♪ ♪ god ♪ ♪ i never raised my fist ♪ >> juju: what is it like to bring life into leo' a story? >> there's a lot of things that he stands for. there's

it reopened earlier this year with ben platt in the lead the director, michael arden also took home ainclusion during his acceptance speech. when it comes to ben platt you get cheers, chills and tears combined any time he opens his mouth. >> oh, he is fantastic i'm still catching up on that news , , s sleeping when it was going oni i admit. >>> mimichelle is back with the weatather for ththis week ahahe, coming up p right afteter the b. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i've bececome a bit t of an expxpert in sununcare... anan spf-iciananado if youou . my botottle of chohoice? neutrogegena® ultrara sheer a lilightweight t blend that protetects 6 layeyers dep withth a smoothh dry-totouch finishsh. this rouound's onon me. neutrorogena® ultltra sheer hi. i use fefebreze fadede defy p. and i use e this. i use fefebreze fadede defy p. febreze hahas a microcochip toto control s scent releaee so it t smells firirst-day frh for 50 dayays. 50 dayays!? and it's's refill rereminder t means i'i'll never m miss a day ofof freshnessss. (febreze plug.) from prom m dresses to w workouts and d new adventnt res you hopepe t

. ♪♪♪ >> r reporter: b ben platt and micaelela diamond d scoreded tony nominationons for plplaying leoas wrongfully convicted of killing a 13-year-old girl. his sentence was commuted, but then -- >> he was sprung from his cell by an anti-semitic mob and lynched. >> reporter: this revival comes amid a resurgence of hate with anti-semitic incidents in america reaching a new high last year. >> anti-semitism has always been there. it's unfortunate that there is an uprising of it and that there are so many clear signs from the universe telling us why we need to tell this story. >> reporter: in march, neo-nazis actually protested outside "parade"'s theater. for the show's director michael arden, it was proof they must be doing something right. >> i wish they could all sit and watch this play, because i think if we refuse to examine and learn from our papast, we arere bound toto repeat itit. ♪♪ i neverer knew anything ♪ >> reporter: for all the talk of hate, at the heart of "parade" is a story of love. >> there are so many moments in this piece where you can just hear a pin drop. and to get t

ben platt joins us now, along with the shows director, michael arden.long time and you get to be part of the season and be celebrated and be part of that excitement is pretty spectacular. >> what was the white house performance like for you. you've done just about everything as his point. what was that like? >> it was wonderful. it's nice to go for something that i believe so deeply, and obviously that's an experience i always want to have, so to have that in congress with parades that i believe in artistically and politically and globally, it was really felt very fulfilling. i got to bring my fiancÉe with me, that was nice, and makayla of course, my costar you see there. >> also nominated for attorney. >> yes, at 23. very, very talented lady. >> in fact, the two of you, we were just discussing, we're here in january to announce that the show was moving to broadway. the big reveal, and it's been so well received since then. -- something we talked about when you hear in january, this idea that the seam of the show, the antisemitism that's at the center o

you've got ben platt, mike -- molly gordon, and if you're a theater nerd like i am, i think you'll appreciatet on this like parody of that world is. jeffery: ann, you mentioned tom cruise and you went on about tom cruise. are there are there other any other actors, directors -- we talked about christopher nolan. are there other people with films out this summer that you're really looking forward to? ann: there is a big and a small. speaking of franchises, i'm also a fan of the equalizer, which is the denzel washington franchise. and this is a movie that's going to be coming later this summer, which i think is nice, because by that time, you know, i think we're often looking for something to see. and, you know, the big, big blockbusters have already played, but this will arrive a little bit later. and again, i just think it's become a really reliable series. he's always amazing to watch. he's one of our last great movie stars. i'm always interested to see what he will do. and then there's a smaller movie coming out called problemista from julio torres. and some people might not be familiar wit