Performers from Revival Productions, Coatesville, Make a Stand for Civility at 2021 Thanksgiving Parade

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costumed kids on a sidewalk
Image via Revival Productions.
Performers from Revival Productions, Coatesville. Their different costumes reflect a host of floats on which they performed at the 2021 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Parade.

The family friendly holiday spirit of the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade was interrupted by a noisome, noisy cluster of parade watchers. But a group of performers from Coatesville bravely stood their ground to keep the festive parade on track.

The disruption — which was not aired as part of the television broadcast — took place near the finish point for marchers, said Heather Grayberg, Executive Artistic Producer for Revival Productions, the organization that brought the young adults.

Her staff was onsite, shepherding the troupe’s teens on four different floats in the parade. As they exited the plaza in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, they became aware of a group of attendees on the perimeter of the route.

For reasons not quite clear, these audience members were vocally harassing performers — particularly girls and women — with sexist and misogynistic comments.

The Revival cast walked past and found themselves subjected to the same abuse, which, according to Grayberg, understandably upset them.

Once past, the teens then witnessed the ongoing stream of epithets being hurled at marchers behind them.

Rather than pack their gear and go, the kids asked their chaperones if they could remain.

Given permission, the Revival Productions performers stood in front of the protestors. As finished acts passed before them, they provided a physical buffer between the entertainers and the unruly spectators.

Further, they enthusiastically cheered every group that passed, drowning out whatever comments were attempted behind them.

Not soon after, the gaggle of Grinches gave up their curbside post and quietly left.

“[Our cast] could have all gone home. But almost all of them stuck around and cheered through the end of the parade for everybody that was leaving,” Grayberg said.

One of the parade producers, who witnessed the stand, later emailed Grayberg.

She wrote: “I wanted to specifically reach out and say I just could not believe how amazing [your cast members] were. It’s a pure example of drowning out hate with love. And we all need like a little bit of that kind of positivity right now.”

The young performers represent area schools that include:

  • Collegium Charter School, Exton
  • Downingtown East High School
  • Delaware County Community College (Exton, West Grove, Brandywine, Downingtown)
  • West Chester University
  • West Chester Center for Performing and Fine Arts

They are now preparing for a mainstage production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

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