The history of the real Scottsboro Boys is long and complicated. The short version is that nine black boys between the ages of 13-19 were pulled from a train and accused of raping two white women. News of the attack stirs up the local community and leads to an all-white grand jury indicting the boys for rape. The group is dubbed "The Scottsboro Boys" and their subsequent trial becomes a national news story. The book of the musical The Scottsboro Boys, as written by David Thompson, follows the story of the boys from arrest through the many twists and turns of the trials. Their story is told succinctly yet powerfully and packs in a lot of information while also managing to humanize and individualize the boys. The story of The Scottsboro Boys would make for a really moving play on its own, but it is the creative team's ingenious choice to stage this story as a musical that really makes The Scottsboro Boys a must-see show.
Kander and Ebb have a knack for taking dark subject matter and turning it into truly entertaining Broadway fare. Cabaret deals with the rise of Nazi Germany, Chicago tackles the corrupt Chicago justice system, and now, The Scottsboro Boys successfully takes on injustice in the racially divided south. Each of these shows uses a distinct theatrical format/style as a device to frame the show. For Cabaret the show uses a nightclub cabaret structure, for Chicago the choice is Vaudeville. With The Scottsboro Boys the choice is even bolder. The show is structured as a minstrel show, a now-taboo format that is most famous for its use of blackface. Minstrel shows were the most popular type of show in post-Civil War America and created/enforced stereotypes of African Americans as lazy and ignorant, but also great with song and dance. The shows, like Vaudeville, usually consisted of a mix of songs, sketches, variety acts, and dance. In creating The Scottsboro Boys the creative team stayed true to the minstrel show format. Mr. Tambo, Mr. Bones, and the Interlocutor -- all stock minstrelsy characters -- are all present in this production. Also present are the racist attitudes of minstrelsy, not just against blacks, but really against anyone deemed an "other." More importantly, the show is infused with a sense of merriment, vitality, and humor that gradually darkens as the evening progresses. The minstrel show format expertly underlines the societal racism faced by the boys. As they begin to rebel against the confines of blackface and the minstrel show format begins to break down we see these boys, now men, as part of the larger struggle for civil rights. The minstrel show as a frame for the story is a daring choice that really pays off. The Scottsboro Boys is incredibly entertaining, challenging, thought-provoking, moving, and funny... all in less than 2 hours.
Now on to specifics. The cast is outstanding. Joshua Henry creates a powerful stage presence both vocally and physically as the defiant Haywood Patterson. Christian Dante White, a standout as the Scarecrow in the recent production of The Wiz at City Center, makes a fantastic Broadway debut as Charles Weems and the boys' accuser Victoria Price. His performance of the reprise of "Alabama Ladies" manages to be funny, devastating, and impressive all at once. Another performer who stands out is the young Jeremy Gumbs who, as Eugene Williams, performs an "electrifying" dance number during a nightmare he has in prison about being sent to the electric chair. Gumbs sings and dances at a level beyond his years. I only wish his acting weren't so heavily influenced by his time spent playing Young Simba in The Lion King. As he matures, I hope he can find more depth in his acting performance. I think he has great potential to become a real powerhouse performer. Perhaps he could spend a little time with theatre legend John Cullum. Cullum plays the Interlocutor with an ease and naturalness that serves as a perfect contrast to the energetic performances he constantly demands of the boys. Colman Domingo (Mr. Bones) and Forrest McClendon (Mr. Tambo) are required by the minstrel show format and the Interlocutor's demands to work the hardest. These men have the unenviable task of delivering the majority of the show's racist jokes (and a shockingly anti-semitic song) and do so with the perfect light-hearted tone. Their work really gives the show its minstrelsy feel, and therefore a large portion of its power. It is thankless work at times, but invaluable. The rest of the ensemble dances, sings, and acts their hearts out. Each creates a clearly drawn portrait of their individual "boy", humanizing them and helping the audience connect with their stories and struggles. Every member of the cast is clearly working in service of the story and memory of the real-life Scottsboro Boys.
The rest of the show's elements support this storytelling without distracting from it. The set for the show is minimal, consisting mainly of chairs that are arranged and rearranged to evoke a variety of locations. I especially liked how tambourines were placed along the chair legs to serve as train wheels in one of the early scenes. Subtle, yet totally genius. Ms. Stroman's sometimes subtle staging choices are contrasted by her explosive choreography. Combining minstrelsy dance forms such as the cakewalk with contemporary musical theatre styles she deserves much credit for creating the exuberance and joy that surrounds the dark tale at the center of the show.
Kander and Ebb's songs for The Scottsboro Boys are knockouts. They serve the story while keeping the show entertaining. This was clearly a goal for the production, and one that they achieve. Despite the heavy material, watching the show never felt like a chore. If anything, the show was more fun to watch, more entertaining, than Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown which had a farce as its source material. This is a real testament to the savvy of the production team, and their excellent work in crafting this show.
In case I haven't been clear, this is a must-see show for anyone interested in thought-provoking, challenging, and above all entertaining musical theatre. The Scottsboro Boys is currently in previews for an opening on 31 October 2010.
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