The new Kander & Ebb musical The Scottsboro Boys finishes its run at The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis this weekend. After an acclaimed Off-Broadway run last spring directed by Susan Stroman, many expected a transfer directly to Broadway, but the producers had difficulty finding a theatre that suited the show. Now, Scottsboro will transfer from Minneapolis to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre, begging previews on October 7 and opening on October 31.
The musical, completed after lyricist Fred Ebb's death, tells the story of an infamous 1931 civil rights case in which nine black teenagers were convicted by an all-white jury of raping two white women. Their death sentences were overturned by the Supreme Court, but despite flimsy evidence and unreliable testimony from victims, their convictions were held up by the courts. Kander and Ebb set the story within the framework of a minstrel show, evoking their previous vaudeville-influenced successes Cabaret and Chicago.
With this weekend being the last opportunity to see Scottsboro at The Guthrie, we thought we'd take a look back at news and reviews of the original Off-Broadway production, and look forward to the Broadway opening.
Links
In the New York Post, Michael Riedel gives a rundown of the Off-Broadway production, including a video of star Brandon Victor Dixon singing a ballad from the show.
Ben Brantley of the New York Times reviews the original Off-Broadway run.
A Broadway.com video including interviews with the cast and creators.
Further Reading
