Direct from Death Row the Scottsboro Boys
The Scottsboro Boys have come from eternity to the theater we are in to reenact as "vaudeville" scenes the story of their convictions for gang rape, despite prima facie evidence of their innocence. The historical event was, in many ways, something of a vaudeville. But also, as revealed early on, the first four of the nine to get released (after seven years), appeared within a matter of weeks in a New York vaudeville show.
"A work of searing truth and staggering theatricality, this Midwest premiere of Mark Stein's important, ingeniously conceived play — with a wonderfully warped use of traditional songs, plus original music and lyrics by Harley White Jr. — is a magnificent achievement on the part of its creators." -- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times
"By using cross-gender casting, the vulnerability of the Boys in prison comes through with horrifying clarity.... And though the case is complicated, Stein manages to streamline the history without giving short shrift to its lasting importance." -- Kerry Reid, Chicago Tribune