The Scottsboro Boys announces cast

Initial casting has been announced for the Broadway premiere of the new Kander and Ebb musical, The Scottsboro Boys, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, opening at the Lyceum Theatre on 31 Oct 2010, following previews from 7 Oct 2010, where it is booking through to 27 Feb 2010.

Prior to arriving on Broadway the musical will play a limited eight-week engagement at the Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) from 31 Jul - 25 Sep 2010.

Joshua Henry, who currently appears in the ensemble of 'American Idiot' on Broadway, will play the role of 'Haywood Patterson.' He has also been featured in the original Broadway cast of 'In the Heights' and in the City Center production of 'The Wiz'.

He joins ten cast members from the Vineyard production, who will recreate their performances on Broadway and at the Guthrie Theater: Sean Bradford as 'Ozie Powell' and 'Ruby Bates,' Josh Breckenridge as 'Olen Montgomery,' Derrick Cobey as 'Andy Wright,' Colman Domingo as 'Mr. Bones,' Rodney Hicks as 'Clarence Norris,' Kendrick Jones as 'Willie Roberson,' Forrest McClendon as 'Mr. Tambo,' Julius Thomas III as 'Roy Wright,' Sharon Washington as 'The Lady' and Christian Dante White as 'Charles Weems' and 'Victoria Price.'

Broadway casting for the roles of 'The Interlocutor' and 'Eugene Williams' will be announced soon.

The Scottsboro Boys - the new musical by the legendary composer/lyricist team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, with book by David Thompson - recently had its world premiere Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, where it played an extended engagement that ran from 12 Feb - 18 Apr 2010.

The Scottsboro Boys is a new musical that explores the infamous 1930's 'Scottsboro Case', in which a group of innocent African-American teenagers are falsely accused of a terrible crime - ultimately provoking a national outrage that sparked the American Civil Rights movement.

The show opened Off-Broadway to rave reviews: There's much to commend. (NY Daily News); If you see one show this season, make it 'The Scottsboro Boys.' (New York Post); Entertainment ... of the highest order. (AP); Riveting material and toe-tapping songs shot through with wry humor. (Variety).

The Scottsboro Boys is the winner of the 2010 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical.

The Off-Broadway production starred John Cullum, Colman Domingo, Brandon Victor Dixon, Sean Bradford, Josh Breckenridge, Derrick Cobey, Rodney Hicks, Kendrick Jones, Forrest McClendon, Julius Thomas III, Sharon Washington, Cody Ryan Wise and Christian White.

The creative team features set design by Beowulf Borritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Kevin Adams and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman, with musical arrangements by Glen Kelly. Music direction is by David Loud.

The Scottsboro Boys will be produced on Broadway by Barry and Fran Weissler, Jacki Barlia Florin and The Vineyard Theatre.

Sean Bradford (Ozie Powell/Ruby Bates) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. He understudied the role of 'Simba' in Disney's The Lion King on Broadway.

Bios:

Josh Breckenridge (Olen Montgomery) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Breckenridge made his Broadway debut as one of the 'Patrons' in 'The Ritz.' Regional credits include: 'Hairspray' ('Seaweed J. Stubbs,' Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre), 'Tales of the City' ('Jon,' Eugene O'Neil Theatre Center), 'Smokey Joe's Café' ('Ken,' Cape Playhouse), 'High School Musical 2' ('Chad,' North Carolina Theatre), 'Memphis' (u/s 'Gator,' 'Bobby,' La Jolla Playhouse/5th Avenue Theatre), 'Dreamgirls' ('C.C. White,' North Carolina Theatre).

Derrick Cobey (Andy Wright) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. He was recently seen in 'The Tin Pan Alley Rag' (Roundabout) and 'G&S Canon' (City Center). National tours include 'Rent' and 'Forever Swing.' Regional credits: 'Into the Woods,' 'Little Shop of Horrors' and 'Macbeth' (Great Lakes Theater Festival/ Idaho Shakespeare Festival); 'Abyssinia' (Goodspeed), 'Jesus Christ Superstar' (North Shore); 'Ragtime' (Paper Mill Playhouse); 'Hair' (Hangar Theater); 'Side Show' (Cleveland Playhouse); 'The Buddy Holly Story' (Westchester Broadway); 'Pacific Overtures' (Arden Theatre); 'Oklahoma!,' 'Brigadoon,' 'Ragtime,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Damn Yankees,' 'Wizard of Oz' and' Footloose' (Sacramento Music Circus); 'A Little Night Music,' 'Once on this Island' (Connecticut Repertory); 'Smokey Joe's Café' (Actors Playhouse).

Colman Domingo (Mr. Bones) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Domingo currently stas as 'Billy Flynn' in the Broadway production of 'Chicago,' other Broadway credits include 'Passing Strange' and 'Well' (understudy). Off-Broadway he starred in his own one-man show 'A Boy and His Soul' at the Vineyard Theatre, and starred as 'The Wiz' in 'The Wiz' (City Center). Other Off-Broadway credits include 'Passing Strange' and 'Henry V' (NYSF/Public), and 'Bright Ideas' (MCC). Regional: 'Coming Home' (Long Wharf), 'People's Temple' (Guthrie/ Berkeley Rep), 'Well' and 'Journey to the West' (Huntington), 'The Lily's Revenge' (Sundance).

Joshua Henry (Haywood Patterson) currently appears in the ensemble of the Broadway musical 'American Idiot,' he made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of 'In the Heights,' Off-Broadway he starred as the 'Tin Woodsman' in 'The Wiz' at City Center. Regional credits include 'American Idiot' at Berkeley Rep Theatre and 'Godspell' at Paper Mill Playhouse.

Rodney Hicks (Clarence Norris) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Broadway: 'Rent' ('Benny,' Closing Cast), 'Jesus Christ Superstar' ('Peter'),' 'Rent' (Original Cast). Off-Broadway: 'Jacques Brel is Alive and Well ...,' 'From My Hometown,' 'Rent,' and 'Lotto.' Regional: 'White Noise' ('Tyler,' World Premiere), 'Miss Saigon' ('John,' Pioneer Theatre), 'Noah's Great Rainbow' ('Murigande,' Toronto), 'King Lear' ('Edmund,' Denver Center), 'Ain't Misbehavin'' ('Andre,' Maltz Jupiter), 'The 60's Project' ('Roy,' World Premiere), 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' ('Valentine,' Centre Stage), 'Lobby Hero' ('William,' Geva) and 'Golden Boy' ('Joe,' Long Wharf).

Kendrick Jones (Willie Roberson) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Off-Broadway: 'Stairway to Paradise' (City Center Encores!). Regional: 'Bubblin' Brown Sugar' (Fox Theatre, Atlanta).

Forrest McClendon (Mr. Tambo) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Off-Broadway: 'James Baldwin: A Soul on Fire.' Regional: 'Avenue X' (11th Hour Theatre Company, Barrymore Award), 'Sizwe Bansi is Dead' (Lantern Theatre Company), 'The Threepenny Opera' (Wilma Theater, Barrymore Award Nomination), 'The America Play' '(Zachary Scott Theatre), 'Julius Caesar' (People's Light and Theatre Company), 'A Christmas Carol' (Westport Country Playhouse), 'Dreamgirls' (Prince Music Theater), 'Finian's Rainbow' (Walnut Street Theatre).

Julius Thomas III (Roy Wright) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. National Tours: 'Xanadu' ('Terpsicore/Young Danny,' 1st Nat'l), '25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' ('Mitch/Chip/Panch' U/S, 1st Nat'l), Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Arena Tour). NYC Theatre: 'Bonnie & Clyde' ('Buford,' NYMF), 'Dial 'N' for Negress' ('Antonio,' Theatre Row). Regional Theatre: 'Aida' ('Mereb,' Lyric Theatre, OK), 'Dreamgirls' ('C.C. White,' WVPT), 'Five Guys Named Moe' ('No Moe/Lil' Moe,' Lyric Theatre, OK), 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' ('Calypso Brother,' Music Theatre Wichita).

Sharon Washington (The Lady) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Off-Broadway: 'The Overwhelming' (Roundabout), 'House and Garden,' 'The Radical Mystique' (Manhattan Theatre Club), 'Stuff Happens,' 'Richard III' (NYSF/Public Theater), 'String of Pearls' (Primary Stages). Regional: 'Merry Wives of Windsor,' 'King Lear' (Denver Center), 'Intimate Apparel' (Guthrie), 'Jar the Floor' (Seattle Rep), 'The Story,' 'Cermonies in Dark Old Men' (Long Wharf), 'Man and Superman '(Center Stage), 'Miss Evers' Boys' (Philadelphia Theatre Company), 'The Piano Lesson' (Yale Rep).

Christian Dante White (Charles Weems, Victoria Price) created this role in The Scottsboro Boys at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and will revive the role in the pre-Broadway Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis/St. Paul) production. Starred as 'Scarecrow' in 'The Wiz' (City Center Summer Stars), 'Jersey Boys' ('Barry Belson,' Vegas), 'Hairspray' ('Seaweed J. Stubbs,' Tour and The Muny).

The legendary collaboration of John Kander and Fred Ebb over four decades resulted in some of the most beloved and enduring musicals in theatre history: from 'Flora, The Red Menace' to 'Cabaret' (Tony Award), 'Zorba', 'Chicago' and 'Woman of the Year' (Tony Award); to 'Kiss of the Spider Woman,' (Tony Award), 'Curtains,' 'The Visit' and 'All About Us.'

David Thompson is a Tony Award nominee for Best Book of a Musical for 'Steel Pier.' His other credits include the script adaptation for 'Chicago' and the musical 'The World Goes 'Round,' a musical revue of the songs of Kander and Ebb. In addition, he has written new librettos for the revival of 'Flora, The Red Menace' and Jerry Herman's 'Dear World.'

Susan Stroman won two Tony Awards as director and choreographer of 'The Producers.' She co-created, directed and choreographed 'Contact' for Lincoln Center Theater (Tony Award, Best Choreography). Other Broadway credits include Young Frankenstein,', 'Happiness,' 'Oklahoma!,' 'The Music Man,' 'Steel Pier,' 'Show Boat' (Tony Award), and 'Crazy for You' (Tony Award). Off-Broadway productions include 'And the World Goes Round' and 'Flora, The Red Menace' at The Vineyard.