SCOTTSBORO BOYS Plays Final Performances at the Guthrie

The Broadway bound production of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS will conclude its run at the Guthrie Theater on September 25, 2010, following an eight-week engagement that has played to full houses and standing ovations every night. Lauded by critics and audiences as a daring and wildly entertaining musical that explores a fascinating chapter in American history with brilliant originality, this thrilling final collaboration by musical theater giants John Kander and Fred Ebb continues to spark community conversation well beyond the final bows.
 
"We've been enormously gratified by the reaction to this remarkable musical by both audiences and critics," said Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling. "We're quite proud that the Guthrie Theater was able to bring this provocative new work to our audiences and thrilled by the response."
 
Minneapolis critics have been captivated by the production, calling it "AN ASTONISHING MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT" (Star Tribune), "DAZZLING ENTERTAINMENT" (St. Paul Pioneer Press), "OUTLANDISH BRILLIANCE" (Mpls.St.Paul Magazine) and "SHOWS A STARTLING LEVEL OF INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPLEXITY" (City Pages).
 
Guthrie audiences have also embraced the discussion of race, examining and thinking about the piece in ways well beyond the normal play going experience. "This powerful and inventive musical reminds us of the corrosive effects of prejudice on individual lives and on society as a whole," said Dowling. "It has sparked conversations and feedback from our audiences that is unlike almost any other show I've experienced." 
 
"The HUGELY TALENTED TRIPLE-THREAT CAST of this show embodies the principle that some subjects can only be approached through the lens of music and humor, lest they become unbearable. We laugh through the tears and remember, remember, remember--even if we never experienced the original events on which this great show was based."
-- William, Minneapolis
 
"I FEEL HONORED, HUMBLED, AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT before it becomes the huge hit on Broadway that it deserves."
-- Carole, Sioux City, Iowa
 
"The Scottsboro Boys was A SUPREMELY SATISFYING THEATRE EXPERIENCE which takes one of the more benighted events in Jim Crow South and turns it on its head, humanizing the "boys" and addressing the multi-issued event with skill and poignancy."
-- Jack, Minneapolis
 
"The story was NAIL BITINGLY TRUTHFUL."-- Shelby, Chicago
 
"The Scottsboro Boys was ONE OF THE MOST FULFILLING & THRILLING NIGHTS IN THEATRE IN YEARS. We had read the story synopsis well in advance of the performance, and pretty much knew it would be a challenging subject matter, but were not prepared for the incredible spectacle we saw before us."
-- Joe, Minneapolis
 
"This show was so MAGNIFICENT AND TRANSCENDENT to me. It was just powerful how all the different aspects came together to represent our struggle over this whole entire time."
-- Veanne, St. Paul
 
For more audience commentary, visit www.guthrietheater.org/talkscottsboro.
 
THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS began performances at the Guthrie Theater on July 31, kicking off an eight-week engagement that concludes September 25, 2010. The critically-acclaimed production, directed by five-time Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman and featuring a book by David Thompson, comes to the Guthrie following a sold-out Off-Broadway run at the Vineyard Theatre earlier this year. Immediately following its Guthrie run, the production will move to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre, where it will begin performances on October 7 in advance of its official October 31, 2010, opening.
 
The Guthrie Theater production of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS is presented by special arrangement with BARRY and Fran Weissler and Jacki Barlia Florin.
 
The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies.
 

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