''Coram Boy'' is a play written by
Helen Edmundson with music composed by Adrian Sutton, based on the 2000
children's novel of the same name by
Jamila Gavin
Jamila Gavin (born 9 August 1941) is a British writer born in Mussoorie in the United Provinces of India, in the present-day state of Uttarakhand in the Western Himalayas. She is known mainly for children's books, including several with Indian ...
, an epic adventure that concerns the theme of child cruelty. The play is called a "play with music", rather than a
musical.
Synopsis
The action takes place in the eighteenth century.
The benevolent
Thomas Coram
Captain Thomas Coram (c. 1668 – 29 March 1751) was an English sea captain and philanthropist who created the London Foundling Hospital in Lamb's Conduit Fields, Bloomsbury, to look after abandoned children on the streets of London. It is said ...
has recently opened a
Foundling Hospital in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
called the "Coram Hospital for Deserted Children". Unscrupulous men, known as "Coram men", take advantage of the situation by promising desperate mothers to take their unwanted children to the hospital for a fee. The story follows a range of characters, focusing on two orphans: Toby, saved from an African
slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...
; and Aaron, the deserted son of the heir to an estate, as their lives become closely involved with this true and tragic episode of British social history.
Productions
The show was first staged at the
National Theatre in London from November 2005 until February 2006. It returned to the National Theatre from November 2006 to February 2007.
The play then moved to
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
at the
Imperial Theater, starting previews in April 2007, and officially opening for a month-long run in May 2007. The show was nominated for six
Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
but did not win any.
Melly Still was the director and co-designer (with Ti Green) of both the London and New York productions with
Paule Constable
Paule Constable is a British lighting designer. She won the 2005, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2020 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design. She was also a nominee for four further productions and for a 2007 Tony Award on Broadway. In 2011 she won t ...
designing lighting and Chris Schutt on sound. Still also directed the December 2011 production for
Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a f ...
at the
Colston Hall
Bristol Beacon, previously known as Colston Hall, is a concert hall and Grade II listed building on Colston Street, Bristol, England. It is owned by Bristol City Council. Since 2011, management of the hall has been the direct responsibility of ...
and the production was designed by
Anna Fleischle
Anna Fleischle is a theatre designer who has worked in theatre, dance and opera.
In 2007 Fleischle designed ''Love and Money'' at the new Maria, Young Vic, which was nominated for an Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in an affiliate the ...
, with lighting by Bruno Poet, and sound by Schutt. Adrian Sutton composed the music for all four versions.
Coram Boy is frequently produced in Britain by Universities, Drama schools and amateur groups.
;First London Cast (2005 - 2006):
*Toby - Akiya Henry
*Aaron / Alexander Ashbrook (young) -
Anna Madeley
Anna Madeley (born 1 October 1976) is an English actress. She performed for three seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has appeared in three off-West End productions. She has starred in productions on each of the main British televisi ...
*Alexander Ashbrook (adult) -
Bertie Carvel
Robert Hugh Carvel (born 6 September 1977) is a British actor. He has twice won a Laurence Olivier Award: for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his role as Miss Trunchbull in '' Matilda the Musical'', and for Best Actor in a Suppo ...
*Mrs. Lynch -
Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Katrin Gemmell (born October 1967) is an English actress. She starred in the film ''Fever Pitch'' in 1997 which was followed by supporting roles in television series ''EastEnders'', '' Casualty'', '' Home Fires'' and '' Penny Dreadful.'' ...
*Molly - Chetna Pandya
*Mrs. Hendry - Sharon Maharaj
*Otis Gardiner -
Paul Ritter
Simon Paul Adams (20 December 1966 – 5 April 2021), known professionally as Paul Ritter, was an English actor. He had roles in films including ''Son of Rambow'' (2007), '' Quantum of Solace'' (2008), ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' ...
*Thomas Ledbury (adult) -
Stuart McLoughlin
Stuart McLoughlin (born 1980 in Bristol) is a British actor. He is notable for his appearance in the title role in 2008's '' Clone''. His other TV appearances include 2008's ''Little Dorrit
''Little Dorrit'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, o ...
*Thomas Claymore - Adam Shipway
*Meshak -
Jack Tarlton
Jack Tarlton (born 24 July 1976) is a Scottish actor from Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinbur ...
*Isobel Ashbrook - Kelly Williams
*Edward Ashbrook -
Katherine Manners
Katherine Manners is an English actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She is best known for her lead role as Vera Brittain in the 2008 BBC One teleivison documentary '' A Woman in Love and War: Vera Brittain'' and for portraying Jane Corby Wigh ...
*Miss Price - Inika Leigh Wright
*Lord Ashbrook - William Scott Massive
*
George Frideric Handel - Nick Tizzard
*Mrs. Milcote -
Eve Matheson
Eve Elisabeth Matheson (born March 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Zoe Angell in ''May to December'' and Becky Sharp in the BBC adaptation of the novel ''Vanity Fair''.
Matheson left ''May to December'' after two ...
*Alice Ashbrook -
Sophie Bould
Sophie Bould is a British theatre and TV actress, from Shropshire, where she attended Thomas Telford School and St Dominic's High School for Girls in Brewood. She is now based in London.
Her first stage appearance was as a little French girl, a ...
*Thomas Ledbury (young) - Abby Ford
*Lady Ashbrook - Rebecca Johnson
*Melissa / Angel - Justine Mitchell
;Second London Cast (2006 - 2007):
*Toby - Debbie Korley
*Aaron / Alexander Ashbrook (young) -
Katherine Manners
Katherine Manners is an English actress, screenwriter, and playwright. She is best known for her lead role as Vera Brittain in the 2008 BBC One teleivison documentary '' A Woman in Love and War: Vera Brittain'' and for portraying Jane Corby Wigh ...
*Alexander Ashbrook (adult) -
Bertie Carvel
Robert Hugh Carvel (born 6 September 1977) is a British actor. He has twice won a Laurence Olivier Award: for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his role as Miss Trunchbull in '' Matilda the Musical'', and for Best Actor in a Suppo ...
*Mrs. Lynch -
Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Katrin Gemmell (born October 1967) is an English actress. She starred in the film ''Fever Pitch'' in 1997 which was followed by supporting roles in television series ''EastEnders'', '' Casualty'', '' Home Fires'' and '' Penny Dreadful.'' ...
*Molly - Deeivya Meir
*Mrs. Hendry - Sharon Maharaj
*Otis Gardiner -
Tim McMullan
*Thomas Ledbury (adult) -
Stuart McLoughlin
Stuart McLoughlin (born 1980 in Bristol) is a British actor. He is notable for his appearance in the title role in 2008's '' Clone''. His other TV appearances include 2008's ''Little Dorrit
''Little Dorrit'' is a novel by Charles Dickens, o ...
*Thomas Claymore - Adam Shipway
*Meshak -
Al Weaver
Alexander Paul Weaver (born 3 January 1981) is an English actor and writer, best known for his role as curate Leonard Finch in the ITV series ''Grantchester'' (2014-present).
Background
Weaver was born in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton ...
*Isobel Ashbrook - Kelly Williams
*Edward Ashbrook - Hannah Storey
*Miss Price - Inika Leigh Wright
*Lord Ashbrook - William Scott Massive
*George Frideric Handel - Nick Tizzard
*Mrs. Milcote -
Clare Burt
Clare Burt is an English actress and singer, best known for her stage work and for her appearance on the television series ''The Bill''.
Biography
As a child she attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Burt is a member of the National Theat ...
*Alice Ashbrook - Jenni Maitland
*Thomas Ledbury (young) - Abby Ford
*Lady Ashbrook - Rebecca Johnson
*Melissa / Angel - Justine Mitchell
;Broadway Cast:
*Toby -
Uzo Aduba
Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba (; born February 10, 1981) is an American actress. She gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019), for which she won an E ...
*Aaron / Alexander Ashbrook (young) -
Xanthe Elbrick
Xanthe Eleanora Marie Davina Elbrick (born 1 December 1978 in London) is an English Tony Award-nominated stage actress. The youngest of four children, Xanthe (pronounced 'ZANTHEE') was born in London, England, and attended Benenden School.
Sh ...
*Alexander Ashbrook (adult) -
Wayne Wilcox
*Mrs. Lynch -
Jan Maxwell
Janice Elaine Maxwell (November 20, 1956 – February 11, 2018) was an American stage and television actress. She was a five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Drama Desk Award winner. In a career spanning over thirty years, Maxwell was one ...
*Molly - Jolly Abraham
*Mrs. Hendry — Jacqueline Antaramian
*Otis Gardiner — Bill Camp
*Thomas Ledbury (adult) -
Dashiell Eaves
Dashiell Eaves is an American actor. He lives in New York City.
Theater
Eaves began his professional career in 1993 at age nineteen when he joined the original American cast of the Off-Broadway percussion show ''Stomp''. Three years later he ...
*Thomas Claymore — Tom Riis Farrell
*Meshak — Brad Fleischer
*Isobel Ashbrook -
Karron Graves
Karron Graves is an American actress and teacher. She may be best known for playing Mary Warren in the 1996 screen adaptation of Arthur Miller’s ''The Crucible'', starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
Personal life and education
Graves was born in Jane ...
*Edward Ashbrook — Laura Heisler
*Miss Price — Angela Lin
*Lord Ashbrook — David Andrew Macdonald
*George Frideric Handel — Quentin Maré
*Mrs. Milcote — Kathleen McNenny
*Alice Ashbrook -
Cristin Milioti
Cristin Milioti (born August 16, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for playing Tracy McConnell in the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'' from 2013 to 2014, and for her work in theater productions such as ''That Face'', ''Stunning'' ...
*Thomas Ledbury (young) - Charlotte Parry
*Lady Ashbrook — Christina Rouner
*Melissa / Angel — Ivy Vahanian
;Bristol - Colston Hall (Bristol Old Vic 2011):
*Otis Gardiner — Tristan Sturrock
*Meshak Gardiner — Fionn Gill
*Alexander Ashbrook (young) - George Clark
*Alexander Ashbrook (adult) - Freddie Hutchins
*Melissa / Angel -
Emily Head
Emily Head (born 15 December 1988) is an English actress. Her breakout role was as Carli D'Amato in E4's sitcom ''The Inbetweeners'' and she later played Rebecca White in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' and Colette Andrews in BBC drama, '' ...
/ Mabel Moll
*Mrs. Lynch — Lucy Black
*Lord Ashbrook -
Simon Shepherd
Simon Stephen Shepherd (born 20 August 1956) is an English actor best known to TV audiences from many appearances, including as Dr Will Preston in eight series of ITV's ''Peak Practice'' and Doctor Jonathan Barling in ''Casualty''.
Shepherd ...
*Lady Ashbrook — Saskia Portway
*Isobel Ashbrook — Grace Carter / Florence Woolley
*Alice Ashbrook — Esther Lawrence / Bethan Barke / Peggy Edwards
*Edward Ashbrook — Tobey Barke / Cameron Fraser
*Mrs. Hendry/Mrs. Milcote — Catherine Swingler
*Thomas Claymore / George Frideric Handel — Joe Hall
*Thomas Ledbury (young) - Johannes Moore / Max Macmillan
*Dr Smith/Thomas Ledbury — Ed Birch
*Aaron — Toby Yapp / Finn Lacey
*Toby — Joe Sharpe
*Miss Price — Anna Houghton
The production also included a local cast of Coram children and a local ensemble.
Music
In the National Theatre and Broadway versions the music is performed by a 16-member onstage choir and a seven-piece chamber orchestra. In Bristol the orchestra was expanded to 20 musicians and the choir was joined at the end of act 2 by a local chorus of 40 performers. The music includes parts or adaptations of
Handel's ''Messiah'' and ''Theodora'', as well as over an hour of original music consisting of songs, period-style dance, and chamber music, as well as dramatic underscoring.
Information about the music
/ref>
Awards and nominations
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nominations (no wins):
*Best Featured Actress in a Play
**Xanthe Elbrick
Xanthe Eleanora Marie Davina Elbrick (born 1 December 1978 in London) is an English Tony Award-nominated stage actress. The youngest of four children, Xanthe (pronounced 'ZANTHEE') was born in London, England, and attended Benenden School.
Sh ...
**Jan Maxwell
*Best Direction of a Play
*Best Scenic Design of a Play
*Best Costume Design of a Play
*Best Lighting Design of a Play
2007 Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
- Xanthe Elbrick
Xanthe Eleanora Marie Davina Elbrick (born 1 December 1978 in London) is an English Tony Award-nominated stage actress. The youngest of four children, Xanthe (pronounced 'ZANTHEE') was born in London, England, and attended Benenden School.
Sh ...
(winner)
Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:
*Xanthe Elbrick
Xanthe Eleanora Marie Davina Elbrick (born 1 December 1978 in London) is an English Tony Award-nominated stage actress. The youngest of four children, Xanthe (pronounced 'ZANTHEE') was born in London, England, and attended Benenden School.
Sh ...
*Jan Maxwell
Outer Critics Circle Award nominations (no wins):
*Outstanding New Broadway Play
*Outstanding Director of a Play (Lucille Lortel Award)
*Outstanding Set Design (Ti Green & Melly Still)
*Outstanding Lighting Design (Paule Constable)
Olivier Award Nominations (no wins)
Best new play (Helen Edmundson)
Best performance in a supporting role (Paul Ritter)
Best Director (Melly Still)
Best Sound (Christopher Shutt)
References
External links
''Coram Boy'' on Broadway
Internet Broadway Database listing
Information about the rehearsal process
{{Messiah (Handel)
Helen Edmundson
Broadway plays
Plays set in the 18th century
Foundling Hospital