Adapted by Helen Edmundson from Jamila Gavin’s award-winning novel of the same title, this play with music is a transfer from the London stage. Set in 18th-century England, it focuses on two orphans: Toby, who has been saved from an African slave ship, and Aaron, the abandoned son of the heir of a great estate. Directed by Melly Still, the production team includes Still and Ti Green (costumes and sets), Paula Constable (lighting), Christopher Shutt (sound), Adrian Sutton (music), and Constantine Kitsopoulous (music direction).
Coram Boy received Tony Award nominations for director Still and featured actresses Xanthe Elbrick and Jan Maxwell, as well as for scenic, costume, and lighting design.
In his review of the show for TheaterMania, David Finkle wrote, “Why does something that was so distinguished on the English stage now look and sound so chaotic? […] One main reason for the lesser result is that a play developed for a thrust stage has been forced into the Imperial Theatre’s proscenium’s limits. More importantly, though, the difference is in the performances of the American cast. There’s a disengaging obstreperousness to the playing, particularly among the actors appearing as children.”