Coram Boy (play)

Synopsis

The action takes place in the eighteenth century. The benevolent Thomas Coram has recently opened a Foundling Hospital in London 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; 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 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 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 designing lighting and Chris Schutt on sound. Still also directed the December 2011 production for Bristol Old Vic at the Colston Hall and the production was designed by Anna Fleischle, 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

Alexander Ashbrook (adult) - Bertie Carvel

Mrs. Lynch - Ruth Gemmell

Molly - Chetna Pandya

Mrs. Hendry - Sharon Maharaj

Otis Gardiner - Paul Ritter

Thomas Ledbury (adult) - Stuart McLoughlin

Thomas Claymore - Adam Shipway

Meshak - Jack Tarlton

Isobel Ashbrook - Kelly Williams

Edward Ashbrook - Katherine Manners

Miss Price - Inika Leigh Wright

Lord Ashbrook - William Scott Massive

George Frideric Handel - Nick Tizzard

Mrs. Milcote - Eve Matheson

Alice Ashbrook - Sophie Bould

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

Alexander Ashbrook (adult) - Bertie Carvel

Mrs. Lynch - Ruth Gemmell

Molly - Deeivya Meir

Mrs. Hendry - Sharon Maharaj

Otis Gardiner - Tim McMullan

Thomas Ledbury (adult) - Stuart McLoughlin

Thomas Claymore - Adam Shipway

Meshak - Al Weaver

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

Alice Ashbrook - Jenni Maitland

Thomas Ledbury (young) - Abby Ford

Lady Ashbrook - Rebecca Johnson

Melissa / Angel - Justine Mitchell

Broadway Cast

Toby - Uzo Aduba

Aaron / Alexander Ashbrook (young) - Xanthe Elbrick

Alexander Ashbrook (adult) - Wayne Wilcox

Mrs. Lynch - Jan Maxwell

Molly - Jolly Abraham

Mrs. Hendry — Jacqueline Antaramian

Otis Gardiner — Bill Camp

Thomas Ledbury (adult) - Dashiell Eaves

Thomas Claymore — Tom Riis Farrell

Meshak — Brad Fleischer

Isobel Ashbrook - Karron Graves

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

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 / Mabel Moll

Mrs. Lynch — Lucy Black

Lord Ashbrook - Simon 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.

Awards and nominations

Tony Award nominations (no wins):

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Xanthe Elbrick

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 - Xanthe Elbrick (winner)

Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:

Xanthe Elbrick

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)