Three young actors and singers have spoken about the “amazing opportunity” they have been given by being part of a major musical at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Cornelia Vidal Edwards (15) and sisters Lily (9) and Olivia (11) Beal all appear in Henry Box Brown, which tells the real-life story of a 19th-century African American slave’s escape to freedom on boats and trains in a wooden box just 3ft 6ins by 2ft.
The production began as a children’s theatre piece but developed into a full-scale production featuring some of New York’s finest gospel singers alongside off Broadway actors.
Children and young people, though, still take many roles, including Henry as a boy, his brothers and sisters and his children. They also appear as the children of the wealthy slave owners and of a white abolitionist who was jailed for helping slaves escape.
The cast has impressed Edinburgh critics winning ★★★★ reviews in The List, Festand Musical Theatre Reviewand rated Excellent by FringeReview.
Cornelia, from Brooklyn has been a member of the CTC Theatre Company from the age of four, and hopes that coming to the Fringe will help her towards her dream of being a professional actor. In the musical she plays Henry’s sister Robinette.
She said:“This is an amazing experience for me. It’s great to be able to come here and tell people this story. But it is also sad in a way, because so many of the problems that it talks about till face us today. We should all be living in peace by now.”
Lily and Olivia, joint UK and US citizens whose mum Sian is originally from London, were spotted in a school talent competition and offered roles. These include playing the daughters of Reverend Smith whose faith in God and equality leads him to reject slavery and assist in Henry’s escape.
Lily said:“I love being here in Edinburgh and being part of this show. I think it is very special because you are not reading about slavery you are seeing it on stage. That makes it much more intense. It is so important to see what happened in the past.”
Olivia added:“It is not just about slavery but about love and how Henry escapes after his family has been ripped away from him and sold. And it still matters so much today when other children are being taken away from their families in America.”
The family make regular trips back to the UK to see their relatives near Bedford and Olivia even thinks she may wish to live back in Britain one day.
Sian was a theatre director in the UK before going to the Colombia Film School and building a high-flying career in US TV which saw her working on everything from Ab Fabto Ali Geeand becoming the Executive Producer of multi-Emmy Award winning food show Everyday Italian. She and her husband David, former drummer with Joe Cocker turned entertainment executive, believe their daughters have got a great deal from coming to the Fringe. Both children are dyslexic and the show has been a way of helping their confidence – something which the show writer Mehr Mansuri believes they show on stage in abundance.
Sian said:“I was a bit of a ‘nervous Nellie’ about the idea. Getting the children involved with theatre was not something we had really planned to do.
“But it’s been great, the children have been involved at all stages of the show, their feedback is taken really seriously and their views are valued. We think they are getting something quite extraordinary out of this experience.”
About the show
Henry Box Brown is a musical based on the true-life story of an American slave who shipped himself hundreds of miles to freedom concealed in a small wooden box just 3ft by 2ft.
Henry Box Brown, written by Mehr Mansuri, is directed by Tony Award winner Ben Harney (Broadway’s Dreamgirls) with original compositions by New York Composer, Frank Sanchez and Mehr Mansuri and musical arrangements by Oscar nominee – Best Original Score, Jack Lenz (Mel Gibson’s Passion of Christ); the spirituals have been arranged by Musical Director, Renee Reid, and renowned Gospel Music Director, Eric Dozier.
About the real Henry Box Brown
Born into slavery in Louisa County, Brown worked in a Richmond tobacco factory. In 1848 his children and pregnant wife were sold to new owners in North Carolina. Brown resolved to escape slavery and enlisted the help of a white churchman and a slave-owning gambler. In later life Brown became a prominent abolitionist, a performer, musician and a published author.
About the musical
Itis Les Miserablesset in the American south, but the good guys are not so obvious. The show is driven by original songs blending gospel, R&B, bluegrass as well as ‘a capella’ original negro spirituals. It’s a crowd-pleaser that shines a light on the human ability to transcend.
It is also something very rare indeed – a musical with an African American hero. While US history is rich with inspiring African American stories, few make it to the stage. After 19 years of working in NYC public schools in deprived areas, and creating theatre for African American audiences, Mehr decided the time had come to change this.
She set up the Henry Box Musical Project to allow African American students and young audiences to celebrate their own history and celebrate the triumph of the human spirit from a distinctly African American experience.
Praise for the musical
“Absolutely brilliant … a resounding journey of truth in search of freedom.” Omid Djalili,international comedian and film star.“Stirring … rousing songs … Acted with great brio without being preachy….” Laurel Graeber, New York Times. “Amazing …. Henry Box has the ability to change you…” Dr Joy DeGruy, best selling author and Oprah Network producer. “I was moved to tears.” Jonathon Peck, Institute for Alternative Futures.
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Free to use pictures are available – they are being distributed to news and picture desks but you can also request them from Matthew Shelley at [email protected] on 07786704299. You can also contact Matthew for interviews or review tickets.
About Mehr Mansuri
CTC’s Artistic Director, Mehr Mansuri, an Iranian born, British schooled, American citizen. Mansuri, who escaped her native Iran due to the regime’s persecution of the Baha’i Community (Iran’s largest non-Islamic, religious minority), was in search of building a social-change theater that had a social-justice imperative at its core. Inspired by Bertolt Brecht’s epic theater, the Iranian born, British schooled, American citizen (Mansuri) eventually founded the Children’s Theater Company in NYC in 1999 and the professional adult ensemble- the CTC New York Ensemble, with a mission to explore the power of theatre as a tool for moral reasoning. CTC brings together her roles as an educator, storyteller, community builder and human rights activist.
She wrote and co-composed the book and songs with co-composer, Frank Sanchez, with score by Oscar winner, Jack Lenz. The production won a “space grant” at the prized Dizzy Gillespie Theater in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYC and was co- presented by the New York Baha’i Unity Center – in association with New York University Office of Community Affairs and in partnership with International film star / comedian, Omid Djalili. In collaboration with Tony winner, Ben Harney and three time Tony winner, Hinton Battle, the consulting team was also able to bring to light the rich contribution of Negro spirituals- which permeates the musical, and ultimately give homage to the musical contributions of the early African Americans to the world of music. Additional music and lyrics was written by Gospel Music Director and African American historian ERIC DOZIER; composer, SAM URDANG.
About CTC
CTC NEW YORK ENSEMBLE has a SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPERATIVE at its core. By developing musicals that cultivate an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape society, CTC’s original musicals explore the theatre’s power to impact diversity, to develop empathy and compassion for the human condition, and to allow us to learn from lives we’ve never lived.
The musical is championed by the Baha’i Unity Center and New York University’s Office of Governance and Community Affairs. It has grown into a thrilling a 16-person production with fabulous singers from New York’s Christian Cultural Center where it had a brief run which attracted praise from many quarters.
Listings Information
Venue: Assembly Rooms, Music Hall, George Street, EH2 2LR
Time: 14:30. Running Time: 90 mins
Dates: 02-26 AUG PREVIEWS:02-05 August. NO SHOWS:Wed 8, Mon 13, Mon 20 – August.
Tickets: £7 previews, £13 for midweek; £15 on weekends
Bookings: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030
Web: www.henryboxbrownthemusical.orgWeb: assemblyfestival.comTwitter:@childrentheater Facebook:/CTCNYC Cast details:https://www.henryboxbrownthemusical.com/cast/