and i was studying haywood patterson. 14-18. he was riding the rails through the alabama and the south. he was seeing how his life was impacted. >> tell me what you do about the scottsboro boys. >> i knew more about that rubin alabama and i knew more about the bombing and in birmingham. i read about scottsboro very late in life. -- well later in life i should say. i was in grad school when the show was on broadway. once speakeasy announced it, i have had track meets in won a tony award for best musical and it is curious that this could become a musical. tell me how this piece sits in. >> broadway and vaudeville, it is -- karen: give us a quick definition of minstrel. >> it was the precursor to vaudeville. it was set up on stages and you would have the comic relief and these folks. that you would see song and dance. karen: how does the device fit into this story? >> the story about the boys is the painting. the minstrelsy is the frame. it is a device that gets the story out. karen: and again, talk about your more dramatic -- in t