Lambert Tamin as Cassius Clay is pictured in front of some of the many headlines highlighting what was happening while Clay was a youth and as he became a successful boxer.
SUMMIT, NJ — Before he was Muhammed Ali, he was Cassius Clay.
The Theater Project tells the story of a young Clay, a boy from Kentucky who fought adversity inside the ring and out. “And in This Corner…Cassius Clay,” by Idris Goodwin, will be at Oakes Center Theater, 120 Morris Ave., Summit, from Thursday, Aug. 14, through Sunday, Aug. 24.
“A terrific cast, so enthusiastic and so dedicated,” said artistic director Mark Spina.
The show begins with Clay being bullied as a child in Kentucky and finding his way through boxing. “He becomes this force of nature,” said Spina. “Incredible confidence comes from support from friends and family. It does appear it was a tight, supportive family. At some point Muhammad Ali, like many people and many people today, has to decide what’s good for their career and what’s right. He was living in Jim Crow, Kentucky. That became a conflict for him. It would have been a lot easier if he was white, if he had not spoken up for civil rights.”
Putting on this play was inspired by the lead, Lambert Tamin, who plays Cassius Clay. “We were so impressed with him as a young actor. We stumbled across this play and thought, ‘What a wonderful part for Lambert.’ Lambert is able to tap into his inner child but also a powerful adult,” said Spina. “Lambert is very talented. He started off with us (The Theater Project) in high school. Since then, he graduated Juilliard. It brings everything full circle. We did have him read for it, to see if he could be both the kid and the adult. He knocked it out of the park right away.” In addition to receiving his master’s degree in fine arts in drama from Julliard, Tamin won a scholarship to study at the British Academy of Dramatic Art in Oxford, England. He’s acted in both theater and film.
The best part of putting “And in This Corner…Cassius Clay” together was the cast and team, who Spina feels were so dedicated. He said, “Everybody comes into every rehearsal bursting with ideas, thoughts and suggestions. You have a cast of nine, who all come in with ideas. Sometimes it takes a few minutes to get everybody focused. I always look forward to rehearsals. They have been joyful.”
The challenges of the play were artistic ones – throwing punches that don’t hurt. “It does take time,” said Spina. “That has been a challenge. Dalton Gorden is a terrific fight choreographer. He has really worked hard with men in the fight sequences. These actors are young and have incredible stamina and we’ve really given them a workout. Covering so many years, it jumps from location to location – immediately being in another scene. The structure is very cinematic for a stage play.”
During the matinees, the Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett of Seton Hall University will be coming in to speak to students after the performance. Spina said, “He’ll fill in the blanks and help the audience process how this (Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan) is affecting their world today.”
The Theater Project was founded in 1994 and has always gravitated towards shows that reflect the issues that face the community. “The issues of civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights, the peace movement,” said Spina. “A lot of shows around these issues. We will arrange panels afterwards to discuss issues.”
Spina has been aboard as founding artistic director since 1994.
To purchase tickets for “And in This Corner…Cassius Clay,” visit: https://www.thetheaterproject.org/and-in-this-corner-cassius-clay.
Photo Courtesy of Mark Reilly
