WS Chronicle

Reginald L. Wilson stars in a one-man biographical play named “Sugar Ray” that will run this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 4-5, during the National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF).

“Sugar Ray” Robinson was the original “Sugar Ray” decades before the nickname was bestowed upon Sugar Ray Leonard.  Robinson was a legend whose career spanned 25 years, winning five division titles in the process.

Robinson was dubbed the “King of Harlem” during the height of his career for his power in the ring and his flamboyance out of it.  Critics say that Wilson perfectly captures the boxing great’s personality in a performance that has been called a “knockout.”

The play was written by Lawrence Holder and shines light on the 1940s sports giant.  Robinson’s career peaked before the advent of television helped to turn boxers like the great Muhammad Ali into legends.  Robinson was a legend in his own right, becoming the first boxer to win five divisional championships over the course of his career.  His excess of drugs, women and free spending were also legendary.

Wilson, a University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance alumnus, lays it all bare on the stage, embodying the larger-than-life champ, showing the good, the bad and the ugly.  Wilson won the 2016 AUDELCO (Audience Development Committee Inc.) award for Best Solo Performance for his role in “Sugar Ray.”

When Wilson is not garnering applause and good reviews on the stage, he is sharing his craft with others as a drama professor and acting coach.