UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: BLACK REPRESENTATION ON BROADWAY

Broadway has been one of the many staples of New York City. With their dazzling products, astounding casts, and beautiful voices, many people rush to see the home of musical theater. I am a musical theater lover and have recently started listening to the soundtrack of Ragtime, a show that appeared in 1998 and is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by E.L. Doctorow. In the show, I have two favorite characters (follow me), Coalhouse Walker and Sarah, played by Brian Stokes and Audra McDonald, respectively. How those two played their characters spurred my research on African Americans on Broadway, specifically performers and black representation this week. This led me to two interviews, Maurice Hines, who specifically reflects on black performers on broadway, and Daryl Waters, who talks about black representation on broadway.

Left to Right: Audra McDonald (Sarah) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Coalhouse Walker) on Ragtime.

Maurce Hines Jr.

Maurice Hines Jr is a choreographer, entertainer, and stage director, who has won a tony award for his performance in “Uptown…It’s Hot!” In his interview, he is specifically asked, “who was the first black person you saw on broadway” his response was, “my brother — when we did ‘The Girl in Pink Tights’ [Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields].” He would later go on and talk about other black performers appearing on Broadway after his brother, “I saw Lena Horne in ‘Jamaica’... And [HistoryMaker] Harry Belafonte and Olga James…. And of course, Alvin Ailey.” Mr. Hines would talk about the first black broadway shows he could think of, “There was ‘The Wiz,’ and there was ‘Bubbling Brown Sugar’ Then there was ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, then there was ‘Eubie!’.” Hines slowly talks about how Broadway went from black performers to having black shows, and this interview is especially important for black representation in the arts or entertainment at the time.

Daryl Waters

Fellow HistoryMaker Daryl Waters made some points about Black representation on Broadway. Waters is a musical composer and arranger and has orchestrated productions such as Jelly’s Last Jam (1993), Bring in ‘Da Noise (1995), Memphis (2005), and Shuffle Along (2016). In his interview, he discusses the representation on Broadway, “It’s all over the place for me. – you have shows employing lots of, you know, African Americans and other minorities … I think, more importantly, are trying to figure out how to get people on the production side that can help promote plays about us. Right now, Stephen Bryd is the only black producer on Broadway.” From his point of view, he emphasizes the need for more African American representation on the production side of broadway and later in his interview discusses how even in costumes and music, it seems they have only received nominations and how even though he (Waters) has had two, he still has the most out of those on the music side.

Broadway is a very enjoyable way to listen to stories be told in a fun and festive manner, but it is important to remember that for many years Brian Stokes or Audra McDonald would not have been able to perform nonetheless have lead roles. Mr. Hines' interview is inspiring in showing how far African Americans have come on Broadway, but Mr. Waters' interview proves that there is still work that needs to be done.

I was limited a bit in my searching on the digital archive, but for reference, I searched “Representation + Broadway,” “Black Entertainers + Broadway,” and “Black Music + Broadway.” 

Sources:

Daryl Waters (The HistoryMakers A2016.143), interviewed by Larry Crowe, December 12, 2016, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 6, story 2, Daryl Waters reflects upon black representation on Broadway.

Maurice Hines, Jr. (The HistoryMakers A2006.154), interviewed by Shawn Wilson, January 9, 2007, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 2, tape 6, story 1, Maurice Hines, Jr. talks about African American performers in Broadway shows,

Unknown. Photo of Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes. “Ragtime.” unknown photographer, unknown date.