Josephine Baker- The international star who was at the beginning of the 20th century.
Shuffle Along was a highly significant show with a large and talented African-American cast including a young and beautiful Florence Mills; Adelaide Hall, who would go on to enjoy a career spanning over 60 years; Bessie Allison, who went on to dance in the chorus line of Harlem’s renowned Cotton Club, and Paul Robeson, who would achieve great success both on the stage and in films. Josephine Baker who, deemed to young to be in the show at 15 years old, joined the cast a year later.
Shuffle Along was a highly significant show with a large and talented African-American cast including a young and beautiful Florence Mills; Adelaide Hall, who would go on to enjoy a career spanning over 60 years; Bessie Allison, who went on to dance in the chorus line of Harlem’s renowned Cotton Club, and Paul Robeson, who would achieve great success both on the stage and in films. Josephine Baker who, deemed to young to be in the show at 15 years old, joined the cast a year later.
Ethel Waters- Singing or acting, her performances were memorable on stage, screen or television. Ethel Waters began her career on the black vaudeville circuit, then moved on to “white time” vaudeville, and by 1930, was appearing in Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds on Broadway. Later stage credits include As Thousands Cheer (1933), Cabin in the Sky (1940) and The Member of the Wedding (1950).
Lena Horne- Extremely beautiful, talented and politically active with fabulous vocal chops to boot. During her career, Lena Horne avoided the stereotypical roles that were too often created for African-American performers. While this meant refusing at least one offer of Broadway fame, Horne stood her ground and eventually won accolades for her work in 1957’s Jamaica and 1981’s Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.
Kenn Duncan/ ©Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Pearl Bailey- From Vaudeville to Broadway to movies and television, she did it all. In 1967, after Hello, Dolly! had run on Broadway for over 1,500 performances, producer David Merrick decided to replace the all-white cast with an all-black cast led by Pearl Bailey. Big Band great Cab Calloway took the role of Dolly’s beau, Horace Vandergelder, and to no one’s surprise, Hello, Dolly! packed the house.
Lorraine Hansberry
Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Diahann Carroll- Tall, slim, elegent with talent to spare.
Tall, slim, and elegant, with talent to spare, Diahann Carroll was a night-club performer before she made her Broadway debut in 1954’s House of Flowers. Among Carroll’s many stage credits are No Strings (1962), Same Time, Next Year (1977), and Bubbling Brown Sugar (2004).
Leslie Uggams- Packed with talent and the sweetest person in the business. Leslie has worked in all the mediums....and I had the honor to work with her too. In Hallelujah, Baby!, main character Georgina (Leslie Uggams, right) and her mother (Lillian Hayman) are employed as maids, but Georgiana dreams of a career as an entertainer. Both Uggams and Hayman won Tonys for their performances in this 1967 musical. Hallelujah, Baby! was originally written with Lena Horne in mind, but was reworked for Leslie Uggams when Horne declined. The result was a bright and bubbly musical in which Leslie Uggams’ talents shined.
Melba Moore- So much talent stuffed into such a petite person. Melba Moore made her Broadway debut in the “American Tribal Love-Rock Musical” Hair. Her next role—that of Lutiebelle in 1970’s Purlie—would win a Tony Award for the rising young star.
Eartha Kitt- Always a show-stopping performance.
Although Timbuktu! offered lavish sets, gorgeous costumes, and several new songs and dances, this 1978 remake of the musical Kismet was poorly received by audiences and reviewers. The fact that it ran for over 200 performances is probably due to the star power of Eartha Kitt, who had returned to the Broadway stage after several years spent abroad.
Audra McDonald- The first actor to win a Tony in every acting category... and still not done yet! Audra McDonald’s breakthrough role came in 1994, when—in a famous instance of non-traditional casting—she landed the part of Carrie Pipperidge in a revival of Carousel. Her portrayal won her a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.
"Black Broadway: African Americans on the Great White Way" is available for purchase from the Playbill Store.
