Musical Theater
Black Musical Theater: What is it?
Black Musical Theater is dramatic movement composed of plays written by, for, and about African Americans. Black Musical Theater originated from the minstrel shows of the early 19th century. Minstrel shows were essentially how whites viewed black life to be and therefore became a large source of entertainment to the all-white audiences. Minstrel shows originally were written and performed by whites in blackface, although many blacks ended up getting into the business themselves following the American Civil War to make a living and hopefully be discovered as musicians and actors across the country. When Black Musical Theater evolved from minstrel shows, it was most prominent in New York during the first half of the twentieth century.
The First Black Productions
Cole Thought v. Cook Thought
In 1898, Will Marion Cook and Bob Cole were the first to bring black-written musical comedy to Broadway. Although they were a duo, Cook and Cole had vastly different ideas on what Black Musical Theater should look like. Cole believed that blacks should try to compete with white Americans by proving that they could act in similar productions. Cook, however, believed that instead of trying to mimic white Americans, blacks should instead create their own style of performance.
Traditional Black Musical Theater
Modern Black Musical Theater
Clorindy, or The Origin of the Cake Walk
A Trip to Coontown
The Belle of Bridgeport
The Shoo-Fly Regiment
A Lucky Coon
Shuffle Along
The Swing Mikado
Carmen Jones
The Wiz
Dreamgirls
Ain’t Mishbehavin’
It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues
Passing Strange
Porgy and Bess
Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk
