2008 Woodie Awards
"Dr. Lundeana Thomas presents: African American Theatre History"
Olivia Chilako
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: Opinion
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"Today I am going to tell you about the history of African American theatre in a very interactive way; I grew up in church, so feel free say Amen when need to" recalled Dr. Lundeana Thomas, Director of African American Theatre at the University of Louisville. Starting off her lecture at the Martha Munro Building room 105 on Friday March 3oth part of the African American series through history presented by The West Georgia Theatre Company.
African American theatre has got a traceable history since the 19th century. African theatre was started in 1821, a young man by the name William Brown settled in New York got money; he bought a teahouse started in Mercer. Two women then they started a theatre known as "The African Grow Theatre" owned by Mr. Brown approached him, and Brown wrote a play called "The Drama of King Shadow". Two important actors of that particular play Ira Aldridge; blacks didn't save themselves as slaves. They saw themselves as slaves but "I ain't no slaves no more". Mr. Brown also wrote the Escape or "A Leap for Freedom" on 1858. The first African American play published from Lexington, KY.
On 1828 Thomas D. Rice saw a man who happened to be "Jim Crow" character and made pre-minstrel company known as Virginia Minstrels, as white quartet. They had a character of an African American, here is a man who is emulating a person, a lot of people exaggerated in what they saw and lead to having fictional portrayal of African Americans. Bob Cole and Billy Johnson team up to produce a play that was the first show to have a plot with a beginning, middle, and an end. Also one that was completely organized, written, and produced by blacks, some history books will tell you that "Show Boat" was the first musical that had a beginning, middle, and an end but in fact it was the Bob Cole and Billy Johnson play.
In the 1900s Bert Williams and George Walker produced their first musical show on Broadway, "The Sons of Ham" in 1903 their production of "In Dahomey" is taken to London where it plays am command performance for royalty; their successful partnership ends with Walker's premature death in 1911. In 1902 four musical William and Walker teamed to present "Sons of Ham", "In Dahomey", "In Abyssinia", "In Bandana Land".
African American theatre has got a traceable history since the 19th century. African theatre was started in 1821, a young man by the name William Brown settled in New York got money; he bought a teahouse started in Mercer. Two women then they started a theatre known as "The African Grow Theatre" owned by Mr. Brown approached him, and Brown wrote a play called "The Drama of King Shadow". Two important actors of that particular play Ira Aldridge; blacks didn't save themselves as slaves. They saw themselves as slaves but "I ain't no slaves no more". Mr. Brown also wrote the Escape or "A Leap for Freedom" on 1858. The first African American play published from Lexington, KY.
On 1828 Thomas D. Rice saw a man who happened to be "Jim Crow" character and made pre-minstrel company known as Virginia Minstrels, as white quartet. They had a character of an African American, here is a man who is emulating a person, a lot of people exaggerated in what they saw and lead to having fictional portrayal of African Americans. Bob Cole and Billy Johnson team up to produce a play that was the first show to have a plot with a beginning, middle, and an end. Also one that was completely organized, written, and produced by blacks, some history books will tell you that "Show Boat" was the first musical that had a beginning, middle, and an end but in fact it was the Bob Cole and Billy Johnson play.
In the 1900s Bert Williams and George Walker produced their first musical show on Broadway, "The Sons of Ham" in 1903 their production of "In Dahomey" is taken to London where it plays am command performance for royalty; their successful partnership ends with Walker's premature death in 1911. In 1902 four musical William and Walker teamed to present "Sons of Ham", "In Dahomey", "In Abyssinia", "In Bandana Land".
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