#flournoymiller

[scribesandvibes]

#theatrevibes: The rebirth of #BlackTheatre commenced in May of 1921 when #ShuffleAlong opened the curtains at the #SixtyThirdStreetTheatre in New York City. Ironically, as #BlackWallStreet was set ablaze by angry white mobs in Tulsa, #BlackBroadway set #thetheatre world on fire - attracting unprecedented white audiences. Lauded for its unheralded introduction of #BlackLove, the Shuffle Along production pushed America forward, allowing two Black people to #fallinlove #onstage. Regarded as the epitome of the #HarlemRenaissance, the Shuffle Along #musical ran #onBroadway for a record setting 500-some-odd performances. Despite being critiqued by skeptics [for boldly daring to shine a light on #BLACKONBLACKLOVE during a time when Black Sexuality was considered dangerous and #AmericanTheatre was still in blackface], anomalous aesthetics such as "more than the usual number of comedians under cork in one show," vivacious dancers, and an all-black cast set the tone for the landmark #musicalcomedy to breakdown color barriers. We'd like to take a moment to pay #homage to #FlournoyMiller, #AubreyLyle, #EubieBlake, #NobleSissle, and the #HowardTheatre for removing the blackface and orchestrating the beauty of Black faces on stage. -Stevie #BECAUSEOFTHEMWECAN | #scribesandvibes | #therebirthofcool

[musicaltheatretrivia]

Shuffle Along and Shuffle Along; Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed. Part Three - Shuffle Along; Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed.

Shuffle Along; Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed opened April 28, 2016. George C. Wolfe directed the show and wrote the libretto based off of Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles original book. Wolfe kept Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle’s score. The new production was a tribute to the original production. It focused on the mounting of the original production and how it shaped American musical theatre and racial relations. The cast was star studded with Broadway’s favorite black actors: Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, Joshua Henry, and Adrienne Warren. Audra McDonald got amazing praise for her performance, mainly aiding to the fact that she was performing pregnant! Savion Glover choreographed the 2016 hit! Unfortunately the show closed July 28, 2016 after 38 previews and just 100 performances. Even though it had a short run it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards.

[musicaltheatretrivia]

Shuffle Along and Shuffle Along; Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed. Part Two - Shuffle Along(The revivals).

Shuffle Along had two revivals in 1932 and 1952. The 1932 revival opened December 26th. It brought three of the original team members together. Flournoy Miller again wrote the book, after Aubrey Lyles death, while Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle came together to write a totally new score. Nothing from the new score was immediately popular. The critics ‘reverted to the customary appraisal of a Negro show, minimizing the value of the book and expending most of their time and praise on the dancing.’ The hard-times of 1932 kicked in and Shuffle Along only made it to it’s 17th performance. They tried to shorten it into a ‘tab show’ in L.A., but that also proved unsuccessful. Flournoy Miller, again stared.

The 1952 revival opened on May 8th. It was controversial whether it could be considered a revival aiding to the fact that ‘I’m Just Wild About Harry’ and ‘Love Will Find A Way’ were all that were left of the original score. Flournoy Miller, older, also remained one of the main characters. ‘The book was badly written, almost on par with the claptrap librettos of older black shows.’ It received such bad publicity that Blake publicly disowned some of the songs. It closed after 4 performances.

‘reverted...dancing’ and ‘The book...shows’ cited to Gerald Bordman author of American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle

[musicaltheatretrivia]

Shuffle Along and Shuffle Along; Or The Making Of The Musical Sensation Of 1921 And All That Followed. Part One - Shuffle Along.

Shuffle Along opened May 23, 1921. The two teams Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, who wrote the music and lyrics, and Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, who wrote the libretto, met in Philadelphia by chance and conceived the show. Fast fact: they purchased the costumes from a folded show Roly-Boly Eyes. It started off previewing with a few one nighters in Philadelphia and New Jersey. When the teams felt it was ready to move to NYC, it broke ground. It started off booking unsound theatre goers, not the main broadway crowds. ‘Although blacks had performed on Broadway and all-Negro shows had played in principal houses, in some respects here was more discrimination since the war.’ The book wasn’t what sold the show, it was Blake’s score. His music warranted shouting audiences wanting more tap routines, soft shoes, precision numbers, and buck-and-wings. His most popular song was ‘I’m Just Wild About Harry.’ Blake originally envisioned the song as a waltz, and re-wrote it as a fox-trot where it achieved it’s popularity. ‘I’m Just Wild About Harry,’ ‘Love Will Find A Way,’ and ‘Bandana Days’ got the public’s interest. Fast fact: Midnight shows were added on Wednesdays. At the end of Shuffle Along it had racked up 504 Broadway performances, as well as launching the careers for Florence Mills, Josephine Baker, and Hall Johnson. ‘Singlehandedly, Shuffle Along made black shows voguish, or at least acceptable.’ Fast fact: Flournoy Miller stared in the show as well! A revivals were produced in 1932 and 1952. More on that later!

- Citation for ‘Although...war’ and ‘Singlehandedly...acceptable’ Gerald Bordman who wrote American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle