Broadway Exhibition Showcases Black Excellence on Stage

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Broadway Exhibition Showcases Black Excellence on Stage"

Podcast Information

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Produced by: WNYC
• Episode Title: Broadway Exhibition Showcases Black Excellence on Stage
• Release Date: February 25, 2025
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, doers, makers, and creators about the what and why of their work, fostering a diverse community around cultural discussions.

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Introduction

Alison Stewart welcomes listeners to the episode, highlighting the day's primary focus on a new exhibition celebrating Black excellence on Broadway. She introduces Ben West, a musical theater artist, historian, and creator of the Musical Theater Report, who consulted on the exhibit.

Quote:

"I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in Soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us."
— Alison Stewart [00:35]

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Overview of the Exhibit: Crafting Black Storytellers of Broadway

The episode delves into the "Crafting Black Storytellers of Broadway" exhibit at the Museum of Broadway in Times Square, which honors Black playwrights, lyricists, and composers who have significantly influenced American theater. The exhibit features tributes to trailblazers like Lorraine Hansberry, Lynn Nottage, and August Wilson, alongside costumes from notable productions such as "The Color Purple" and "The Choir Boy."

Quote:

"The exhibit honors the impact of black playwrights, lyricists and composers who have shaped American theater."
— Alison Stewart [00:35]

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Ben West's Role and Contributions

Ben West explains his involvement with the Museum of Broadway, particularly his contribution to the permanent section where he created the "20 timeline walls" tracing Broadway's history from the 1700s to 2021. When the special exhibit was being curated, West was approached to consult and review the list of Black storytellers to ensure comprehensiveness.

Quote:

"I had already been involved with the museum... they reached out to me for a consult and had a list of names that they wanted to include."
— Ben West [02:33]

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Historical Context of Black Storytelling on Broadway

Ben West provides an in-depth analysis of the historical landscape of Black storytelling on Broadway. He emphasizes that Broadway historically encompassed a broader range of theatrical productions beyond the contemporary understanding, including vaudeville, burlesque, and nightclubs. This broader definition allowed for significant Black contributions in the early 20th century, which are often overlooked today.

Key Figures Discussed:

• Bob Cole: Referred to as the "father of the black musical stage," Cole collaborated with the Johnson brothers, integrating Black narratives into mainstream Broadway through works like "Shoofly Regiment" and "A Trip to Coontown."
• James Weldon Johnson & Rosamond Johnson: Notable for creating influential works alongside Cole.
• Bert Williams: Composer for Cole’s "A Trip to Coontown," which played a pivotal role in advancing Black musicals.
• James Reese Europe & Ford Dabney: Highlighted for their contributions to Black music and their association with prominent productions like "Ziegfeld Follies" and the "Midnight Frolic."

Quote:

"Bob Cole is someone to whom I refer as the father of the black musical stage... He was very, very much a progressive artist."
— Ben West [06:15]

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Listener Engagement and Personal Stories

Throughout the episode, listeners share their personal experiences and connections with Black Broadway productions. These narratives underscore the transformative impact of Black excellence on stage.

Highlighted Listener Stories:

• Alison Stewart: Shares her first experience attending "Pearly" and other influential shows like "The Wiz" and "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf."

  Quote:

  "My parents took me to see the Wiz for my 16th birthday. It was a transformative experience."
  — Alison Stewart [12:42]

• Sharon from Queens: Describes attending "The Great White Hope" starring James Earl Jones, highlighting its life-changing impact.

  Quote:

  "Seeing James Earl Jones in that play was life changing for me."
  — Sharon [21:10]

• Tracy from Staten Island: Recounts watching the original cast of "Fences" and her aspiration for her son to see Denzel Washington in "Othello."

  Quote:

  "I realized how lucky I was because that is something that I remember to this day."
  — Tracy [24:42]

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Costume Highlights in the Exhibit

Ben West details some of the standout costumes featured in the exhibit, each representing iconic Black actors and their roles.

Notable Costumes Include:

• Cynthia Erivo's Outfit from the "Color Purple" revival.
• Jennifer Hudson's Dress from the same production.
• Denzel Washington's Suit from "Julius Caesar."
• Eartha Kitt's Outfit from "The Wild Party," a George C. Wolfe production co-authored with Michael John LaChiusa.

Quote:

"There is a Jennifer Hudson dress from that same production, the Color Purple."
— Ben West [18:07]

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Expansion of Black Narratives and Future Directions

The conversation shifts to the evolution and expansion of Black narratives on Broadway. Ben West highlights the ongoing efforts to diversify storytelling, ensuring that Black voices continue to shape the future of theater.

Key Points:

• Lynn Nottage and other contemporary playwrights are expanding the scope of Black narratives.
• The exhibit not only celebrates historical figures but also spotlights present and future Black storytellers, ensuring the continuity and growth of diverse narratives on Broadway.
• Emphasis on both racial and narrative diversity, reflecting the dynamic and evolving nature of American theater.

Quote:

"Navigating the expansion of story and the black narrative... it continues to expand."
— Ben West [25:29]

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Impact and Conclusion

Ben West articulates the transformative power of the exhibit, emphasizing its role in educating the public about the integral contributions of Black artists to Broadway. He hopes that visitors gain a deeper understanding of the historical and ongoing significance of Black storytelling in shaping American consciousness and theater.

Quote:

"Broadway... is a reflection of American consciousness... seeing ourselves... on stage."
— Ben West [21:59]

Conclusion by Alison Stewart: Alison wraps up the segment by thanking Ben West for his insights and encouraging listeners to visit the exhibit to experience the celebration of Black excellence on Broadway firsthand.

Quote:

"Thanks for being with us. We really appreciate it."
— Alison Stewart [26:29]

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Alison Stewart [00:35]:
  "I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in Soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us."

• Ben West [06:15]:
  "Bob Cole is someone to whom I refer as the father of the black musical stage... He was very, very much a progressive artist."

• Sharon [21:10]:
  "Seeing James Earl Jones in that play was life changing for me."

• Tracy [24:42]:
  "I realized how lucky I was because that is something that I remember to this day."

• Ben West [21:59]:
  "Broadway... is a reflection of American consciousness... seeing ourselves... on stage."

---

Conclusion

This episode of "All Of It" provides a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the "Crafting Black Storytellers of Broadway" exhibit, highlighting the profound impact of Black artists on American theater. Through insightful discussions with Ben West and heartfelt listener stories, the podcast underscores the enduring legacy and evolving narratives of Black excellence on Broadway.

For those interested in cultural history and the arts, this episode serves as a valuable resource, offering both educational content and personal anecdotes that illustrate the transformative power of representation in the performing arts.

Transcript

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[Ben West]

Listener Supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us. I am so grateful you're here. On today's show we'll speak with Becca Milstein, the co author of the new cookbook the Fish Wife's Cookbook. In the second hour, we'll talk show. We'll talk look at our relationship with gossip. We'll be joined by Nicole Hill, the host of the new podcast Our Ancestors Were messy. And Kelsey McKinney will be here, the author of youf Didn't Hear this from Me. That's the plan. So let's get this started with a new exhibit at the Museum of Broadway that celebrates excellence in black storytelling. It was announced that Oscar nominated actor Cynthia Erivo would host the 2025 Tony Awards. Some of you might remember her taking home a Tony for best Actress for her role in the Color Purple. Now she and other black creatives, both past and present, are being celebrated in a new Museum of Broadway exhibit. It's titled Crafting Black Storytellers of Broadway. The exhibit honors the impact of black playwrights, lyricists and composers who have shaped American theater. It's tributes to trailblazers like Lorraine Hansberry, Lynn Nottage and August Wil, as well as costumes from productions as the Choir Boy and the Color Purple. Crafting Excellence Black Storytellers of Broadway is on display at the Museum of Broadway in Times Square through March 16. You can see a bit of it by going to our Instagram llofwnyc. Got a couple pictures I took on Sunday. Joining us now to discuss is musical theater artist, historian and creator of the Musical Theater Report, Ben west, who consulted on the exhibit. Ben, welcome to the studio.

[Ben West]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you become involved as a consultant on crafting excellence, Black Storytellers of Broadway?

[Ben West]

Well, I for the permanent section of the museum, I created the 20 timeline walls which trace the history of the Broadway stage from the 1700s up to. Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

Good job.

[Ben West]

Thank you. Thank you. Up to 2021. So so I had already been involved with the museum at that point in that capacity and the two founders who are Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti. When they started curating the exhibit, they reached out to me for a consult and had a list of names of folks that they wanted to include and asked me if I would look over it and provide some feedback. So that's how I got involved in this particular special exhibit.

[Alison Stewart]

Listeners, we'd love for you to participate in this conversation. What are your favorite moments of Black storytelling on Broadway? Have you seen Crafting Excellence at the Museum of Broadway? Do you have a favorite show that highlights Black artists contributions to theater? Are you a playwright, director, actor or someone who works in the theater? What Black storytellers have inspired you? Call in and share your thoughts.

[Listener]

2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. You can call in, you can join.

[Alison Stewart]

The conversation or you can text that.

[Listener]

Can hit us up on social media. Llnyc so why people call and we.

[Alison Stewart]

Get our phones all lined up.

[Listener]

Let's talk about a couple of parameters for the exhibition. What were your parameters for Black storytellers?

[Ben West]

Well, the exhibit focuses specifically on authors, so we're talking about playwrights, composers, lyricists, book writers. And when Julie and Diane handed me the list that they had already prepared, what I was looking for as I was going through it was to make sure that it was comprehensive in terms of the individuals who are covered with regard to their specific functions. Again, those four capacities that I spoke about just a moment ago and also time period. Because one of the things particularly regarding musical theater, which is my specific area of focus, is that black authors, black artists, are often overlooked when we're talking about early 20th century. And there were actually a number of black artists working during that particular period. And I think also, if I may, just to set the parameters for our listeners, the idea of Broadway as we understand it today, or Broadway, the Broadway we understand today, is a very specific definition. It is a fixed number of legitimate playhouses in a specific quadrant around Times Square. This is not what Broadway was. So if you're going back early 20th century, even through roughly the first half of the 20th century, Broadway is not this very specific quadrant with regard to legitimate playhouses. So teens, 20s, 30s, Broadway encompasses vaudeville, Broadway encompasses burlesque. It encompasses nightclubs, which at the time are theatrical in nature, not specifically what we think of today in terms of a dance club or a Studio 54 or a 54 Below cabaret space idea. But they were more, I should say, by and large, it's not a uniform way of operating, but by and large were more theatrical in nature. So the Idea of Broadway, or the term. Encompassed a wide range of entertainment related to the stage in particular. So back to your question. Making sure that it was comprehensive. In terms of who we were covering in the exhibit. So there are folks from turn of the century like Bob Cole.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me about Bob Cole.

[Ben West]

Bob Cole is someone to whom I refer as the father of the black musical stage. An extraordinary individual. I think a lot of people will not necessarily be familiar with him. But they might know two gentlemen with whom he worked frequently. They are James Weldon Johnson and Rosamond Johnson. Who, of course, wrote Lift Every Voice and Sing. So the three of them, the Johnson brothers and Bob Cole. Had a songwriting partnership throughout the first decade of the 20th century. Were tremendously successful. And, in fact, crossed the color line in terms of what they were doing. They wrote. They interpolated many songs into white musicals On Broadway. They wrote essentially the entire score. I say essentially because this is a period of interpolations. Essentially the entire score for two white musicals that were playing simultaneously, by the way, on 42nd street in 1904. And this is in addition to their work on the black musical stage. So Bob Cole was just an incredible, incredibly influential figure. Refused to wear a blackface in any of his performances. Was very interested in presenting contemporary black life. In terms of what he put on the stage. Particularly in a show called the Shoofly Regiment, for example, which dealt with themes of education. There was a patriotism. There was a romantic theme in the show. So he was very, very much a progressive artist. And many individuals are connected with him. Bert Williams, for instance, Wrote the music for the title song To Bob Cole's show. Called A Trip to Coontown. Which, despite its name, was tremendously influential. In terms of pushing forward the black musical stage. Just to give a little background on that show, it is. It was created in 1897. And amidst the Coonsong craze. Which is something that came around with ragtime. So it is one of those very complicated dualities. That exist throughout the history of the musical stage or entertainment in America. So it came at the show. A Trip to Coontown came up during that particular craze. And it was actually contrary to its title and. And contrary to other. Or different from other black entertainment at the time. It was not set in the South. It was not a plantation show. It was set in the suburbs of New York City. It had contemporary characters. The dialogue is, again, putting it in the context of the time. Very sharp and progressive. Again, within context of the time. It's certainly not something we would do today.

[Alison Stewart]

Understood.

[Ben West]

But the only sort of the racial element of the show was the music, was the lyric. And even if one is, you know, wants to dissect the American musical and look at its evolution, which is something that I am fond of doing in terms of understanding what's possible going forward. If you look at his work in the musical material, understanding the racial aspect of the material coming up in the coon song craze, there is a theatricality to his. There is a character in the lyric, in the way that the lyric plays with the music that is particular to his work. At that time, he was working with a different gentleman named Billy Johnson.

[Listener]

I was wondering if there were organizations that supported black creatives early on.

[Ben West]

There were black organizations. Absolutely. The Frogs is one of them. If we get into the teens, essentially, for musicians in particular, the Clef Club is a major organization. This is something that was co founded and initially run by James Reese Europe, a major band leader in the. Particularly in the teens. And incidentally, to sort of tie it into Bob Cole. James Reese Europe was actually the music director for the two Cole and Johnson musicals, Shoo Fly Regiment and Red Moon. And so then in the teens, he becomes. He, James Reese Europe, becomes a tremendous bandleader, hugely influential black musician. If folks are familiar with Vernon and Irene Castle, who were society dancers at the time he was connected with them. He would organize bands for nightclubs. He played concert dates, vaudeville dates with the Castles. And certainly folks are familiar with Ziegfeld Follies. I suspect it's one of the sort of iconic early shows. This was a series of reviews for anyone not familiar. There was a nightclub. I don't say nightclub version, but a nightclub spinoff that Ziegfeld started producing called the Midnight Frolic. So this is a nightclub entertainment. And the band that is most closely associated with Ziegfeld, Midnight Frolic, is a band led by Ford Dabney, a black musician who was associated with James Reese Europe.

[Listener]

I'm wondering about all of these musicians, and you said it was a broader aspect of Broadway than we think of today. Was there like a kind of a green book for artists who came to New York, like, where they could stay, where they could go, where they shouldn't go?

[Ben West]

That's an excellent question. I don't know the. I will say. I don't know the ins and outs of that question, but I will say the Marshall Hotel was certainly a hub for black artists in particular. I think the other thing to note at this particular time period or the time period we're discussing is that Harlem was not Harlem as we understand it today. So the black neighborhoods in Manhattan are not what we think of today as Harlem. So this is. And sort of, I guess, to tie this into what folks will really remember or really know, I think is Shuffle along, which is 1921. One of the sort of phenomena that is leading into Shuffle along is the movement of black communities within Manhattan. So during the time period we're discussing, Harlem is essentially going from predominantly white to predominantly black. So there are a number of, let's see, social movements or sort of cultural movements that are taking place at this particular time.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a couple of good texts. The first musical my mother ever took me to was Pearly.

[Ben West]

Oh, my goodness.

[Alison Stewart]

I have never forgotten it.

[Ben West]

1970 for anyone.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, it was on our record player all the time. It says, of course, Ozzie Davis et al's book. I still often play Great white F Reasons that signed Clarence from Clinton Hill. Thanks for writing in Clarence. I plan to visit the Museum of Broadway. My parents took me to see the Wiz for my 16th birthday. It was a transformative experience. It's the reason I'm still a devoted Broadway fan today. My last show was the Piano Lesson. I planned to see Gypsy and also Ntajaki Shange is for colored girls who considered suicide. When the Rainbow is Enough. The revival changed my life. I now sleep with the script under my pillow. I return to it like a bible and wish her work was taught more widely to black women. Alongside Hansberry. Any response on any of those?

[Ben West]

I think that's fantastic. And there's certainly connections in there as well. Camille Brown, who I believe directed the Four Colored Girls revival, you mentioned Gypsy as well. So she is the choreographer of the current revival of Gypsy. I think it's a. The shows that were mentioned are an eclectic array, I would say, and they touch on different aspects of the black experience. And. And certainly Gypsy is. Since Gypsy was mentioned, is not or was not written with the black experience in mind, shall we say? And so that's an interesting thing and something I. This is more of a intellectual sort of philosophical idea. But something that I had been thinking about recently is we. In the 1970s in particular, there were several trends and themes going on, particularly on the musical stage. Revivals became a huge component of the commercial stage. We have had revivals before. I don't want to misrepresent that. But as a major force, they really take hold in the 19th 70s, and alongside that is a surge in black entertainment. So there. Vinnette Carroll, for anyone listening, is a major figure from the 1970s, very important individual. Wiz is part of that which was referenced. Pearly was referenced. And alongside that, there's a sort of crossover trend between black entertainment and revivals, which is sort of echo today, is a sort of an echo of that because you had several shows. Like, for example, there was a all black Guys and dolls in the 1970s. We have now on Broadway. Certainly not all black, but a predominantly black gypsy. So there sort of.

[Listener]

Well, in Gypsy also, it adds an extra layer. Audra McDonald was a guest in the show, and she said it adds this extra layer for why, though, she has to have her daughters make it. Why they have to make it in the proper theater. You know, it really provides another level to her character. Her character at times is a little bit scary, but she really, really goes for making it possible for her daughters to be big stars because they're black women.

[Ben West]

Interesting. Interesting to hear her. Her take on it. Yeah.

[Listener]

My guest is Ben West. He's a musical theater artist and historian. We are discussing Crafting excellence, Black Storytellers of Broadway. The exhibit is on view at the Museum of Broadway through March 16th. Let's take another call. This is Zoe, who's calling in from Long Island City. Hi, Zoe. Thank you so much for calling all of it.

[Zoe]

I love this show and I love this particular topic because I am a builder for Broadway. I build props, and I did bring into noise, bring into funk back in 96. And I had to make the little darlin puppet that Savion Glover wore and danced in. And Marcia Champlin, who was a doll maker, saw the show at the Public Off Broadway and wrote them a letter and said, love the show, hated the doll because her face wasn't great. So she offered and actually made them a beautiful Shirley Temple face for the doll. And I made the body, which stretches unnaturally far when he extends his arms. I saw the show four times. It was just fabulous. I loved it.

[Listener]

That must have been an amazing job. Do you make puppetry now?

[Zoe]

Yeah, I still do. I used to do a lot of the work on Pumbaa I've done. I'm working on my 59th Broadway show right now. And I also did a lot of props for Motown the musical. That was a lot of fun.

[Listener]

Can we ask you what you're working on?

[Zoe]

I am working on Dead Outlaw.

[Listener]

There you go.

[Zoe]

Which is moving to Broadway from Off Broadway right now.

[Listener]

Love that. Thanks for listening, Zoe. We really appreciate it. I wanted to ask you about the costumes that we see in the show. It's kind of Sort of the jazz hands of it all. It's pretty exciting. What costumes do we get to see?

[Ben West]

There are an array of costumes. You had mentioned Cynthia and Revo already. So there is one of her outfits from the Color Purple revival.

[Listener]

Oh, she's wearing the pants. It's the pants she gets to wear.

[Ben West]

I believe so, yes. Yes. And there is a Jennifer Hudson dress from that same production, the Color Purple. There is a Denzel Washington suit from Julius Caesar, which is perhaps coincidental since he is now doing another Shakespeare this spring. Oh, yes. There's a Eartha Kitt outfit from the Wild Party, which was a George C. Wolfe production. He directed that show, co authored that show with Michael John Lachiusa, which has a sort of delicious many things to enjoy in the score of that particular show. So an array of costumes on exhibit.

[Listener]

You also talk quite a bit about past playwrights and also future playwrights when you talk about the past playwrights.

[Ben West]

Who can we learn about in this exhibit in particular? There are a number of people in the past section. The way that Julian Diane essentially created the exhibit was a past section and a present section. And so in the past section, there are individuals like we've discussed, Bob Cole, the Johnson brothers. There are individuals that people will, I think, recognize instantly, but perhaps not associate with the Broadway stage. That would be Duke Ellington, Fats Waller.

[Listener]

Why would they. Why would you include them in that section?

[Ben West]

They wrote for the Broadway stage? And I'll just add, but to sort of harken back to a question you had asked me earlier regarding parameters, and I was sort of explaining what. What is Broadway? What was Broadway? The exhibit, per Julian Diane, focuses specifically on legit. Legit being, plays musicals. So it doesn't venture into the nightclub space, vaudeville space, et cetera. So, and to that end, Fats Waller, for example, wrote the score for Hot Chocolates, which was an original review in 1929. Duke Ellington wrote the score, wrote the music, I should say, for two shows that were on Broadway. He wrote for others as well. There was a show out in LA called Jump for Joy that did not come to New York. It was an original review. So that's why they're included. Langston Hughes is there, of course, a playwright. He also wrote a number of musicals, actually. Yeah, one and one was not specifically a black story. In 1947, he wrote lyrics for an adaptation of the Elmer Rice play Street Scene, which had music by Kurt Weill, a libretto by Elmer Rice. Very, very fascinating show. 1947. So Langston Hughes is there. So a number of individuals Again, it's also this balance and again, making sure that we're comprehensive.

[Alison Stewart]

This text says Pearl Bailey did hello, Dolly with an all black cast in the 1960s.

[Ben West]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's also talk to Sharon calling from Queens. Hi, Sharon, thank you so much for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[Sharon]

Well, my mom was a progressive black woman and she took me to see the Great White Hope, which James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander. And she took me to Mama Leone's, which is a popular restaurant Broadway, with all kinds of the actresses going on. But to see James Earl Jones in that play was life changing for me. And also Jane Alexander was superb.

[Listener]

Thank you so much for calling. It's so interesting hearing Sharon say life changing. We had another text that said it was a transformative experience. Can you understand what these callers are saying about it being a transformative experience, a life changing experience to see black excellence on Broadway?

[Ben West]

Certainly, certainly. And I think it's about, first of all, the stage is a reflection of us as a culture. It is from the beginning and sort of one of the themes, certainly of my work and a theme that is in my work in the museum, is that the stage, and I'll speak specifically to the musical stage, is a reflection of American consciousness. So it is capturing our sensibilities at any given moment in time. And so. So from that standpoint, I think it's extraordinarily crucial and relevant and can be transformative in understanding who we are and where we've come from. And also from a visibility standpoint and from a standpoint of recognition, seeing who we are and seeing, oh, this is me on stage, or this is. Or connecting with a certain individual and seeing ourselves, whomever we may be represented in a particular story. And I think the thing I want to add just off of that is that there has been black excellence, there have been black artists on the Broadway stage. Broadway, as we understand it is something that comes about turn of the 20th century. So if we use that as a guide, Mark, since the turn of the 20th century. And I think what is fascinating and interesting, and you asked about the idea of future artists or present and future, is that the range of stories, it continues to expand. The dimension of what we understand on stage continues to expand. And so that's how I look at it. So there is, I think the work that Bob Cole, for example, was doing on Shoofly Regiment or even A Trip to Coontown or the Red Moon was transformative in its time. If one looks at writings from contemporaneous individuals Like Lester Walton, who is a very well known African American journalist, dignitary writer, speaking about Bob Cole and his passion for the race, his passion for presenting on stage. Contemporary cultured black individuals of the day being transformative in its time. And then we move forward and we are now here in the dimension of what is on stage in terms of the story. Jeremy O. Harris, Dominique, Michael R. Jackson, a number of individuals working. Lynn Nottage. We should not leave out Love Me Some.

[Listener]

Lynn Nottage went to college with her.

[Ben West]

Who has an opera coming out this spring. Not in New York, but yes. Yeah.

[Listener]

So excited. Let's talk to Tracy in Staten Island. Hi, Tracy, thanks for calling all of it.

[Tracy]

Hi, thanks so much. I was incredibly blessed in high school to see the original cast of Fences with James Earl Jones and Courtney B. Vance. And it was. I don't think I realized at the time, ex. How lucky I was, but I really was. And I just want to say I tried to get tickets for Othello because I wanted my son to be able to see Denzel Washington on stage. And tickets were $900 and so I just can't afford it. And I'm remembering exactly how lucky I was because that is something that I remember to this day. James Earl Jones, go blue.

[Listener]

Thank you so much for calling in, Tracy. When people leave the exhibit, what do you hope they will talk about? What do you hope they'll research a little bit more? What do you hope that they got from it?

[Ben West]

I think there are a number of things that can be taken away and will hopefully be taken away from the exhibit from a consciousness standpoint. I hope there is an understanding of, oh, black artists were part of this form being musical theater or plays a part of Broadway all along we have had black voices present and they are part of, particularly with regard to the American musical, part of advancing the art form, this form that matures mid 20th century. And I think as well with regard to the dimension of story and to the expansion of story and the black narrative and to a standpoint of visibility, I think in terms of the artists who are represented today or the stories that are being told today. And I will say it is not just a racial diversity that we're seeing experience, but it's also experiencing right now, but a narrative diversity as well, which I think is exciting.

[Listener]

We've been speaking with musical theater artist, historian and creator of the Musical Theater Report, Ben west about the Museum of Broadway's special exhibit Crafting Excellent Black Storytellers of Broadway. Thanks for being with us. We really appreciate it.

[Ben West]

Thanks so much for having me.

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