Dark of the Moon
Black Nativity
The gospel song-play ‘Black Nativity‘ by Langston Hughes opened on Christmas at the New York Philharmonic (circa 1962). Featuring, ( and seen here in rehearsal) are Alex Bradford, Marian Williams, Princess Stewart, Kitty Parham, directed by Vinette Carroll (and that’s legendary Ellis Hazlip stage managing.) After its New York run, Black Nativity was invited by Gian Carlo Menotti to The Festival of Two Worlds at Spoleto. There, it was a summer success, followed by a year-long tour of Europe.
Trumpets of the Lord
Trumpets of the Lord
First Preview: | Total Previews: | ||
Opening Date: | Apr 29, 1969 | ||
Closing Date: | May 03, 1969 | Total Performances: | 7 |
Produced by Circle in the Square (Theodore Mann: Artistic Director; Paul Libin: Managing Director) |
Book by Vinnette Carroll; Music arranged by Howard Roberts; Adapted from “God’s Trombone” by James Weldon Johnson; Musical Director: Howard Roberts |
Directed by Theodore Mann |
Scenic Design by Marsha L. Eck; Costume Design by Domingo Rodriguez; Lighting Design by Jules Fisher |
Production Stage Manager: Randall Brooks |
Music adapted by Howard Roberts |
Press Representative: Merle Debuskey and Faith Geer |
Cast |
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Earl Baker | Male Voice | |
Ella Eure | Female Voice | |
Bill Glover | Male Voice | |
Milton Grayson | Male Voice | |
Berniece Hall | Female Voice | |
Theresa Merritt | Sister Henrietta Pinkston | |
Lex Monson | Rev. Bradford Parham | |
William Stewart | Male Voice | |
Cicely Tyson | Rev. Marion Alexander | |
Bernard Ward | Rev. Ridgley Washington | |
Camille Yarbrough | Female Voice |
Understudies: Milton Grayson (Rev. Bradford Parham, Rev. Ridgley Washington) and Camille Yarbrough (Rev. Marion Alexander) |
MOON ON A RAINBOW SHAWL
James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson reminisce about the first major play they performed together with Vinnette Carrol and Robert L. Jones
There were other wonderful creations from Urban Arts Corps Theatre: It’s So Nice To Be Civilized, When Hell Freezes Over, I’ll Skate, The Ups And Downs of Theophilus Maitland, and Croesus And The Witch.
Ms. Carroll’s team of collaborators included Ms. Micki Grant with whom she wrote and directed most of her plays, Chapman Roberts, Danny Holgate, George Broderick, Robert Charles (Our beloved Stage Manager and friend) The great H.B. Barnum, Mr. Alex, and Alberta Bradford, Talley Beatty, Mabel Robinson – Clinton-Derricks Carroll, Cleavant Derricks, Nora Cole, Marilynn Winbush, Nat Morris, Every Hayes, Charlayne Woodard, Pat Heaven, Reginald Vel Johnson, Sam Barton, Jeffrey Anderson Gunter, Steve Semien.
Vinnette Carroll transitioned on November 5, 2002, in Lauderhill, Florida.
“VINNETTE CARROLL (born March 11, 1922, New York, New York, U.S., died November 5, 2002, Lauderhill, Florida) was an American playwright, stage director, and actress. She was the first African American woman to direct on Broadway with the hit gospel revue Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope. The show, conceived by Carroll and with music and lyrics by Micki Grant, opened on Broadway in 1972 and was nominated for four Tony Awards. Her adaptation of The Gospel According to Matthew, Your Arms Too Short to Box with God (also in collaboration with Grant), opened on Broadway in 1976 and was nominated for four Tony Awards. Although she was educated in psychology and for a time worked as a clinical psychologist, she left to pursue acting in 1948 when she received a scholarship to the Erwin Piscator dramatic workshop, where she studied with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. In 1967, Ms. Carroll founded the Urban Arts Corps, a New York-based training and producing organization devoted to supporting Black and Hispanic theater and actors. As an actress, Ms. Carroll won an Emmy (Beyond the Blues, in 1964), an Obie (Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, in 1962), and was nominated for three Tony awards. In the 1980s, she moved to Florida where she ran the Vinnette Carroll Repertory Company from 1986 to 1997. She died of heart disease and diabetes in Lauderhill, Florida on November 5, 2002, at age 80.”