Although theater has been a staple in United States (US) culture since the eighteenth century, the first black actors did not appear on a Broadway stage until 1903 in the performance of In Dahomey, an all-black comedy show, according to playbill.com. Today, theatrical work remains a predominantly white dominated field, with two thirds of all available roles going to white actors. Black actors such as Mr. Ira Aldridge, Ms. Schele Williams, Mr. Sidney Poitier, Mr. Audra McDonald, Ms. Viola Davis, and Mr. James Earl Jones have inspired many with their determination in pursuing a career in the arts regardless of barriers placed upon them due to their race.
The theater world often refers to Mr. Aldridge as the first black person to perform on the international stage. At 17 years old, Mr. Aldridge traveled to England from New York City, New York and found success in 1824. Mr. Aldridge was the first black actor to play the eponymous character in Shakespeare’s Othello. Although it took 100 years for another black actor to star as Othello, the widespread fame that Mr. Aldridge acquired while he was alive served as a beacon of hope and a gold standard. The effects of Aldridge’s passion in theater and his desire to succeed in the field demonstrates how it is necessary to represent all people in theater, according to medium.com.
As trips to the theater became increasingly popular in the early twentieth century due to urbanization, exclusively black productions started to emerge across the US, according to pbs.org. Though theaters, such as the African Grove Theatre, faced a large amount of backlash from nearby white theaters, predominantly black performance spaces still allowed actors and audiences to enjoy productions, according to nyuskirball.org. Black theaters provided places for many black Americans to see their unique stories displayed in places that respect them and their culture. Milestones like these allowed for breakthroughs in black theater, such as The Wiz, which would be one of the first large-scale high-budget musicals featuring an all black cast, according to playbill.com.
The musical The Wiz was the first time many Americans saw references to black culture and black vernacular. In fact, the show boasted its message of black pride unapologetically, according to playbill.com. Representation in the theatrical world served as pillars of recognition for entire demographics of people. Ms. Williams, who directs an adaptation of The Wiz, reflected on the effect the original musical had on her.
“I grew up watching all of the princess movies, and there was never a princess that looked like me,” Ms. Williams said, according to playbill.com. “Suddenly there was a piece of theatre that not only saw me inside of this epic, American story, but every character on stage represented my blackness. That was so validating for me.”
Ms. Williams is a director and actor, who through her work, strives to showcase authentic representation on the stage, according to broadwayteachinggroup.com. Representation is especially important to Ms. Williams because that is what drove her to direct, according to tdf.org. By having something to look up to in the original showing of The Wiz Ms. Williams fueled her passion. Subsequently creating even more opportunities for black actors on stage in the performances she directs such as the revival of The Wiz, and The Notebook.
In the 1960s, though theaters had only recently desegregated nationally, Mr. Jones was still able to find major success on stage and on screen. In 1969, Mr. Jones became the first black man to win a Tony for his lead role as Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope, a show that reflected the racism and segregation in the time that Jack Johnson fought. Additionally Mr. Jones famously voiced Darth Vader in the popular Star Wars franchise. Mr. Jones’ ability to prosper in the arts during turbulent times for black people in the US inspired many other black actors to pursue acting, according to nbcnews.com.
Mr. Poitier’s career also had a tremendous impact on US culture and paved the way for many black actors that would follow in his footsteps. Mr. Poitier was the first black actor to be nominated for an Academy Award, and six years later he was the first black man to win an Academy Award. Many of Mr. Poitier’s most memorable roles portrayed the racism felt by many black Americans in the 1960s, according to artsci.tamu.edu. By playing characters who challenged stereotypes, Mr. Poitier was able to affect change not just in Hollywood but throughout the country, according to civicsforlife.org
Ms. McDonald was born into a musical family in 1970. Only a year after she graduated from Juilliard School, she received her first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for Carousel at Lincoln Center Theater, according to audramcdonald.com. Ms. McDonald was also the first person to win a Tony in all four acting categories. Ms. McDonald used her success in the arts to spark social change. Ms. McDonald, along with a coalition of other highly successful black actors, formed Black Theatre United (BTU). BTU’s mission is to inspire continued reform for systemic racism within the theater community and throughout the country, according to blacktheatreunited.com. Ms. McDonald is currently starring in Broadway’s Gypsy as the shows first black Momma Rose.
Although growing up Ms. Davis was surrounded with poverty and racism, she was able to find peace in acting and eventually become a role model for many in the arts, according to hbr.org. Ms. Davis used her skill in acting to tell the untold stories of those who came before her, according to today.com. By taking on lead roles in major on screen projects such as The Help and The Woman King, Ms. Davis was able to help in spreading awareness on the black experience from the recent past and centuries ago, according to thegaurdian.com.
Although there has been a commendable development with diversity in theater spaces since the times of Mr. Aldridge, it is important to remember that diversifying theater spaces is necessary because art should imitate life, according to medium.com. Ms. Emilyn Kowaleski, a theatre director and playwright, commented on the need for increased representation in theater.
“Ultimately, in order to have theatre reflect the world as it is, the industry must value the artists that it has historically marginalized,” Ms. Kowaleski said, according to media-diversity.org. “[This] could […] make theatre a more inclusive space for both artists and audiences.”
Featured Image by Catherine Ononye ’27
