Black Buzz in Theater

By Bob Ferguson

History reflects that enslaved people produced many forms of entertainment for themselves and their holders. They were gifted singers, dancers, fiddlers, drummers, and playing the banjo. Today African Americans are still bringing their natural talent to Hollywood’s silver screen and theater stages worldwide.

Cleveland’s Karamu House started as The Neighborhood Playhouse Settlement and opened in 1915 at 2239 E. 38th Street. Later it became nationally known for its dedication to the interracial theater and the arts. Many of its actors and actresses found themselves on Broadway, in Hollywood, and on concert hall stages everywhere. Talented people such as Langston Hughes, Ruby Dee, Ron O Neal, Robert Guillaume, Imani Hakim, and others succeeded in impressive careers.

Today African Americans playwriters, cast, producers, and directors have access to the theatrical sphere on and off Broadway. It is noted that Cleveland’s Playhouses Square theater district, with its combination of nine performance venues, is classified as the second largest performing arts region in the United States.

Recently Cleveland’s own Nyla Watson, a Baldwin Wallace College graduate, performed superbly at Playhouse Square in “Hadestown,” a mythological Greek love tale of how Orpheus and Eurydice were thrust into a love triangle with Hades, god of the underworld. The production won eight Tony Awards, which included Best Musical and Best original score. The play has a New Orleans style of festive music set in a southern motif. Ms. Watson has appeared in several other stage plays like The Color Purple, Waitress, and more.

Another musical that appeared in January at Playhouse Square was “Hamilton,” 25-yearold Warren Egypt Franklin, a local Cleveland School of the Arts alumni and Baldwin Wallace College graduate, gave a superb performance and portrayal of Thomas Jefferson. Franklin hit the stage, rapping and dancing, depicting how Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were close friends according to history. This past December, Playhouse Square presented another predominantly black production,” Ain’t Too Proud” based on the book “Ain’t too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations “ by Dominique Morisseau. Her account was according to the recollection and memory of the group’s only original serving member, Otis Williams. Williams reflected on the happiest and darkest days of the Grammy award-winning R & B groups’ formation, its rise to prominence doing the 1960s, and their turmeric ending describing bits and pieces of their struggles.

The production was nominated for 11 Tony awards Best Musical and Best Choreography. Don’t miss the next big headliner coming to Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, the musical “Tina,” appearing from April 25-May 14, 2023, written by Pulitzer Prize playwright Katori Hall. The Broadway musical hit Is based on the life and times of Grammy Award Winning R & B singer Tina Turner. This production has received 12 Tony Award nomination, including Best Musical.

Rising on the billboards is Cleveland’s own Peter Lawson Jones, who also began his acting career at Karamu House. Peter Jones has appeared in several major network television series such as NBC “Chicago Fire” and on ABC in “Detroit 1-87,” a crime drama. Jones has embraced the silver screen of Hollywood in the movies like “White Boy Rick” and “Alex Cross” featuring Tyler Perry, and most recently “Rubin” portraying the longtime friend of “A Man Called Otto” featuring famed actor Tom Hanks.

One night out at the theater is one night out well to remember.