New Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 16

Pi ttsbar gh Courier CRPV7 PRiilAR(iunTO (Tpn PlfSW flP4 Wilis YHAY5' iibdUQ bjbalM ULbvJ LvJiilLlbjUU UbvJ 0 bills bdbA Uliflli if Hi t. tm wi iilil pit By FLOYD CL SNELSON, Jr. H7 0) 0 II Silvery voiced Juanitu Silvery voiced Juanita 11 (Editor's Note The following address by Edward O. Perry member of the editorial board of Trend, a white theatrical and arte quarterly magazine was broadcast over station WEVD in Xvek York City recently. Mr.

Perry is well known, as an actor, vlavwriaht. 9oet, critic and journalist. He is from Jacksonville, no. Be lives at 37 W. Hist Street, New York.) Bv EDWARD G.

PERRY For many of us the theater is a fascinating subject which, when it is being discussed, causes, so many things to enter one's mind that it is almost impossible to record all of them. This is especially true of "The Negroes in the Theater" or "The Theater and the Negro." Of course, this theater of which I am speaking is the American theater since, with 1 exception ol a iew inai viduals, such as Josephine 3aker and Paul Robeson the Negro has not figured to any great extent In the theater of Europe. But It Is worthy of mention even here and now, that when JLhe American Negro has appearedBn the stages of Europe he has done so in many instances with far greater success than It would have been possible for him to achieve In his native land. For, despite much of the talk concerning the tolerance of art and Its followers, the American theater has been almost as unpleasant In its attitude toward the Negro actor as other Americans nave been and continue to be in almost every other phase of life ir this country and elsewhere. Yet, against all odds, the Negro has gone forward In the theater as he has done In most of the other arts and sciences.

Like the Prophetess Rachel, he has remained at the gate crying. "Let me In." And today, in spite of many serious handio.ps. his voice has oeen heard. But while he continues to cry, "Let me in." he must also to on preparing himself for the day when the gate shall be opened v. ide unto him.

Then he can enter in a blaze of glory and no one will dare say, "Thou shall not enter nere." But, as long ago as 1821, oack In New York, the Negro actor was attempting with all seriousness to do the gTjat dramas of Shakespeare. There were a number of companies presenting such highbrow theatricals, all of which could 'be considered with a grain of ialt. for their performances were pa theUcally ridiculous were it not for the fact that out of these early nineteenth century efforts came one of the greatest actors the world has ever known Ira Aldridge who. not unlike one or two American Nigra actors of today, achieved his greatest success in England and on the European continent. Yet.

in spite of the fact that Aldridge won triumphant success, nis career did not Influence the vel opment of Negro theatricals any way. But the Negro's real begin nlngs In the American theater were made on. the minstrel stage. Professionally. Negro minstrelsy now seems dead, even th gh history of "The Negro in the Theater" It Is important, for it was not only the first step in his de velopment, but remains, even up to now.

his most original contribution to the theater. But the latter part of the nineteenth century, or in 1890, the made his first successful de parture from strict minstreisy wnen the "Creole Show." which tht first stage production to glorify the colored girl, was presented. Tb. production, unlike th: minstrels, gave great prominence to girls. Ana nere was the beginning of the period which led to the musical comedies of such fine artists as Cole and Johnson.

Williams11 and Walker and Ernest Hogan. for the "Creole Show" created, something or a sen satlon when it opened in New York at a theater In Greeley Square, which was then the Broadway district. Following the Creole Show." which was staged with all the fi nesse of the white musical snows of that day. came a number of other such productions. Later came a period of Negro tasre singers, most of them women.

such as Elizabeth Taylor Greenfell, who was known as far back 1M1 as the "Black Swan;" the livers Sisters Anna Tadah vnd Emma Louise whose rich harmon les. If they lived today, would not only rival but surpass the Boswell Sisters of nresent popular radio and vaudeville fame, and then cam Mme. Marie Selika. the first o'ore? singer, with a voice of natural beauty and which also had een property cultivated. Of this Troup Miss Selika Is still living and in Harlem, where she resides, she teaches In that community's fore most musical institution the Mar Un Smith Music School.

But an this led up to on of the test of all Negro singer and stage artists, the famed 'Elac Pattl" Slssieretta James, who now lives in Providence. R. 'Black Patti." because of her magnificent voice and great gifts as an iTtia has come nearer to opera t'c stage of the Metropolitan than any other Negro singer. Yet. oecause it is the stage of which I am peak lng this evening and not cncert singers or their platform.

I must turn again to it, and la dojng sc must mention "The, Troubadors." a musical company which had "Black PatU" as its atar. This company had great! success for many, many seasons all over the country, and was probably the beginning of tht present day type of Negro revue en tertainment, Then in 1898 9 came Bob Coie with nis "A Trip to Coon Town, which was the first Negro show to break away from the riinstrel entirely. This show was really thj first Neero musical comedy, or It was not just another hodge but contained a musical plo was carried through from ning to end, which is nucn than most of the American .1 comedies today can boast of iJ The summer of 1898 also oi to the Casino Roof Garden a in a slcal sketch called "Cloriniiy" I o. "The Origin of the Cake Warn. Will Marlon Cook, a musical enins of his race, composed the music fci which also introduced to the American theater Err Hogan, a comedian: of rare gifts, who was able to provoke laughter vitn out the blackface makeup whicn was so popular during this day.

And the following summer bi ought a musical; playlet. "Jes Lak Whi'o Folks," also written by Will Marion Cook 'and had among the principals of its cast, a young woman who wa later to be acclaimed not only as a great dramatic artist but a inget whose glo.ious voice was to I be heard in all of the temples if Ev. rope. Her name is Abbie MUchelL Now we reach that period when Negro comedy reached Its great ej height, which it was not to attain again until the "Shuffle Along." which is still fresh in our memory. And it is also sad to relate 'liat since "Shuffle Along" there has been a of good Negro comedy.

For present day Negro mu sical shows are sadly in need ot it, despite their many other excellent qualities, such as the unsurpassable dancing of Its choruses. So in 1896. when Bert' Williams and George Walker came to New ork in the "Creole Show." saving joined it ion one of its road tours "The Negro In the Theater" vas to come into his own for the first time. For Williams and Walker, whose supreme gifts as a vaudeville team soon appeared in i how called "The Gold Bug." which introduced to Broadway and the world a ancj known as the cake walk, which was the forerunner of the "Charleston. the Black Bottom the prsen day popular Llndy Hop.

Bert Williams and: George Walker not only made the cake walk popular bu as It was soon taken up by, the ladies and gentlemen of high society, including W'Miam K. Vanderbllt, who was challenged by Williams and Walker to compete with them In a contest which vas. of a'publicity stunt, but f. ne that surpasses most of the stunts of lour present day publicity age I I have not the time to name here the number of shows in which Bert Williams land George Walker appeared together, often with another excellent team that of Cole and Johnson before they separated which was due to the ill health of Walker. Meanwhile an effort was made to transfer the Negro theatrical entertainment Bac I might mention that out of these shows of the nineteenth century came some of the most popula American; songs, many of which are still sung with much sentiment today.

Then came that period at the beginning of the twentieth century when Bert Williams left a show Brown, Cleveland Radio Favorite, will be the Featured Songbird at the big Crispus Attucks American Legion Ball at the Pythian Temple Friday night. Miss Brown is also hailed as one of the fifth city's most outstanding entertainers. In her appearances at many of Cleveland's smartest white nite clubs she has re Iceived tremendous tions. i ova TV called "Mr. Lcde of Kole" to ap pear in Ziegfeld's Follies." He remained in the "Follies" for ten seasons or more, and It is orthy of mention that Florenz Ziegfeld, who just died, great courage in placing Bert Williams in his snows, for there were many protests when he dil so.

but Ziegfeld neld his ground, knowing that Williams was the greatest comedian the American stage had offered so far, and it is quite possible that few ether comedians have ever equaled him In the beauty of his voice, the perfection of his pantomime, the subtlety of his wit and the graclous niss of his manner. Bert Williams died in 1922, having had the most successful career of any Negro on the American stage, with, perhaps, the 3ptici of Florence Mills, whose career: was almost too shortlived for any comparison, and Ro3e McClendon, Jules Bledsoe and Paul Robeson all of whom, one might say. are just at the beginning of their even though they are artists with supreme gifts. I recall that when in 1927 'Pcrgy" was produced with amazing success by the Theater Guild, not only tae audience, but many of the critics as well, wanted to kn.qv where the Guild found so many Negroes who were able to portray the most cult roles with almost perfect artistry. There were even those who said that the Negro's native tca, whatever thzy are, ga.

him par feet freedom and a ndon 5n the stage. Therefore, he was able, apparently without any technical knowledge, to come before the oot lights and blossom forth like an erly spring flower. How misinformed most of thoss people were. If they had only known that i Harlem once nad its own theatrical company. A company whose players attempted, often with unbelievable success, such plays a "Mme.

"The Servant in the House," "Within the Law" and many others. course, let no one believe that all of the members of the Lafayette Stock pany were great actors, for mos. of them were far from being so and remain so even today, but one woman Abbie Mitchell, whose name I have mentioned before, brought to these melodramas such a glorious voice, beautiful gestures and a vivid personality of fine rmotlonai qualities that her acting often rose to magnificent But there were also one or two other very capable actors In the company. Including Evelyn Ellis. Inez Clough.

Edna Thomas, Laura Bowman. Frank Wilson and Jharles Gilpin, both of the latter to be heard from later. There were many others, but Oh Kay, California! y.y.. mm i a mmm mtrnm a the names I have mentioned are the most notable ones, and most of them have proved it by their steady rise to definite places of recognition. The company of Lafayette Players was really the beginning of another period in Negro theatrical history.

For their sprung up other Negro shows In lem. many oi attracting visitors om Broadway, which, one might say, was the beginning of the migration to this great Negro metropolis. I And then tame the evening of April 5, 1917, which is i he most im portant date in the theatrical history of the Negro, for it was a timing point to other aud greater things when three one act plays were given by the Colored Players at Madison Square Garden. The plays were by Rldgely Torrence, and they were presented by Mrs. Emily Hapgood, with settings Robert Edmond Jones.

They werS highly successful artistically and may hav had something to do with the new Negro renaissance which wr to follow although I believe this cultural movement of the Negro was the res 't of a white world grown sIck of its own pale faces and the tragedy of its intolerance. But to continue, in 1919 Charles Gilpin was selected to play in John Taylor's popular orchestra Sunday midnight preceding TO VIE IN Tl BVOY iSJ ovcoC4od Hello people folks everybody! Los Angeles. California broadcasting from the Dunbar Hotel, the greatest and finest hostelry in the "Angel quarters of America's greatest weekly newspaper, THE PITTSBURGH COURIER, during the fl nae of the celebrated Olympic games. now Courier readers. Jadles and gen tlemen.

public, and pals and associates. west coast city in the midst of ocean, orange groves, fertile loam, lemon trees. Quaint Missions, deserts. Beach resorts. Monica, Terminal San Pedro, Ellnisor.

hills, precipices, valleys, dales, boulevards, roads, paths and findings. Observation cars, Pullmans, de luxe mo tors, cars, vehicles and biles. Oranges. Suksit plukes, sukers. plums.

yellow tokay wine chili, beans, melons, Xmas, honeydew, casaba and can tas. just walnuts, pecans. almonds ai others growing on trees. perslmmins. Roses, gladles.

gardenias and many botanical fruit thata beyond my mention. bungalows in Spanish. Gothic, Italian, Paul Johnson. Including the Los Angeles oper ation. beautiful bungalow homes, stucco love nests, flower gardened palaces, palm treed havens, grape ine arbors, Spanish courts, Catholic monastery villas, Italian huts.

every design and fashion. i galore from everywhere J5t. Louis. Kansas City and New York vie for nonors as having contributed the largest quotas for the Olympiad. From New York.

Mrs. Elise Ayer and son, Mrs. Etta Cachiemelele.7 MLss Charllne Battles, Miss i Louise Logan, Mrs. Frank Caffey and son, Mr. and Mrs.

Frank Caffey Jr, Mrs. Emma Terry, Mrs. Thelma B. Boozer, Jimmie Smith. Mrs.

Louise Jackson and son. Herbert, Mrs. G. Stanley. So on with the story Everybody had a great time.

Laughing, singing, getting together like regular fellows. And believe me, they know how to get together In La Ciudad De Los Angeles in other words the "City of the Angels." So glass to glass listen in and we'll give you "the toast." And there was Cliff Ritchie, Sr who gave the good news that the fambus aggregation of Henry Star and Cliff Ritchie, the well known team of Hollywood, who were known the black Van and Schenk. were going to get together again. These boys are big box office attractions and the news that Harry Weber was signing 'em up again took a big hand from all Drinkwater's "Abraham Lincoln." which he later followed with tremendous success In Eugene O'NeiU'3 "Emperor Jones." Gilpin was really a great actor of natural gifts, if ever there was one, which, of course, may help to uphold something of thj point of view of those people who contend that all Negroes are natural 2 tors. For he was able to create a role like the "Emperor Jones," which was not more than a dramatic monologue, and sustain it with such power, emotion and the richness of his will compete with another big Labor Day, in what promises i MUSIC BAT TIE LABOR DAY MORN i i i I I I dances of the early fall season.

Clarence Muse, Leading Colored Cinema I Actor, Tells Fascinating' Story of Ne groe i the Stage and Screen In New Book. LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18 For some unexplained reason, the marvelous glamour, excitement and romance of colored show business has never been exploited. In truth, most white folk do not know tnai there Is such a thing as a Negro theatrical circuit catering to the needs of colored theatergoers throughout America. As rar as they? understand, the only Negro performers are these they have occasionally seen on their own stages principally buffoons, ciowns ana tap dancers.

Amone the true penormers, oi whom they know virtually nothing, would be the names of such well known show folk as Stringbeans, famous funster; S. H. Dudley, best of the better comedians; the Whit man' Sisters and Billy Kersand, who; used td sing: "You ram on de flowers, rain on de land, i I And make all of it beautiful. Ohj Lord, why don't you rain on i m' Probably, too, they never heard of the Black Dockstader, who used to shut his mouth on a saucer with two billiard balls on it and was ad vertised as the first colored boy everj born in ASDury far, as though that were particular distinction of which to be proud. But he brought much laughter into the hearts of his colored audiences and theyj loved him well.

Not so long ago. Clarence Muse, who is now the leading colored actor in motion pictures, was a producer of traveling shows in the deep' South St. Louis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis. Birmingham and New Orleans. He headed his own musical comedy troupes playjng the key cities below the Mason and Dixon line for many seasons.

1 I For years, be has carried in his heart the rich experiences of these months on the road. His bead full of memories, of quaint, dialect songs his comedians used to sing, of sprightly golden brown soubret tes. ol temperamental tenors and petulant prima donnas, the time when his scenery was. attached and his costumes taken away. The strange, fascinating personalities he met on the road, the queer, cracked people with a bat "loose In their belfry." the talented little ragamuffins, who danced like sixty in front of the theaters where be played, the slender pianists in low I I I voice and colorful personality that it became a role of great i agio beauty.

i Since the time of the "Emperor Jones" the rest of Negro theatrical history is almost too well knownto go Into in any great detail. There was "Shuffle Along," the grandest of all Negro musical comedy entertainment, with that marvelous foursome M. P. Lu, P. T.

B. that; I can recall: Florence Mills stupendous rise to fame in "Blackbirds;" the loveliness of Rose McClendon i Deep River and later the beauty of her su. rb technique andj rich emotional acting "In Abraham's Bosom," "Porgy" and band at Mapleview Park to be one of the biggest gUlQQQ To) lb i Mif(9d )G3Q0UU Willi i WRITES BOOK CLARENCE E. MUSE America's most noted Negro screen actor whose book, "Way Down South" on the Negro theatricals and! amusement is awaited by the critics. down cabarets, the noise, the color, the richness, the eternal lure of show, business.

He'd known them all Bert Williams, George Walker, Charley Gilpin, Josephine Baker. S. H. Dudley, Sissle and Blake, the whole, brilliant galaxy of colored show folk, some of them gone new, some of the climbing ever higher to new triumphs and new laurels. He was of the day in colored show business when the most gifted of Africa's sons and daughters reigned supreme as the most scintillating figures in the profession.

In sitting before the fire in his lovely home on cool California nights. Muse used to regale his press representative and intimate associate, David Arlen. with the glamorous and romantic stories of his past life as a producer of traveling shows in the deep South. One after another, in great profusion, be poured out the stories of the race, singing the old time songs, like "Whistlln' Rufus." telling the oldtime stories and anec last season's, "The House of Connelly" and' "Never No More," in which she was starred; Ethel Waters, the divine lady our nuslc hall entertainment; Paul Robeson, whose vivid personality and magnificent voice surpass his ability, as an actor; Frank Wilson, who has a fine talenC which he displayed well In "In Abraham's Bosom," but who, nevertheless, lacks that great spark of vitality which is so necessary; the sisters Washington Isabelle uid Freddie who are, perhaps, the loveliest and most charming contribution of the Negro to the present theatr Bill Robinson, vhjae inimitable dancing Is breath taking in the perfection of its 'rhythm; Georgette Harvey, whose subtle wU has added much to the success of a number of plays, including Harrison, whose playing of the role of God in the "Green Pastures" is. with the exception of the singing of the Hall Johnson Negro Choir, largely responsible for its success, for "The Green Pastures" is the greatest and most magnificent piece of theatrical hokum ver presented on the American sta; There are a number of other Negro actors and performers whose capabilities have been expressed In many shows Therefore, it is air beyond reason why the playwrights producers and others concerned with the theater can find nothing etter for the Negro than the shows and roles they have given them, it is almost unbelievable that any producer would ask an actress like Rose McClendon.

whose supreme gifts have been fully recognized, to portray an nsignlficant part play. Yet It has been done. But none of these producers vould dare ask Miss Katherine Cornell or Miss Lynn Fontaine to essay such a role and If Mrs. McClendon has not attained the popularity of these ac trasses. it Is not because her cauent 1 SJiov Press Lack of Real Stonf of Show Game Prompts Aft jlo leu oi rtis oi Stin 1 iviii vriu dotes, describing liis i time lng hot( chorus of olden bton "Great Goodness, Cermet." q.

claimed Arlen on one of thes v. caslons, "that's simply mftrniflMr material for a book. Why, you're telling me i.i the i tory ana romance ri iho, business, It ought to bt wntia up before its forgotten. shouldn't we get together bct the covers of a book for oti folks pleasure? "But Dave, you're interested a show business and that why ii this thrills you so. Perhapi o'i folks wouldn't think so much it.

Muse replied. "I'll tell you what." detli. Arlen. "I'll have a group of ot mutual friends up here thu Su day evening. You tell thtm things you've told me and if the nave tne same reaction.

wr that book." "Agreed," smiled Ciarenct. The evening in question cast around. The guests settled ton around the swect emelling in Muse, his scrapbook on hii kat started his story, taking his runt) on an Imaginary tour of the dtq South with an imaginary trap The group was fascinated. stant exclamations of delight lm rupted his discourse, his lltUt songs, his odd "expressions of cally Negroid character, when bt had finished, so. sincere and lit ested were the expresiibni a thanks and appreciation, that Vim was convinced.

"Okeh," he said briefly to Aria "Let's write the darned book." That was six months ago. In two weeks, "Way Down SoutVJ a romance of colored show i ness by Clarence Muse and Drt Arlen, will be off the presiein available at all or Ins its publisher David Graham IV! cher in Hollywood. It will bttaa( like a scrap book, and will coatabt over 35 gorgeous black and vhftt hand blocked linoleum cuU Blanding Sloan, the famous art of typical Negro scenea In fog South, any one of the largtr cm fit for framing. Muse and Arlen, his collaborate! who is white incidentally, bin. done a great service for tba na, In thus immortalizing for potttrti a fascinating phase of tba pmt day Negro scenr, which la fait i lng lost In the deep limw a oblivion.

is not as great I hope the day will coma the Negr will have aome drama tists of his 'own, who will mi: to find the path that leads to jtat and out of It create plays of a cere worth. For we hava has I trreAt deal of Nesrro drama. tt Negro dramatist, with tht tion of Thuraan, co authorship of the play. "Btf lem." is the one outstanding. tribution of Negro course, there must be P' who are willing to hear the ery not for any sentimental rta but becau they have been aMM, move to the top of the moaata.

and then look down upon tMj tolerance of American insUtuj whether they be cult rr' a merclaL Let them and with the greateat sincerity up the gates of Heav and ft, reveal to this still bewildered lean theat.r the gifts of tht Nf" But at the same time let not Negro acto mistake these igWM vitality, an Innate senaa of rny and body expression for tachrt for they are like any natural which gain in strength and only when they have rr diw ered and placed under ecao Therefore, let not only JJ actor but all Negro artists culU not only their ov.n rf." culture of all mankind throar wm De aoie io and utter the cry of Bachd me in! Let me in!" i Dainty Adelaide HaJI ai star seemea to piace or josepnum heart of Broadway Iu to of being superior prlmitlveness ana nuu" is full of vim ana aw vivacious fascinating a unaffected the $ig real artist that ahe is gHours 9 to 2 A. M. Ppico 75c Sell Hall, Promoter.