Black Nativity
Encyclopedia
Black Nativity is a retelling of the classic Nativity
story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carol
s are sung in gospel
style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes
, the show was first performed on Broadway
on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African-American to be staged there. It has been performed in Boston, Massachusetts
at Tremont Temple
since 1969. The 160 singers are arranged by age group and vocal range
, with an assortment of soloist
s, along with the narrator
, and Mary and Joseph
, who are both mute.
The show begins with the theater completely darkened. Barefoot singers clad only in white robes and carrying (electric) candle
s walk in, singing the classic hymn
"Go Tell It on the Mountain
". The birth of Jesus
is one of the most dramatic aspects of the show. The stage, previously lit with orange and blue lights, is bathed in a deep red hue. Mary's contractions are echoed through the use of African drums and percussion. The Three Wise Men are typically played by prominent members of the black community in the neighboring area, and have no singing parts. The show closes with the chorus singing a reprise of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" as they walk out in darkness. A final soliloquy
by a young child ends the performance.
The original name for this play was Wasn’t It a Mighty Day? Alvin Ailey
was a part of the original Off Broadway cast, but he and Carmen de Lavallade departed from the show prior to opening in a dispute over changing the title to Black Nativity.
A performance of this musical also has taken place every Christmas season for 11 years running in Seattle at the Intiman Theater. It is a smaller production with closer to 30 than 160 performers- most of whom are also members of The Total Experience Gospel Choir, led by Pastor Patrinell Wright. It also starred Reverend Sam McKinney, who has been a Civil Rights activist and a prominent Baptist minister in the Seattle area for nearly 50 years, as well as being a friend and classmate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Nativity play
A Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity.-Liturgical:...
story with an entirely black cast. Traditional Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
s are sung in gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
, the show was first performed on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an African-American to be staged there. It has been performed in Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
at Tremont Temple
Tremont Temple
The Tremont Temple on 88 Tremont Street is a Baptist church in Boston, affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA. The existing structure opened in May 1896 and was designed by architect Clarence Blackall.-History:...
since 1969. The 160 singers are arranged by age group and vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
, with an assortment of soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
s, along with the narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
, and Mary and Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, who are both mute.
The show begins with the theater completely darkened. Barefoot singers clad only in white robes and carrying (electric) candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
s walk in, singing the classic hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Go Tell It on the Mountain
Go Tell It on the Mountain (song)
"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual song, compiled by John Wesley Work, Jr., dating back to at least 1865, that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers...
". The birth of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is one of the most dramatic aspects of the show. The stage, previously lit with orange and blue lights, is bathed in a deep red hue. Mary's contractions are echoed through the use of African drums and percussion. The Three Wise Men are typically played by prominent members of the black community in the neighboring area, and have no singing parts. The show closes with the chorus singing a reprise of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" as they walk out in darkness. A final soliloquy
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a device often used in drama whereby a character relates his or her thoughts and feelings to him/herself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters, and is delivered often when they are alone or think they are alone. Soliloquy is distinct from monologue and...
by a young child ends the performance.
The original name for this play was Wasn’t It a Mighty Day? Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey, Jr. was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York. Ailey is credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th century concert dance...
was a part of the original Off Broadway cast, but he and Carmen de Lavallade departed from the show prior to opening in a dispute over changing the title to Black Nativity.
A performance of this musical also has taken place every Christmas season for 11 years running in Seattle at the Intiman Theater. It is a smaller production with closer to 30 than 160 performers- most of whom are also members of The Total Experience Gospel Choir, led by Pastor Patrinell Wright. It also starred Reverend Sam McKinney, who has been a Civil Rights activist and a prominent Baptist minister in the Seattle area for nearly 50 years, as well as being a friend and classmate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
External links
- BlackNativity.org
- Black Nativity debuts on Broadway from the African American RegistryAfrican American RegistryAfrican American Registry is a non-profit educational resource for the learning community to supply teachers with the information, method, and materials to provide a solid educational background in black history and heritage, in the sciences, business, the arts, and all facets of academics and...
- NCAAA page