It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues
Encyclopedia
It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues is a musical
revue written by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor
, and Dan Wheetman. It was originally produced at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
, and later presented by the Crossroads Theatre
, in association with San Diego Repertory Theatre
and Alabama Shakespeare Festival
in New York
.
The revue traces the history of "blues
" music with more than three dozen songs. Ron Taylor acted as singing narrator. It was directed by Randal Myler with movement by Donald McKayle
.
It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues started as a Denver Center Theater Company school touring show in circa 1994. The Denver Center production played at the Arena Stage
(Washington, D.C.), in November 1996. It subsequently opened in New York
at the New Victory Theater in March 1999 for a limited run, and then transferred to Broadway
. It opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre
on April 26, 1999, transferred to the Ambassador Theatre
on 9/7/1999, and ran until January 9, 2000, with 284 performances.
In 2011, the show was revived by the New Haarlem Arts Theater at the Aaron Davis Hall
on the City College of New York
campus.
On-stage 6-member band, musical director Dan Wheetman, with Debra Laws
Drama Desk Award
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
revue written by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor
Ron Taylor (actor)
Ronald James Taylor was an American actor, singer and writer. He grew up in Galveston, Texas and later moved to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After graduating, he began working in musical theater, appearing in The Wiz , before getting his break with the 1982...
, and Dan Wheetman. It was originally produced at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts ' is an organization in Denver, Colorado which provides a showcase for live theatre, a nurturing ground for new plays, a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit, a graduate-level training school for actors, acting classes for the community and rental...
, and later presented by the Crossroads Theatre
Crossroads Theatre
Crossroads Theatre is a prize-winning theatre located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and founded in 1978. It is the winner of the 1999 Regional Theatre Tony Award.-Mission:...
, in association with San Diego Repertory Theatre
San Diego Repertory Theatre
The San Diego Repertory Theatre was developed out of Indian Magique, a street theater group of actors/writers/directors/producers who were fellow theatre graduates from USIU. Founded initially in 1975 by Sam Woodhouse, Christopher R, John Lee and others, they met in the loft of the old Spreckels...
and Alabama Shakespeare Festival
Alabama Shakespeare Festival
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is the seventh largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Each year, it attracts more than 300,000 visitors from throughout the United States and more than 60 countries, to its home in Montgomery, Alabama....
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The revue traces the history of "blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
" music with more than three dozen songs. Ron Taylor acted as singing narrator. It was directed by Randal Myler with movement by Donald McKayle
Donald McKayle
Donald McKayle is an African American modern dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and writer best known for creating socially conscious concert works during the 1950s and 60s that focus on expressing the human condition and more specifically, the black experience in America...
.
It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues started as a Denver Center Theater Company school touring show in circa 1994. The Denver Center production played at the Arena Stage
Arena Stage
Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest Washington, D.C. Its declared mission"is to produce huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit. Arena has broad shoulders and a capacity to produce anything from vast epics...
(Washington, D.C.), in November 1996. It subsequently opened in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at the New Victory Theater in March 1999 for a limited run, and then transferred to 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...
. It opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre
Vivian Beaumont Theatre
The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a theatre located in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The structure was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen, and Jo Mielziner was responsible for the design of the stage and interior.The Vivian...
on April 26, 1999, transferred to the Ambassador Theatre
Ambassador Theatre
Ambassador Theatre can refer to:* Ambassador Theatre * Ambassador Theatre * Ambassador Theatre * Ambassadors Theatre...
on 9/7/1999, and ran until January 9, 2000, with 284 performances.
In 2011, the show was revived by the New Haarlem Arts Theater at the Aaron Davis Hall
Aaron Davis Hall
Aaron Davis Hall is a Performing Arts Center in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.Aaron Davis Hall was founded in 1981 and is located on the campus of the City College of New York, between West 133rd and 135th Streets on Convent Avenue. Convent Ave. is one block east of Amsterdam Avenue...
on the City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
campus.
Cast
- "Mississippi" Charles Bevel
- Gretha BostonGretha BostonGretha Boston is an American actress. Boston made her Broadway debut as "Queenie" in the 1994 revival of Show Boat, directed by Hal Prince...
- Carter Calvert
- Eloise LawsEloise LawsEloise Laws is a singer and a member of the prominent Laws family of musicians from Houston, Texas.-Biography:Lavern Eloise Laws was born November 6, 1943 in Houston, Texas as the fourth of eight children of Miola Luverta Donahue and Hubert Laws, Sr...
- Gregory PorterGregory PorterGregory Porter is a Grammy Award-nominated jazz vocalist for his 2010 release, Water, on Motéma Music. He was also a member of the original Broadway cast of It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues...
- Ron TaylorRon Taylor (actor)Ronald James Taylor was an American actor, singer and writer. He grew up in Galveston, Texas and later moved to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After graduating, he began working in musical theater, appearing in The Wiz , before getting his break with the 1982...
- Dan Wheetman
On-stage 6-member band, musical director Dan Wheetman, with Debra Laws
Debra Laws
Debra Laws is an American R&B singer and actress from Houston, Texas. In her music career, she works closely with her siblings, Eloise Laws, Hubert Laws and Ronnie Laws, who are producers.-Biography:...
Songs (partial)
Sources: The Washington Post, Lloyd Rose, D01, November 22, 1996 and Curtain Up review, April 1999- "Come On in My Kitchen"
- "Black Woman"
- "Crawlin' King Snake"
- "Walkin' Blues"
- "Crossroad Blues"
- "I Can't Stop Loving You"
- "Dangerous Blues"
- "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"
- "Fever"
- "Someone Else is Stepping In"
- "Walking After Midnight"
- "Good-Night Irene"
Awards and nominations
Tony AwardTony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
- Best Musical (nominee)
- Best Book of a Musical (Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, and Dan Wheetman) (nominee)
- Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Ron Taylor) (nominee)
- Best Featured Actress in a Musical Gretha Boston (nominee)
Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
- Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Ron Taylor) (nominee)
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
- Gretha Boston (nominee)
- Eloise Laws (nominee)
- Outstanding Musical Revue (nominee)
External links
- It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues at the Internet Off Broadway DatabaseLortel ArchivesThe Lortel Archives, or the Internet Off-Broadway Database is an online database that catalogues theatre productions shown off-Broadway.The archives are named in honor of actress and theatrical producer Lucille Lortel.-See also:...
- New York Times review, April 1, 1999