Urylee Leonardos
Encyclopedia
Urylee Leonardos was an American
vocalist and actress who appeared frequently on Broadway
. She has the distinction of being the first black performer to understudy and go on for a white performer in a Broadway production. She filled in for Yma Sumac
in the role of Princess Najla in the 1951 production of Flahooley.
's Gay New Orleans revue at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City
. Later that year, she had a small role on Broadway
in The Male Animal.
Her big break came in 1943, when she was cast in the musical Carmen Jones
. Initially cast in a small role, Leonardo took over the lead in the 1946 revival of the production.
Leonardos filled in for Yma Sumac
as Princess Najla in the 1951 production, Flahooley. It was the first time that a black performer stepped into a role played by a white person on Broadway. She also played the female lead in the 1953 revival of Porgy and Bess
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocalist and actress who appeared frequently 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...
. She has the distinction of being the first black performer to understudy and go on for a white performer in a Broadway production. She filled in for Yma Sumac
Yma Súmac
Yma Sumac was a noted Peruvian soprano. In the 1950s, she was one of the most famous proponents of exotica music. She became an international success based on her extreme vocal range, which was said to be "well over four octaves" and was sometimes claimed to span even five octaves at her peak.Yma...
in the role of Princess Najla in the 1951 production of Flahooley.
Biography
Leonardos appeared in Mike ToddMike Todd
Michael Todd was an American theatre and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of Around the World in Eighty Days, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture...
's Gay New Orleans revue at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Later that year, she had a small role 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...
in The Male Animal.
Her big break came in 1943, when she was cast in the musical Carmen Jones
Carmen Jones
Carmen Jones is a 1943 Broadway musical starring Muriel Smith in the title role, later made into a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at London's Old Vic and most recently in London's Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre in 2007. It is an updating of the Georges Bizet...
. Initially cast in a small role, Leonardo took over the lead in the 1946 revival of the production.
Leonardos filled in for Yma Sumac
Yma Súmac
Yma Sumac was a noted Peruvian soprano. In the 1950s, she was one of the most famous proponents of exotica music. She became an international success based on her extreme vocal range, which was said to be "well over four octaves" and was sometimes claimed to span even five octaves at her peak.Yma...
as Princess Najla in the 1951 production, Flahooley. It was the first time that a black performer stepped into a role played by a white person on Broadway. She also played the female lead in the 1953 revival of Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
.
Theatre
| Year | Production | Role(s) | Theatre(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Porgy and Bess | Bess | Zeigfield Theatre | Revival. Alternated role with Lena Horne Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the... |
| 1952 | Shuffle Along | Laura Popham | Broadway Theatre | Revival of the 1920s musical, but set in Northern Italy and New York City in 1945 |
| 1951 | Flahooley | Switchboard Operator, Singer, Najla (understudy) | Broadhurst Theatre | |
| 1948 | Set My People Free | Blanche | Hudson Theatre | Staged by Martin Ritt Martin Ritt Martin Ritt was an American director, actor, and playwright who worked in both film and theater. He was born in New York City.-Early career and influences:... |
| 1946 | Carmen Jones Carmen Jones Carmen Jones is a 1943 Broadway musical starring Muriel Smith in the title role, later made into a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at London's Old Vic and most recently in London's Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre in 2007. It is an updating of the Georges Bizet... |
Carmen | City Center | Revival of 1943 production |
| 1943 | Carmen Jones Carmen Jones Carmen Jones is a 1943 Broadway musical starring Muriel Smith in the title role, later made into a 1954 musical film; the play also ran for a season in 1991 at London's Old Vic and most recently in London's Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre in 2007. It is an updating of the Georges Bizet... >Card Player, Ensemble |
Broadway Theatre |
Motion Pictures
| Year | Title | Role | Distributor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | No Sad Songs for Me | Flora, the Maid | Columbia |