BONUS: John McWhorter and the Rise of Black Musical Theater cover art

BONUS: John McWhorter and the Rise of Black Musical Theater

BONUS: John McWhorter and the Rise of Black Musical Theater

Listen for free

View show details
What began as research for an episode on Cabin in the Sky quickly expanded into a much larger story about the Black artists who transformed Broadway long before that musical ever opened. Along the way, it was linguist, author, commentator, and Columbia University professor John McWhorter who put these past events in a more contemporary perspective. His writings and insights on language, race, and American culture shed new light on this remarkable era. And so in this companion episode, John and I go beyond Cabin in the Sky to explore the rise of Black musical theater through the groundbreaking work of artists like Will Marion Cook, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Eubie Blake, Langston Hughes, Ethel Waters, and Katherine Dunham. No snippets or soundbits here, this is the full conversation. We discuss the complicated legacy of productions such as Porgy and Bess, the creative tension between Black performers and white producers, and how these artists reshaped Broadway while navigating an industry that rarely gave them creative control. We even get into his own project of saving a forgotten musical by jazz musician Fats Waller. Whether you've already listened to the Cabin in the Sky episode or simply want a deeper understanding of this pivotal period in American theater history, our conversation offers more historical context, cultural perspective, and fascinating stories that reveal how Black artists fundamentally changed Broadway. --- Follow John McWhorter: Website | NY Times | X/Twitter Check out his upcoming book: Broadway in Black and White Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet