Katherine Dunham "BAL NEGRE" Eartha Kitt / Dance 1948 San Francisco Playbill

Description

This is a rare January 4th, 1948 "Playgoer" playbill from the Post-Broadway engagement of the dance revue "BAL NEGRE" at the Geary Theatre in San Francisco, California. (The production opened November 7th, 1946 at the Belasco Theatre in New York City and ran for 52 performances before going on the road.) ..... The revue starred KATHERINE DUNHAM and the Dunham Dancers, Singers and Musicians including EARTHA KITT, LUCILLE ELLIS, DOLORES HARPER, OTHELLO STROZIER, JESSE HAWKINS, LENWOOD MORRIS, LaROSA ESTRADA, VANOYE AIKENS, WILBERT BRADLEY, RICHARDENA JACKSON, GLORIA MITCHELL, EDDY CLAY, TOMMY GOMEZ, JAMES ALEXANDER, FLOYD SMITH, BRAD COWANS, BOBBY CAPO, EUGENE LEE ROBINSON, DORIS WHITE, ROSALIE KING, JAY BROOKS and AWILDA FRASIER. The native drummers included UMBERTO CANTO, ROSA ESTRADA and JULIO MENDEZ ..... Biographical Note: KATHERINE DUNHAM has been called the "Matriarch of Black Dance." Her unprecedented blend of cultural anthropology with the artistic genre of dance in the early 1930's, produced groundbreaking forms of movement, and in the United States, established black dance as an art form in its own right. Her professional troupe, formed in the early 1940's, was a first for African Americans, and led the way for future notables of dance the likes of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem ..... CREDITS: Sets and Costumes designed by JOHN PRATT; Orchestra conducted by DANIEL MENDELSOHN; Choreographed and Staged by KATHERINE DUNHAM; Produced by KATHERINE DUNHAM ..... DETAILS: The 32 page playbill measures 5 7/8" X 8 7/8" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, scenes, musical numbers and an extensive bio of KATHERINE DUNHAM but with the exception of the front cover, no cast photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of tape residue on all four corners of the back cover (shown in the last scanned image), this rare playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any dance aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard ..... SHIPPING DISCOUNTS: Check my "Other Items" for additional rare Broadway playbills and other theatre related memorabilia. Multiple purchases qualify for shipping discounts when all items are combined into a single payment. Please wait for a revised invoice before sending payment ..... THANKS !!!
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