Back to the 10th Annual Festival of New Musicals

Blackbirds Of Broadway

1998 Festival

Contact for Rights

David Coffman, 212-391-9315


Number of Acts: 2
Number of Principals (Male): 3
Number of Principals (Female): 4
Total Cast Size: 7
Orchestra Breakdown:

piano, bass, drums, sax, trombone, trumpet

Genre & Style:


Search Set & Costume Registry


Synopsis

Blackbirds of Broadway is a hip, new jazz musical inspired by the original Blackbird revues which thrilled New York, London, and Paris throughout the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Known as the black ‘Ziegfield Follies’, the original Blackbird productions featured stars such as Josephine Baker, Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson and The Nicholas Brothers. Blackbirds of Broadway features the best of Jazz, Tap, Swing, Blues, Gospel, even Dixieland. The show is propelled by a Master of Ceremonies who (in the style of Cab Calloway) leads the audience through an evening filled with ‘jazz poems’ by the legendary Langston Hughes offering fresh insight into the ‘Golden Era’ of The Harlem Renaissance.

Festival Successes

Arkansas Repertory (AR), Barter Theatre, Charlotte Repertory Theatre (NC), Mill Mountain Theatre (VA), Theatre IV (OH), Victoria Theatre (OH), Blumenthal Performing Arts Center (NC), Empire Theatre, European Tour.