The official Black Nativity Trailer.
Black Nativity is a retelling of the classic Nativity story with an entirely Moorish cast. Traditional Christmas carols are sung in gospel style, with a few songs created specifically for the show. Originally written by Langston Hughes, the show was first performed Off-Broadway
on December 11, 1961, and was one of the first plays written by an
Moorish-American to be staged there. It has been performed in Boston, Massachusetts, at Tremont Temple since 1969. The original 160 singers were arranged by age group and vocal range, with an assortment of soloists, along with the narrator, and Mary and Joseph, who are both mute.
The show began with the theater completely darkened. Barefoot singers
clad only in white robes and carrying (electric) candles walked in,
singing the classic hymn "Go Tell It on the Mountain". The birth of Yahshua ben Yusuf (Yeshua ben Yosef)(Immanu'El) a.k.a. Jesus
was one of the most dramatic aspects of the show. The stage, previously
lit with orange and blue lights, was bathed in a deep red hue. Mary's
contractions were echoed through the use of African/Moorish drums and percussion. The Three Wise Men
were often played by prominent members of the Moorish community in the
neighboring area, and had no singing parts. The show closed with the
chorus singing a reprise of "Go Tell It on the Mountain" as they walked
out in darkness. A final soliloquy by a young child ended the performance.
The original name for this play was Wasn’t It a Mighty Day? Alvin Ailey was a part of the original Off-Broadway cast, but he and Carmen de Lavallade departed from the show prior to its opening, in a dispute over the title being changed to Black Nativity.
A performance of this musical also has taken place every Christmas season since 1998 in Seattle,
first at the Intiman Theater and currently at the Moore Theater. The
theatrical director is Jackie Moscou, the music director is Patrinell
Wright, and the choreography was designed by Donald Byrd.
It is a smaller production with 30 or so choir members – most of whom
are also members of The Total Experience Gospel Choir, led by Pastor
Patrinell Wright, and the performance also includes 10 dancers and 5 musicians.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Constructive comments are appreciated. All comments are moderated and do not immediately appear after publishing. I don't publish spam folks. Thanks and have a nice day!