Play on!

Synopsis

Twelfth Night, with an all African-American cast, is transformed into a romantic fable set in 1940s Harlem using Duke Ellington songs as its score. The play was directed for stage by Sheldon Epps and for Theatre on Film and Tape (TOFT) by Richard Stucker.

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video

Technical information

Colour / Sound

Recording date

7 May 1997

Duration

139 mins

Credits

Director

Richard Stucker; Sheldon Epps

Music

Duke Ellington; Luther Henderson

Production Design

James Leonard Joy

Costume

Marianna Elliott

Choreographer

Mercedes Ellington

Cast

Cheryl Freeman	Vy (Viola (later disguised as Cesario))
Tonya Pinkins	Lady Liv (Olivia)
Carl Anderson (2)	Duke (Orsino, Duke of Illyria)
Lawrence Hamilton	Rev (Malvolio)
André De Shields	Jester (Feste)
Larry Marshall	Sweets
Yvette Cason	Miss Mary (Maria)

Additional Details

Theatre

Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York, NY

Production type

Operas and Musicals

Historical period

1940s

Plays

Twelfth Night

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

jazz; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Black actors

Notes

Notes

A video recording of the first production of the musical at the Old Globe Theatre, Santiago recorded November 10 1996, is also held by TOFT.

General

The musical play based on the book by Cheryl L. West and adapted for the stage by West and Sheldon Epps.

Reviews

Ben Brantley. ‘Swinging Shakespeare gets Aboard the A Train’ in The New York Times (March 21 1997).

Archive

Name

Theatre on Film and Tape (TOFT)

Email

toft@nypl.org

Web

http://www.nypl.org/locations/lpa/theatre-film-and-tape-archive External site opens in new window

Phone

+ 1 (212) 870-1642

Fax

(212) 8701868

Address

Billy Rose Theatre Collection
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York,New York
10023-7498
USA