Preview
Identifier
Revue Program_Page_15
Creation Date
4-23-2021
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Theatre and Performance Studies
Description
DRAMATURGY - “NOBODY” & “BEALE STREET BLUES”
“Nobody” is from the 1906 musical Abyssinia. It was written by Alex Rogers and composed by entertainer Bert Williams in 1905. The show premiered in 1906 and is named after the Ethiopian Empire, Abyssinia. This was one of the first Broadway shows that had an all-black creative team and cast. Vaudeville duo George Walker and Bert Williams used the strength and resilience of the Ethiopian Empire and transferred it to the “Great White Way” (nickname for a section of the Broadway Theatre District illuminated by billboard and advertisements) in more ways than one. Abyssinia allowed the black community to feel represented and counter back at the misinterpretations of people of color during that time. This vulnerable plea for change was the show’s hit song that transferred into mainstream music due to its popularity. The character type displayed in “Nobody” provided inspiration for the character of Amos Walker and his signature song “Mr. Cellophane” in the 1975 musical version of Chicago. The song is superb at genuinely acknowledging the racist reality Walker and Williams faced, while also maintaining a comedic charm.
“Beale Street Blues” is a jazz standard released in 1917 by “the Father of Blues,” W.C. Handy. This song was Handy’s farewell to the city of Memphis, Tennessee and his love for the Beale Street Historic District before he and his band moved to New York City. During this time, Beale Street was the epicenter of black culture, art, and businesses. Famous artists and other travelling musicians would visit this wondrous place just to enjoy the growing popularity of blues and jazz. “Beale Street Blues” was one of the first songs that enlivened black entertainers during this time by allowing them to perform the music they created without trying to satisfy white audiences. The song features a traditional jazz technique called scatting, a wordless form of vocal improvisation with nonsense syllables.
Publisher
Arkansas State University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Theatre Program
Keywords
musical, compliation, retrospective, medley
