MusicalDramaOriginalBroadway
Opening Date
Jan 10, 1940
Closing Date
Jan 15, 1940
Performances
7
MusicalDramaOriginalBroadway
External Links
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ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

Theatres
44th Street Theatre
(Jan 10, 1940 - Jan 15, 1940)
Description
A musical in two acts
Setting
The Black River Country, Mississippi, and New Orleans
Media
See all 10 photos
Produced by Sam Byrd; Produced in association with Fred Mitchell
Book by Roark Bradford; Lyrics by Roark Bradford; Music by Jacques Wolfe; Musical Director: Don Voorhees; Music orchestrated by Charles L. Cooke and Hans Spialek
Staged by Anthony Brown and Charles Friedman
Scenic Design by Albert R. Johnson; Costume Design by John Hambleton
Choral Director: Leonard De Paur; Production under the musical supervision of Leonard De Paur
James Armstrong
Ensemble
Joseph Attles
Man Named Sam
 
Bad Stacker Lee
Leona Avery
Ensemble
Ernest Baskette
Ensemble
Jonathan Brice
Ensemble
Oscar Brooks
Ensemble
Maudine Brown
Ensemble
Alyce Carter
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Minto Cato
Old Aunt Dinah
Ella Belle Davis
Ensemble
George Dickson
Rucker
 
Ensemble
John Diggs
Ensemble
Ruby Elzy
Julie Anne
Nora Evans
Ensemble
Samuel A. Floyd
Ensemble
Marie Fraser
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Samuel Gary
Ensemble
Ruth Gibbs
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Louis Gilbert
Pimps' Quartette
 
First Caller
 
Ensemble
James B. Gordon
Ensemble
Alexander Gray
Mate
 
Billie Bob Russell
Claudia Hall
Ensemble
Edgar Hall
Ensemble
Kate Hall
Ensemble
Wyer Owens Handy
Pimps' Quartette
 
Ensemble
Robert Harvey
Hell Buster
Lloyd Howlett
Ensemble
 
Floyd
Myra Johnson
Poor Selma
George Jones, Jr.
Julie Anne's Papa
George Kennedy
Ensemble
Mildred Lassiter
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
James Lightfoot
John Henry's Papa
 
Ensemble
 
Deaf Man
Henrietta Lovelace
Julie Anne's Mamma
Sadie McGill
Rucker's Wife
 
Ensemble
Massie Patterson
Ensemble
Paul Robeson
John Henry
Bayard Rustin
Ensemble
C.W. Scott
Roustabout
 
Ensemble
Ernest Shaw
Ensemble
Anne Simmons
Ensemble
Maude Simmons
John Henry's Mamma
 
Ensemble
Merritt Smith
Pimps' Quartette
 
Reader
J. De Witt Spencer
Mink Eye
 
Nud
Kenneth Spencer
Walking Boss
Randall Steplight
Ensemble
Eva Vaughan
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Benveneta Washington
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Carrie
 
Ensemble
Mattie Washington
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Charles Welch
Ensemble
Alice White
Fancy Ladies' Octette
 
Ensemble
Josh White
Blind Lemon
Frederick Wilkerson
Ensemble
Musa Williams
Ruby
William Woolfolk
Pimps' Quartette
 
Second Caller
 
Ensemble
Ray Yeates
Lead Heaver
 
Ensemble
 
A Rouster
music by Jacques Wolfe; lyrics by Roark Bradford
Act 1
Sung By
I'm Singing About a Man
Blind Lemon
How Come I'm Born Wid a Hook in My Hand
John Henry
All the People on the Levee
John Henry and Chorus
Ya Gotta Bend Down
Blind Lemon and Chorus
How Come I'm Born Wid a Hook in My Hand (Reprise)
John Henry
Coonjine
Chorus
Jaybird
Old Aunt Dinah and John Henry
Got a Head Like a Rock
John Henry
Whiffer's Song
Blind Lemon
Stingaree Song
Poor Selma
Bad, Bad Stacker Lee
Man Named Sam
Careless Love
Julie Anne
I've Trampled All Over
Julie Anne and John Henry
Caught Ole Blue
Blind Lemon and Chorus
Old John Henry/Po' Lil' Frenchie
John Henry and Men
Workin' on de Railroad
John Henry and Men
High Ballin'
Chorus
Act 2
Sung By
Where Did You Get Dem High Heeled Shoes?
Blind Lemon
Let De Sun Sink Down
Carrie and Chorus
Ship of Zion
Chorus
No Bottom
Chorus
Lullaby
Julie Anne
Take Me a Drink of Whiskey
Man Named Sam and Ruby
Sundown in My Soul
John Henry
I'm Gonna Git Down on My Knees
Hell Buster and Chorus
I Want Jesus to Walk With Me
Hell Buster and Chorus
I'm Born in the Country
John Henry
Now You Talks Mighty Big in the Country
Man Named Sam and Chorus
So Stand Back, All You Bullies
John Henry
Ship of Zion (Reprise)
Chorus
I Don't Care Where They Buried My Body
Chorus
He Went to the East
Chorus
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