Shows
People
Theatres
Awards
search
menu
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Play
Drama
Original
Broadway
Opening Date
Oct 11, 1984
Closing Date
Jun 09, 1985
1st Preview
Oct 03, 1984
1st Preview
Oct 03, 1984
Previews
9
Performances
276
Play
Drama
Original
Broadway
External Links
Shop
Open Date: Oct 11, 1984
Close Date: Jun 09, 1985
Closed Flag: n
Is Final Week:
ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION
Theatres
Cort Theatre
(Oct 11, 1984 - Jun 09, 1985)
Setting
Chicago. A bandroom and a recording studio. Early 1927.
People
Production Staff
Opening Night Cast
Replacements
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
; (Uncredited) produced by
Nicholas Paleologos
; Associate Producer:
Bart Berman
,
Hart Productions
and
William P. Suter
Originally produced by
Yale Repertory Theatre (Lloyd Richards: Artistic Director; Benjamin Mordecai: Managing Director)
; Initially presented at the 1982 National Playwrights' Conference by
The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center
Written by
August Wilson
; Musical Director:
Dwight Andrews
; Featuring "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "See See Rider" written by
Ma Rainey
; Featuring "Hear Me Talkin' To You" written by
Louis Armstrong
; Featuring "Trust No Man" written by
Lillian Hardeway Henderson
; Featuring "Doctor Jazz" written by
Joseph Oliver
and
Walter Melrose
Directed by
Lloyd Richards
Scenic Design by
Charles Henry McClennahan
; Costume Design by
Daphne Pascucci
; Lighting Design by
Peter Maradudin
; Sound Design by
Jan Nebozenko
General Manager:
Kingwill & Goossen, Inc.
; Assistant to the General Managers:
Susan Sampliner
Production Stage Manager:
Mortimer Halpern
; Stage Manager:
K. White
Press Representative:
Jeffrey Richards Associates
; Associate to the Production:
Deborah D. Mathews
and
Georgianne Walken
; Casting:
Meg Simon
and
Fran Kumin
; Advertising:
Serino, Coyne & Nappi
; Photographer:
Bert Andrews
John Carpenter
Sturdyvant
studio owner
Lou Criscuolo
Irvin
Ma's manager
Scott Davenport-Richards
Sylvester
Ma's nephew
Charles S. Dutton
Levee
trumpeter
Leonard Jackson
Slow Drag
bassist
Robert Judd
Toledo
pianist
Christopher Loomis
Policeman
Theresa Merritt
Ma Rainey
Aleta Mitchell
Dussie Mae
Joe Seneca
Cutler
trombonist
Understudies:
Peter Boyden
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman),
Bill Cobbs
(Cutler),
Arthur French
(Slow Drag, Toledo),
Brent Jennings
(Levee, Sylvester) and
Ebony Jo-Ann
(Ma Rainey, Dussie Mae)
Cort Theatre
(Oct 11, 1984 - Jun 09, 1985)
Cast
Angela Bassett
Dussie Mae
Bill Cobbs
Cutler
trombonist
Arthur French
Slow Drag
bassist
Ebony Jo-Ann
during illness
Ma Rainey
John Randolph Jones
Policeman
Understudies:
Thomas Martell Brimm
(Cutler),
Damien Leake
(Levee, Sylvester),
Jack R. Marks
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman),
Lou Myers
(Toledo, Slow Drag) and
Victor Raider-Wexler
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman)
Awards
Tony Award®
Best Play
1985 Nominee
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
Written by
August Wilson
Best Featured Actor in a Play
1985 Nominee
Charles S. Dutton
Best Featured Actress in a Play
1985 Nominee
Theresa Merritt
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding New Play
1985 Nominee
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
Written by
August Wilson
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
1985 Winner
Charles S. Dutton
Theatre World
Award
1985 Recipient
Charles S. Dutton
Statistics
Season:
1985-86
1984-85
View Graph
Week Ending
Gross
% Gross Pot.
Attendance
% Capacity
# Previews
# Perf.
Statistics supplied are courtesy of
The Broadway League
.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Statistics
1985-86 Season
1984-85 Season
GROSS
ATTENDANCE
Gross
Week Ending
Attendance
Week Ending
People
Awards
Statistics
Production Staff
Opening Night Cast
Replacements
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
; (Uncredited) produced by
Nicholas Paleologos
; Associate Producer:
Bart Berman
,
Hart Productions
and
William P. Suter
Originally produced by
Yale Repertory Theatre (Lloyd Richards: Artistic Director; Benjamin Mordecai: Managing Director)
; Initially presented at the 1982 National Playwrights' Conference by
The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center
Written by
August Wilson
; Musical Director:
Dwight Andrews
; Featuring "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "See See Rider" written by
Ma Rainey
; Featuring "Hear Me Talkin' To You" written by
Louis Armstrong
; Featuring "Trust No Man" written by
Lillian Hardeway Henderson
; Featuring "Doctor Jazz" written by
Joseph Oliver
and
Walter Melrose
Directed by
Lloyd Richards
Scenic Design by
Charles Henry McClennahan
; Costume Design by
Daphne Pascucci
; Lighting Design by
Peter Maradudin
; Sound Design by
Jan Nebozenko
General Manager:
Kingwill & Goossen, Inc.
; Assistant to the General Managers:
Susan Sampliner
Production Stage Manager:
Mortimer Halpern
; Stage Manager:
K. White
Press Representative:
Jeffrey Richards Associates
; Associate to the Production:
Deborah D. Mathews
and
Georgianne Walken
; Casting:
Meg Simon
and
Fran Kumin
; Advertising:
Serino, Coyne & Nappi
; Photographer:
Bert Andrews
John Carpenter
Sturdyvant
studio owner
Lou Criscuolo
Irvin
Ma's manager
Scott Davenport-Richards
Sylvester
Ma's nephew
Charles S. Dutton
Levee
trumpeter
Leonard Jackson
Slow Drag
bassist
Robert Judd
Toledo
pianist
Christopher Loomis
Policeman
Theresa Merritt
Ma Rainey
Aleta Mitchell
Dussie Mae
Joe Seneca
Cutler
trombonist
Understudies:
Peter Boyden
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman),
Bill Cobbs
(Cutler),
Arthur French
(Slow Drag, Toledo),
Brent Jennings
(Levee, Sylvester) and
Ebony Jo-Ann
(Ma Rainey, Dussie Mae)
Cort Theatre
(Oct 11, 1984 - Jun 09, 1985)
Cast
Angela Bassett
Dussie Mae
Bill Cobbs
Cutler
trombonist
Arthur French
Slow Drag
bassist
Ebony Jo-Ann
during illness
Ma Rainey
John Randolph Jones
Policeman
Understudies:
Thomas Martell Brimm
(Cutler),
Damien Leake
(Levee, Sylvester),
Jack R. Marks
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman),
Lou Myers
(Toledo, Slow Drag) and
Victor Raider-Wexler
(Sturdyvant, Irvin, Policeman)
Tony Award®
Best Play
1985 Nominee
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
Written by
August Wilson
Best Featured Actor in a Play
1985 Nominee
Charles S. Dutton
Best Featured Actress in a Play
1985 Nominee
Theresa Merritt
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding New Play
1985 Nominee
Produced by
Ivan Bloch
,
Robert Cole
and
Frederick M. Zollo
Written by
August Wilson
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
1985 Winner
Charles S. Dutton
Theatre World
Award
1985 Recipient
Charles S. Dutton
Season:
1985-86
1984-85
View Graph
Week Ending
Gross
% Gross Pot.
Attendance
% Capacity
# Previews
# Perf.
Statistics supplied are courtesy of
The Broadway League
.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Statistics
1985-86 Season
1984-85 Season
GROSS
ATTENDANCE
Gross
Week Ending
Attendance
Week Ending
PRODUCTIONS
More Productions by Opening Date
Nureyev and Friends
Aug 16, 1984
Aug 26, 1984
Gladys Knight & the Pips & Kashif
Aug 28, 1984
Sep 02, 1984
Patti LaBelle on Broadway: The 'Look to the Rainbow' Tour
Sep 11, 1984
Sep 16, 1984
Quilters
Sep 25, 1984
Oct 14, 1984
Kipling
Oct 10, 1984
Oct 21, 1984
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Oct 11, 1984
Jun 09, 1985
Big River
Apr 25, 1985
Sep 20, 1987
Aren't We All?
Apr 29, 1985
Jul 21, 1985
As Is
May 01, 1985
Jan 04, 1986
Doubles
May 08, 1985
Jan 04, 1986
Arms and the Man
May 30, 1985
Sep 01, 1985
Close
Search
search
in
Category
All
Shows
People
Organizations
Theatres
Seasons
Looking for more categories?
Search
Close
Home
Shows
People
Organizations
Theatres
Seasons
Characters
Awards
Songs
Statistics
Advanced Search
FAQ
Help
About
Policies
Contact