The lineup for these two dates include The Marx Brothers, Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Bert Williams, Florence Mills, Eva Tanguay and more. The shows, organized by "Voices of the Town -- A Vaudeville Salute!" invades the South Street Seaport.
The two shows, organized by Montauk Theatre Productions/Shooting Star Theatre and the show's creators NY Artists Unlimited, are both matinees and geared towards all ages. Performances are interactive and followed by a discussion/workshop.
"Voices of the Town" covers the entire history of vaudeville in America 1875-1935 and shows the breakthroughs made for African-Americans, women and immigrants. It has 25 period songs, dance, comedy routines, and brings to life numerous stars of Yesteryear, state press notes.
Writer-director
Melba LaRose leads the cast which includesCarmela Davis,
Nate Steinwachs, Lucia Manzella, Katrin Hier, and Joyce Pena. Anita Brown from Shooting Star Theatre makes a special guest appearance as
Molly Picon, singing in both Yiddish and English. Choreography for the shows is done by Francis J. Roach.
Spanning the late 1800s to the mid-1930s in America, this piece shows how performers survived two Depressions, war, oppression, segregation, discrimination of all sorts, struggles for human/ workers'/ women's rights, and the like. It also reveals that vaudeville was "family entertainment" and the starting point for many major stars.
Portrayals of forgotten but important African-Americans are plentiful:
Bert Williams, the highest paid star in the Ziegfeld Follies, and
Florence Mills, great star of the Harlem Renaissance and Broadway (both played by Carmela Davis).
Eubie Blake and
Noble Sissle wrote the first Broadway musical to contain a love duet with black performers that was accepted by white viewers. Black
audiences were also allowed to sit in boxes reserved for whites only. In addition, information is divulged about the T.O.B.A. Circuit (black performers only) and use of blackface. Powerful female figures such as
Marie Dressler,
Eva Tanguay,
Mae West,
Sophie Tucker are also portrayed.
Showtimes are at are at 3 p.m., Sunday, March 18, and 3 p.m., Saturday, March 24, at the Seaport District Cultural Assoc. Performing Space (former Liz Claiborne store) on the SW corner of Beekman & Front Street.
Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
