Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

Palace Theatre, American, founded 1913

Subject of

Ayler, Ethel, American, born 1934

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Crudup, Carl

DeMaio, Peter, American

Foster, Frances, American, 1924 - 1997

Gunn, Moses, 1929 - 1993

Drake-Hooks, Bebe

League, Janet, American

McKay, Anthony, American, born 1965

Myers, Lou, American, born 1945

Turner, Douglas, born 1930

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (22.5 x 14.3 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1975

Description

Playbill for The First Breeze of Summer. White background with yellow box at top; white box below, graphic of woman in a dress holding a purse while standing in front of a fence and a tree. [PLAYBILL/PALACE THEATRE/ the first breeze of summer]. White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1975.

Topic

African American

Broadway Theatre

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.29

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

Richard Rodgers Theatre, American, founded 1925

Subject of

Wilson, August, American, 1945 - 2005

Jones, James Earl, American, born 1931

Alice, Mary, American, born 1941

Aranha, Ray, American, 1939 - 2011

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Faison, Frankie R., American, born 1949

Miller, Karima

Vance, Courtney Bernard, American, born 1960

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 3/8 x 5 5/8 in. (21.3 x 14.3 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1987

Description

Playbill for Fences. White background with yellow box at top; white box below, graphic of two men placed at either end of title, man on right is wearing a football uniform while man on left has his arms at his hips. [PLAYBILL/46th STREET THEATRE/FENCES] White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1987.

Transcription Center Status

Transcribed by digital volunteers

Topic

African American

Actors

Broadway Theatre

Drama (Theatre)

Families

Men

Race relations

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.27

Restrictions & Rights

Playbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Exhibition

Taking the Stage

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Subject of

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Caesar, Adolph, American, 1933 - 1986

Friedman, Peter, American, born 1949

Grier, David Alan, American, born 1956

Jackson, Samuel L., American, born 1948

Jennings, Brent, American, born 1951

Jones, Steven A.

Lee, Eugene

McMurray, Sam, American, born 1952

Pickens, James Jr., American, born 1954

Washington, Denzel, American, born 1954

Zettler, Stephen, American

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 3/8 x 5 1/2 in. (21.3 x 14 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1981

Description

Showbill for A Soldier's Play. White background with blue box at top; black box below with white lettering inside a white circle. [SHOWBILL/THEATRE FOUR/the/Negro/Ensemble/Company] White circular sticker on back, handwritten 1981.

Topic

African American

Actors

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.71

Restrictions & Rights

Showbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Used by

Negro Ensemble Company, American, founded 1967

Subject of

Brown, Graham, American, 1924 - 2011

Davies, David

Duke, O. L., American, 1953 - 2004

Lee, Eugene

Pickens, James Jr., American, born 1954

Jones, Steven A.

Jackson, Samuel L., American, born 1948

Dewey-Carter, John

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Epps, Ben E.

Goldring, Danny, American

Zettler, Stephen, American

Lutzky, Dan

Turner, Cedric

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.9 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1981

Description

Theatre program for A Soldier's Play. Grey background with white circle in top right corner; large graphic of a man in military uniform, shown from the chest up. [the/Negro/Ensemble/Company/inc./A/SOLDIER'S/PLAY]

Transcription Center Status

Transcribed by digital volunteers

Topic

African American

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.106

Restrictions & Rights

© 1983 George Fenmore Associates, Inc. Permission required for use.

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Exhibition

Taking the Stage

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photograph by

Spitzer, David D., American

Subject of

Brown, Charles, American, 1922 - 1999

Medium

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W (Image): 13 11/16 x 9 7/16 in. (34.8 x 23.9 cm)

H x W (Sheet): 14 x 11 in. (35.5 x 28 cm)

H x W (Matted): 20 x 16 in. (50.8 x 40.6 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

portraits

Place captured

Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, United States, North and Central America

Date

ca. 1995

Description

A black-and-white photograph of blues musician Charles Brown playing piano during a performance in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Brown is photographed in profile from his right. He is crouched over the piano and wears a cap and dark jacket that appear to be covered in some kind of white powdery material.

Topic

African American

Blues (Music)

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Photography

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David D. Spitzer

Object number

2012.164.55

Restrictions & Rights

© David D. Spitzer

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Published by

Playbill, American, founded 1884

Used by

Negro Ensemble Company, American, founded 1967

Subject of

Brown, Charles, American, 1946 - 2004

Caesar, Adolph, American, 1933 - 1986

Friedman, Peter, American, born 1949

Grier, David Alan, American, born 1956

Jackson, Samuel L., American, born 1948

Jennings, Brent, American, born 1951

Jones, Steven A.

Lee, Eugene

McMurray, Sam, American, born 1952

Pickens, James Jr., American, born 1954

Washington, Denzel, American, born 1954

Zettler, Stephen, American

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 1/2 x 5 5/8 in. (21.6 x 14.3 cm)

Type

theater programs

Place used

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1981

Description

Showbill for A Soldier's Play. White background with blue box at top; black box below with white lettering inside a white circle. [SHOWBILL/THEATRE FOUR/the/Negro/Ensemble/Company]

Topic

African American

Actors

Drama (Theatre)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Kayla Deigh Owens

Object number

2011.45.89

Restrictions & Rights

Showbill used by permission. All rights reserved, Playbill Inc.

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture