Shuffle Along Steps back into the Broadway Spotlight

An adaptation of one of Broadway’s longest running shows is set to open on April 28th at the Music Box Theatre with a powerhouse cast. Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, and Brandon Victor Dixon bring to life the Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle African American musical, Shuffle Along. The musical will feature new choreography by renowned actor, dancer, and choreographer Savion Glover.

The new adaptation titled, Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, incorporates the backstory of the 1921 hit musical that resulted in the seminal Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle songwriting team. This reinvention of the original musical with an added biographical storyline aims to shed a light on the history of black performance in America. Blake and Sissle were at the forefront of black performers for a white audience. To be a black performer in the 1920s was not easy: the two performed in blackface while black performers were still largely unaccepted onstage.

When performances of the original musical began, promoters were skeptical that a musical written, performed, and produced by an all-black team would have appeal for white Broadway audiences. However, the jazzy song styles were a contrast to the prevailing style of writing for the stage at the time. Shuffle Along became one of the most successful musicals of the decade, important both for its artistic contributions to Broadway and the desegregation of the stage on Broadway and around the country.

While the production has been met with an eager response from audiences, there have been some notable setbacks. Due to the illness of 6 time Tony-Winning actress, Audra McDonald, the show was forced to cancel performances during previews. The show’s planned hiatus will end on April 1st with ticket revenue to be donated to The Actors Fund.   

Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed is currently in previews, with opening night scheduled for April 28, 2016.