About This Orbit: From Ballet to Broadway and Back

Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds of 1939

Synopsis

The show Blackbirds of 1939 was one of the many musical revues created by Lew Leslie.  In the years before this there were the Blackbirds of 1928, 1930, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1937. A revue is a form of entertainment that involves sketches, songs, and dances. This revue consisted of solely African American performers, and was performed at the Hudson Theatre.

 

Unfortunately, this performance only ran nine times before eventually shutting down.

There were two acts. The first act consisting of 12 scenes while the second act had 9.

 

Cast (Dancers)

Hazel Spence (ANB)…………………………………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Coleman Hill (ANB)……………………………………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Muriel Cook (Negro Unit)……………………………………………….Dancing Chorus. Act 1: scene 5. 

Al Bledger (ANB)……………………………………………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Marion Brown (ANB)……………………………………………………….Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Beryl Clarke (ANB)…………………………………………………………..Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Edith Hurd (Negro Unit)……………………………………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Dorothy Jones Williams (ANB, Negro Unit)…………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Edith Ross (Negro Unit, ANB, Dunham)………………………………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12 Played Minnie. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Elizabeth Thompson (NYNB, Negro Unit, Radio City)……………Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

Lavinia Williams (ANB, Negro Unit, Dunham)………………………..Van Grona’s Swing Ballet. Act 1: scene 1. Scene 12.  Played Frankie. Act 2: scenes 8 and 9.

 

Production

Production Staff:

Produced by Lew Leslie

Book by Lew Leslie

Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Choreographed by Rube Bloom

Swing Ballet Directed by Eugene Von Grona

Scenic Design by Mabel A. Buell

Costume Design by Frances Feist

Theatres: Hudson Theatre (Feb 11, 1939 – Feb 18, 1939)

 

Andrei Iosivas and Lauren Okamoto

 

https://www.playbill.com/playbillpagegallery/inside-playbill?asset=00000150-aea3-d936-a7fd-eef7ea460001&type=InsidePlaybill&slide=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbirds_of_1939