Billy Wilson and Bubbling Brown Sugar

Bubbling Brown Sugar is widely regarded to be one of Billy Wilson’s most successful Broadway shows, providing him with his first of three Tony nominations.  The show premiered in 1976, and was a timeline from the present to the past, celebrating the history of the Harlem Renaissance. On his return from Europe, Wilson came up with the idea of wanting to “celebrate the positive aspects of being a Black American,” which inspired the production of Bubbling Brown Sugar.  Vivian Reed, the star of the original cast, said about Billy Wilson, “[He was] talented, fun to be around, giving. I miss you, Billy. The world needs a Billy Wilson.”  The show influenced Wilson’s life in more ways than one. It was at auditions for Bubbling Brown Sugar that Wilson met Chip Garnett, who would become his partner and lover, an 18 year love story that would end only with death.

 

 

Sources:

Bubbling Brown Sugar (Broadway, August Wilson Theatre, 1976), Playbill
A Celebration of the Life of Billy Wilson, dancer, choreographer, director, educator, Facebook 

 

More about Bubbling Brown Sugar

Bubbling Brown Sugar opened at the ANTA Playhouse on Broadway in March of 1976, and closed December of 1977 after 766 performances.  While it was choreographed by Billy Wilson, the show was directed by Robert Cooper.  The travels through time, back to the 1920s and 1940s, and is a celebration of the Harlem Renaissance.  The music score features African-American artists popular during the Renaissance, and was nominated for:

Tony Award: Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Vivian Reed), Best Choreography (Billy Wilson).

Drama Desk Award: Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Barry Preston), Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Vivian Reed, won), Outstanding Choreography (Billy Wilson), Outstanding Costume Design (Bernard Johnson).

Theatre World Award: Chip Garnett (won) and Vivian Reed (won).

The show was produced by J. Lloyd Grant, Richard Bell, Robert M. Cooper, and Ashton Springer. T. The original cast included Karen Grannum, Charlise Harris, Emme Kemp, Alton Lathrop, Lonnie McNeil, E. Lynn Nickerson, Josephine Premice, Barry Preston, Vivian Reed, Dyann Robinson, Vernon Washington, and Anthony Whitehouse.

 

Sources:

Bubbling Brown Sugar, Wikipedia 
Bubbling Brown Sugar Original Broadway Cast, Broadway World 

 

 

Anna Owens