User:Sivanaylass/Black Vaudeville

"Copied from Black Vaudeville"

Sherman H. Dudley and Black Circuits

Sherman Henrey Dudley (1872-1940) was an influential figure to early 20th century American entertainment. Dudley was born to Margret and Alford Dudley and grew up in Bossier County, Louisiana. Dudley was first introduced to the entertainment industry as a traveling performer for medicine shows, with his initial routine being an advertisement for a "Kickapoo" cure.

By the late 1890s, Dudley became an active member in the Texas entertainment scene by using his comedic talent developed in his medicine show performances to gain traction. Not only was Dudley's showmanship being recognized, but his talent for business managing gave him a distinct edge. In 1895, Dudley joined his first black minstrel show at The People's Theater in Houston Texas. In these minstrel shows, whether the performer was white or black, they were masked in blackface while they performed songs and dances about black slaves. These performances highlighted negative stereotypes about African Americans, depicting them as ignorant, unreliable members of society. Even though minstrel shows were aiding in the degradation of African Americans, most talented black singers, composers, writers and dancers joined for the opportunity at creating a stable income in entertainment. Through Dudley's success at performing in minstrel shows, he gained traction for his talent at performing and his business-oriented mind. Reviews for his comedic performances were outstanding, with one person saying "without a doubt, S.H. Dudley is one of the best comedians on the stage. His droll wit, his genuine humor and refreshing eccentricities, is exemplified in everything he says or does, and he compels his audience to laugh in ‘self defense’"

Sherman H. Dudley increased his notoriety between 1903-1912 through his involvement with the entertainment industry, both on and behind the stage. During this time, Dudley started putting forth plans to open up his Black theatre circuit idea. In 1912, Dudley wrote to The Freeman, a newspaper focused on the Black American communities, that he was looking to start up a chain of theatres, for and managed by Black people. Dudley was met with hesitation on his abilities to complete his plan, with The Freeman employee, Sylvester Russel saying "Theaters are commercial enterprises and are therefore never totally patronized by either white or colored except in remote parts of the South, where the conditions are different and financially limited.... The only available system I can see at present in a colored theater alliance is as I have expressed it before, that the white man's successful colored theater, in the colored district and the black man's successful theater should link either as a booking alliance or a mixed race syndicate"

Even though reservations were held on Dudley's success, he was able to secure eight theatres across New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk six months after he received critics on his Black theatre circuit plan. These theatres aimed to be nothing like White managed theatres for Black people. While White managers placed their emphasis on creating a positive experience for White patrons and left Black customers in worn down balcony seats, Dudley's theatres were meant to empower Black audiences and focus on the comfort and entertainment for them. Dudley's first theatre, The Minnehaha Theatre located on 1213 U Street, was not to the level of extravagance as audience goers anticipated. This venue, renamed the S. H. Dudley Theatre, only had minor renovations to the stage and seats. The S. H. Dudley circuit was fully opened around 1913, after the addition of theatres in Columbus, Delaware and Philidelphia. With this feat he claimed the title of the first African American to operate a profitable Black Theatre circuit. Soon after this, Dudley announced through The Freeman that he is quitting the performance aspect of Vaudeville in order to focus on the success of his circuit. Dudley continued to be a prominent figure in Vaudeville with his creation and implementation of a Black Theatre circuit. His circuit was adding theatres across the United States up until the 1930's, where he had to sell his theatres due to the onset of the Great Depression. Still, Dudley was a key figure for Black entertainment in America, and his work led to the creation of countless jobs and opportunities for African American performers throughout the 20th century.

Dance

As Vaudeville became more popular, the competition for the "most flashy” act increased. As minstrelsy became less popular other types of performances were created and carried on to the Vaudeville stage. A performer named Benjamin Franklin had an act that was described by his minstrel troupe leader, “waltzes with a pail of water on his head and plays the French horn at the same time.”

Dance was entertainment that was accepted in almost every act slot on the bill for a Vaudeville show. Tap, with origins in Africa and Europe, was a style that was often seen. A West African dance style called Gioube, a step-style dance, was mixed with Scottish and Irish clog-shoe dances to create tap.

Dancer and choreographer Aida Overton Walker, known as "the Queen of the Cakewalk" 1910

Vaudeville saw two types of tap: buck-and-wing and four-four time soft shoe. Buck-and-wing consisted of gliding, sliding, and stomping movements at high speeds. Buck-and-Wing tap dance style is characterized mostly by the intense jumping, limb flinging, and rhythmic feet shuffling. Wing was a portion in which on a jump, feet would continue to dance in midair. Soft shoe was more relaxed and elegant, usually performed with a softer sole than other forms of tap dance. Metal plates were added to the bottom of tap shoes to create a stronger percussion sound.

Famous tap dancers of the time who are still well-remembered today include Buster Brown and the Speed Kings, Beige & Brown, the Nicholas Brothers and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Alice Whitman of the Whitman Sisters was highly praised for her skills in both ballet and tap-dancing. Dancer and choreographer Aida Overton Walker was known as the Vaudeville Queen of the Cakewalk.