Closing Night

What began as research for an episode on Cabin in the Sky quickly expanded into a much larger story about the Black artists who transformed Broadway long before that musical ever opened. Along the way, it was linguist, author, commentator, and Columbia University professor John McWhorter who put these past events in a more contemporary perspective. His writings and insights on language, race, and American culture shed new light on this remarkable era.

And so in this companion episode, John and I go beyond Cabin in the Sky to explore the rise of Black musical theater through the groundbreaking work of artists like Will Marion Cook, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Eubie Blake, Langston Hughes, Ethel Waters, and Katherine Dunham. No snippets or soundbits here, this is the full conversation. We discuss the complicated legacy of productions such as Porgy and Bess, the creative tension between Black performers and white producers, and how these artists reshaped Broadway while navigating an industry that rarely gave them creative control. We even get into his own project of saving a forgotten musical by jazz musician Fats Waller.

Whether you've already listened to the Cabin in the Sky episode or simply want a deeper understanding of this pivotal period in American theater history, our conversation offers more historical context, cultural perspective, and fascinating stories that reveal how Black artists fundamentally changed Broadway.

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Check out his upcoming book: Broadway in Black and White
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In 1940, Martin Beck took a risk. At 71 years old, after financial setbacks and personal betrayal, the Broadway impresario invested his own money into Cabin in the Sky—an ambitious new musical featuring an all-Black cast at a time when opportunities for Black performers on Broadway were severely limited.

Starring Ethel Waters and featuring the choreography of George Balanchine, Cabin in the Sky was billed as a “parable of Southern Negro Life” and became the final production Martin Beck ever brought to his namesake theater. But to understand why this musical mattered, we have to look back at the artists who paved the way—from Will Marion Cook and the groundbreaking Shuffle Along to Langston Hughes, Ethel Waters, and the generations of performers who challenged Broadway’s expectations.

With linguist and writer John McWhorter, this episode explores the complicated legacy of Cabin in the Sky—a show shaped by ambition, limitations, stereotypes, and the undeniable impact of Black artists on American musical theater.

Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a transcript with photos, videos, and a list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer and editor. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik.
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Chita Rivera spent decades becoming one of Broadway's greatest stars, but her first Tony Award didn't come until 1984 with The Rink. Joined by Liza Minnelli in a rare Broadway pairing, Rivera led a musical that endured years of rewrites, creative shakeups, and a troubled road to opening night.

Featuring music by the legendary team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, a new book by Terrence McNally, direction by A.J. Antoon, and choreography by Graciela Daniele, The Rink brought together an extraordinary group of artists—even if the production itself struggled to find its audience. In this episode, discover how one of Broadway's most fascinating collaborations became both a critical disappointment and the performance that finally earned Chita Rivera her long-awaited Tony Award.

Notable Cast and Creatives (Martin Beck Theatre): Chita Rivera, Liza Minnelli, Stockard Channing, Jason Alexander, Scott Ellis, Rob Marshall, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Terrence McNally, A.J. Antoon, Graciela Daniele, and producer Jules Fisher.

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Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a transcript with photos, videos, and a list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer and editor. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik.
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Long before the Tony Awards became Broadway's biggest night, theater professionals voted for a different honor: the Donaldson Awards. This bonus episode traces the evolution of Broadway awards while examining two Martin Beck Theatre musicals that reached the pinnacle of theatrical success. From the complicated legacy of Hallelujah, Baby! to the reinvention of Grand Hotel, discover how Broadway's highest honors often come from the most unexpected productions.

Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a transcript with photos, videos, and a list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik.
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In 1957, Tennessee Williams returned to the Martin Beck Theatre with Orpheus Descending, a play he had spent nearly two decades trying to get right. Originally produced in 1940 as Battle of Angels, the drama had collapsed amid censorship battles, technical problems, and public outrage. Yet Williams could never leave it behind.

In this episode, we trace the remarkable seventeen-year journey of the play, from its disastrous Boston tryout to its rebirth on Broadway under a new title. Along the way, we explore Williams's complicated relationship with success and failure, the creative partnership that shaped his work, and the cast and collaborators who helped bring Orpheus Descending to life, including Maureen Stapleton, Harold Clurman, Boris Aronson, Robert Loggia, Cliff Robertson, and Lois Smith.

Featuring archival interviews and firsthand accounts, this is the story of one of Broadway's most ambitious productions, why audiences rejected it, and how its failure marked a turning point in the life of America's greatest playwright.

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Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a transcript with photos, videos, and a list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices