| re: Respect for Sidney Poitier's theater legacy | |
| Posted by: Ordoc 03:37 am EST 01/08/22 | |
| In reply to: Respect for Sidney Poitier's theater legacy - Charles-McNulty 07:08 pm EST 01/07/22 | |
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| Far be it for me to criticize the LA Times Theatre Critic and a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, but Charles McNutly's essay on Sidney Poitier is sketchy. His comments about "Anna Lucasta" give the impression the Broadway production was a flop. Not true. The American Negro Theatre production opened August 30, 1944 and closed on November 30, 1946 with 957 performances. Sidney Poitier was not in the cast. A revival opened on September 22, 1947 and closed on Oct. 18, 1947 after 32 performances. Sidney Poitier was in the cast. Is Charles McNulty dismissing the American Negro Theatre when he calls it a community theatre? Yes, the members had daytime jobs, but the ANT give opportunities to black actors. Their notable graduates are: Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Alice Childress ("Trouble in Mind"), Hilda Simms, Earle Hyman, Clarice Taylor, Isabel Sanford, Rosetta LeNoire, Helen Martin and Sidney Poitier. Has Charles McNulty heard of them or is he familiar with their theatre careers? Were they included in any Yale School of Drama class? I don't understand Charles McNulty's comments about Brooks Atkinson's comments about "A Raisin in the Sun." Brooks Atkinson graduated from Harvard. I hope Charles McNulty is bigger than knocking someone who went to the OTHER school. From my point of view, Charles McNulty's comment is smaller than the rivalry between two schools. It is well-known that Yale School of Drama faculty and alums they are a beacon of wisdom to the theatre and tend to look down on those who didn't not drink from the Yale School of Drama Fountain of Theatre History and Drama. Charles McNulty who sneers at newspaper critics. From his point of view, Brooks Atkinson should have known by the time he left the Barrymore Theatre on March 11, 1959 that "A Raisin in the Sun" was a major and important American play. Does Charles McNulty know the next day newspaper reviews were favorable and that the New York Theatre Critics' Circle gave their Best New Play Award to "A Raisin In The Sun?" Not bad for a bunch of newspaper critics. By the way, it was nominated for the Best Play Tony Award, but the winner was "The Miracle Worker." As a student of theatre history, Met. McNulty must know there are numerous plays which got good reviews, but it was years before they were recognized as major and important works. By the way, here's a link to Brooks Atkinson's March 12, review, https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/articles/a-raisin-in-the-sun/review-of-the-original-1959-broadway-production/ Charles McNulty's final comment is a puzzle. "Broadway ought to say thank you by dimming its lights in honor of an actor who, beyond the miracle of making my father cry, opened the door to dramas about Black humanity." I am not dismissing Sidney Poitier or "A Raisin in the Sun," but what does Charles McNulty mean? Does he mean Sidney Poitier and "A Raisin in the Sun" opened the door to dramas about Black humanity ON BROADWAY? If so, why not say it? Again, I am not dismissing Sidney Poitier or "A Raisin in the Sun," but there were many dramas about Black humanity long before Ms Hansberry wrote her play. Were any taught at the Yale School of Drama when Charles McNulty was a student? |
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