Celebrating Black History Month at BTG

In honor of Black History Month, Berkshire Theatre Group is featuring some of the many talented black artists that have performed with us throughout over 90 years of theatre history!

Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle are both in tuxes. Noble sits at the piano, playing, and looking back at Eubie who is standing behind him with hand on Noble's shoulders.

(L to R): Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle in their musical,
Shuffle Along at The Colonial Theatre, 1926.

Wayland Rudd sits on a throne draped with fabric in a regal costume looking off into the distance with a pensive expression on his face.

Wayland Rudd in The Emperor Jones by Eugene O’Neill at the Berkshire Playhouse
(now The Fitzpatrick Main Stage), 1930. Produced in conjunction with
the Hedgerow Theatre. Directed by Jasper Deeter.

Barbara Ann Teer (right side) and Cleavon Little (left side) sit on a fence talking. Barbara's character is barefoot and there is a wall behind them decorated in tiger print.

(L to R): Cleavon Little and Barbara Ann Teer in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
by Don Petersen at BTF, 1967. Directed by Michael Schultz.

Gosset is center in the picture holding his hand up to accentuate his speech. He is wearing a bowler hat and facing Will Lee. Lee is slightly hunched over and listening.

(L to R): Will Lee and Lou Gossett, Jr. in Waiting for Godot
by Samuel Beckett at BTF, 1966. Directed by Gene Frankel.

Cicely Tyson is wearing a garish dress and has a flower in her hair. She is clutching a drink in her hand and looking at something that Hector Elizondo is pointing to.

(L to R): Hector Elizondo and Cicely Tyson in The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams
at BTF, 1979. Directed by Craig Anderson.

Quitman Fludd III is doing a choreographed number and is turned sideways with one leg bent and slightly off the ground. He is facing out and holding his hand near his head as if to hold a hat.

Quitman Fludd III in Anyone Can Whistle by Stephen Sondheim (composer, lyricist) and Arthur Laurents (author) at BTF, 1980. Directed and choreographed by Robert Tucker.

Three of the actors are around the kitchen table with Carrie Hamilton off in the background. David L. King is playing a trumpet, Frances is dealing with food, and John is leaning on the table.

(L to R): David L. King, Frances Foster, Carrie Hamilton, and
John McCurry in The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
at BTF, 1985. Directed by Josephine Abady.

Fred Morsell is leaning slightly over a table. He is wearing a suit jacket and is midspeech.

Fred Morsell in Trains by Barbara Lebow at BTF, 1991. Directed by Richard Dunlap.

All of the actors are wearing formal wear and standing in a line on the stage.

(L to R): Allen Hidalgo, Jacquey Maltby, Lance Roberts, Terry Burrell, Brian Quinn,
and Monica Page in Sweet & Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen at the
Fitzpatrick Main Stage, 1993. Written and Directed by Julianne Boyd.

Sheryl McCallum is leaning on the piano and singing.

Sheryl McCallum in Good Company at the Fitzpatrick Main Stage, 1997. Book by Sheldon Harnick and musical arrangements by Fred Wells. Directed by Michael Montel.

The actors are standing in civil war era period garb talking with one another.

(L to R): Shane Taylor, Nedrah Banks, and Wayne Scott in
Insurrection: Holding History by Robert O’Hara at
The Unicorn Theatre, 2002. Directed by Timothy Douglas.

Rachel Leslie stands in dramatic red lighting in front of a large portrait surrounded by packed suitcases. She has a sad but determined look on her face and radiates strength.

Rachel Leslie in Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage at The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, 2004.
Directed by Timothy Douglas. Photo by Kevin Sprague.

Amari and Christian sit on swings talking.

(L to R): Amari Cheatom and Christian Coulson in Dutch Masters by Greg Keller at The Unicorn Theatre, 2011. Directed by Brian Roff. Production photos by Christy Wright.

Bryonha and Taurean are toasting in costume on the set of Little Shop of Horrors.

(L to R) Bryonha Parham and Taurean Everett in Little Shop of Horrors at The Colonial Theatre, 2016. Music by Alan Menken with book and lyrics by Howard Ashman.
Photo by Ethan Heard (Director).

Treshelle and Lauren flank Joshua who is sitting down and signing to them. The stage is washed in blue light and Joshua and Lauren are sitting on a bench.

(L to R): Treshelle Edmond, Joshua Jackson, and Lauren Ridloff in Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff at The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, 2017.
Directed by Kenny Leon. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Kristopher Saint Louis, Latoya Edwards, Eric R. Williams and Ariel Blackwood are standing in somber lighting singing to Claude.

(L to R): Kristopher Saint Louis, Latoya Edwards, Eric R. Williams, and Ariel Blackwood in Hair atThe Unicorn Theatre, 2018. Book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Directed by Daisy Walker. Photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware.

Two lineman sit at a table discussing work while shawn, wearing a football jersey, sits at the counter listening.

(L to R): Shawn Fagan, Tré Alexander Dukes, and Joel Austin in The Petrified Forest by Robert E. Sherwood at The Fitzpatrick Main Stage, 2018. Directed by David Auburn. Photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware.

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Celebrating Black History Month at BTG

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From the Archives: An Essay from Jane Fitzpatrick

From the Archive: Eva LeGallienne