Amas Musical Theatre, also known as the Rosetta LeNoire Theatre Academy and the Mainstage Musical Theatre, and formerly known as the Amas Repertory Theatre, Inc. and the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre, is a non-profit Manhattan-based theatre organization founded by Rosetta LeNoire.[1][2][3] The name stems from the Latin word "amare", meaning "to love". "Amas" is the active indicative present form of "you love". The Academy puts on both a showcase and an off-off-Broadway performance at the end of the year, featuring inner-city and other teenagers. Amas is an anchor theatre tenant of The Players Theatre, a theatre located in Greenwich Village.[2] The theatre has produced over 60 original musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar and Bojangles!.

History

The organization was founded in 1968 by Rosetta LeNoire as the Amas Repertory Theatre to promote interracial and color-blind casting. In her words, it was a place "where all people could work together, with respect for individual skills and talents, rather than for race or color.[4]" In 1997, a newspaper called the New York Beacon wrote that "Rosetta created non-traditional casting before the phrase itself was created."[1] Amas' first production, Soul, Yesterday and Today, which was based on the poetry of Langston Hughes, held its rehearsals in the basement of LeNoire's home in the Bronx. In 1989, the name was changed to Amas Musical Theatre. In 1977, Amas moved to Fifth Avenue and 104th Street, then in 1992 to the West 42nd Street theatre district. The organization's youth program, now known as the Amas Musical Theatre Teen Academy, was known as the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre from the 1970s to 1980s, where training was offered to youths ages 10 to 18.[4]

Production history

Year(s)TitleDirectorChoreographerBook byMusic byNotes
1973–1976Reminiscing with Sissie and BlakeLouis JohnsonLouis JohnsonLouis JohnsonEubie Blake & Noble Sissle
1973–1976Bubbling Brown SugarRobert M. CooperFred BenjaminLoften MitchellTransferred to Broadway
1977Come Laugh and Cry with Langston HughesRosetta LeNoireEugene LittleMusical Revue
1977Save the Seeds, DarlingArthur WhitelawHelen PowersWilliam David Brohn
1977Bojangles!Ira CirkerFrank HatchettNorman Mitgang
1977Ragtime BluesJay BinderDennis KarrMitch DouglasScott Joplin
1978Boston, BostonWilliam M. MaherWilliam M. MaherWilliam M. MaherWilliam David Brohn
1978Adam, the Life of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.June AhlertRichard Ahlert
1978BeowulfVoigt KempsonVoigt KempsonBetty Jane RylieVictor Davies
1979Suddenly the Music StartsHenry Le TangJohnny BrandonJohnny Brandon
1979It's So Nice to Be CivilizedJeffrey DunnFred BenjaminMicki GrantMicki Grant
1979HelenLucia VictorLucia VictorJohnny Brandon
1979Sparrow in Flight, The Story of Ethel WatersDean IrbyBernard JohnsonCharles Fuller
1980Mama, I Want to Sing!Duane L. JonesVy HigginsenRichard Tee
1980Jam, A Jazz OdysseyWilliam MooneyDennis J. ShearerJohn Gerstad
1980DunbarRon Stacker ThompsonAyanna (adaptation)Paul Tilman Smith & Quitman Flood, III
1980Before the FloodBillie AllenMabel RobinsonRudy GrayDavid Blake
1980And Still I RiseMaya AngelouMaya AngelouLalo Schifrin
1981Will They Ever Love Us on Broadway?Mable RobinsonMable RobinsonOsayande BarutiOsayande Baruti
1981Mo' Tea, Miss Ann?Denny ShearerDenny ShearerBebe CokerLeander Morris
1981A Local DilemmaFrederick MacKinnonFred Lederman
1981Langston SpeaksBob BrookerBased on the work of Langston Hughes
1981The Crystal TreeBillie AllenDoris JulianLuther Henderson
1981The Winds of ChangeWilliam M. MaherRobin ReseenFranklin TramutolaJoseph D'Agostino
1982Louisiana SummerRobert StarkEiko YamaguchiRobert & Bradley WexlerRocky Stone
1982Five PointsWilliam M. MaherLaurence HolderJohn Braden
1982Opening NightWilliam M. MaherMabel RobinsonCorliss Taylor-Dunn & Sandra Reaves PhillipsCorliss Taylor-Dunn & Sandra Reaves Phillips
1984Miss Walters to YouBillie AllenLoften Mitchell
1984The Buck Stops HereRegge LifeTim MellettNorman J. FedderRichard A. Lippmann
1984Sing Me SunshineJack TimmersHenry Le TangRobert E. Richardson & Johnny BrandonJohnny Brandon
1984BlackberriesAndre DeShieldsAndre DeShieldsJoseph George Caruso
1985AnonymousVincenzo StornaiuoloVincenzo StornaiuoloVincenzo Stornaiuolo
1985Northern BoulevardWilliam MartinDennis DennehyKevin BrofskyCarleton Carpenter
1985Manhattan SerenadeBob RizzoBob RizzoKaren Kottrell & Alfred HellerLouis Alter
1986Bingo!Ossie DavisHenry Le TangOssie Davis & Hy GilbertGeorge FischoffBased on The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings
1986The Peanut Man: George Washington CarverRegge LifeAndy TorresMelvin HasmanWilliam Greg Hunter
1986La Belle HeleneJohn FearleyJ. Randall HugillJohn FearleyJacques OffenbachAdapted from Helen
1986Sh-BoomStuart WarmflashAudrey TischlerEric V. Talt, Jr.Willex Brown, Jr.
1987Hot Sake with a Pinch of SaltBill MartinAudrey TischlerCarol Baker & Lana SteinJerome I. GoldsteinBased on A Majority of One
1987DazyPhillip RoseAllen KneeLowell E. Mark
1987Prime TimeMarvin GordonR.A. ShiomiJohnny Brandon
1988ConrackStuart RossGranville BurgessLee PockrissBased on The Water is Wide
1988Struttin'Lee ChamberlinLee ChamberlinLee ChamberlinAUDELCO Award: Outstanding Musical Production
1988Robin's BandAnthony AbesonAnthony Abeson & Jerry EskowMaija Kupris
1989Paris '31John FearleyRobert LongbottomJohn FearleyCole Porter
1989PrizesLee MinskoffMargo SappingtonRaffi PehlivanianCharles DeForest & Lee Minskoff
1989BlackamoorKent PaulJoseph George CarusoUlpio MinucciBased on I, Juan de Pareja
1990Step into My WorldRonald G. RussoJeffrey DobbsMicki GrantMusical revue based on the career of Micki Grant
1990Capitol CakewalkTom O'HorganWelsey FataElmire Kline & Perry Arthur KoregerTerry WaldoNY Outer Critics Circle Award winner
1991JubaSheldon EppsMercedes EllingtonWendy LambRussel WaldenRichard Rodgers Production Award winner; Mainstage production
1992JunkyardAvi Ber HoffmanManuel Mandel & Michael SahlMichael SahlLab Presentation
1992Gunmetal BluesDavis HallScott WentworthCraig Bohmler & Marion Adler
1993The River FlowsJames L. MoodyFelicia KennerlyHolly B. Francis & Andre Orlando Edwards
1994LegacyJames L. MoodyFelicia KennerlyHolly B. Francis
1995BobosLuther FontaineMonica JohnsonEd ShockleyJames McBride
1995Time and the WindLouis JohnsonNorman MatlockGalt MacDermotWorld premiere
1995I Have a NameJames L. MoodyHolly B. FrancisHolly B. Francis
1996Bring in the MorningChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonGary William Friedman
1996Paul RobesonHarold ScottPhillip Hayes DeanBroadway production in association with Eric Krebs
1997Song by Song: The Music of Michael ValentiMark WaldropMichael ValentiWorld premiere
1997The Princess and the Black-Eyed PeaDaniel BanksKarole ForemanAndrew M. ChukermanRichard Rodgers Development Award winner
1997BobosDaniel BanksMonica JohnsonEd ShockleyJames McBrideRichard Rodgers Development Award for Playwriting winner
1998Out of the Night and into the Light: Miss Havisham's Wedding NightNancy RhodesJohn Olon-ScrymgeourDominick Argento
1998Out of the Night and into the Light: Ocean DreamNancy RhodesNancy RhodesVictor Kioulaphides
1998Out of the Night and into the Light: I Will WaitNancy RhodesNancy RhodesArif Mardin
1998Barrio BabiesSusanna TubertLuis SanteiroFernando RivasRichard Rodgers Development Award
1999Rollin' on the T.O.B.A.Ronald StevensTransferred to off-Broadway then to Broadway
2000Four Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria!Lisa PortesMaria TorresDolores PridaDavid Coffman
2000Carefully TaughtChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonMusical revue
2000A Virtual WomanNancy RhodesMarsha SheinessRick Cummins
2000The Me Nobody KnowsChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonWill HoltGary William Friedman
2000StarmitesBarry KeatingStuart Ross & Barry KeatingBarry Keating
2001Once on This IslandChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonLynn AhrensStephen Flaherty
2001Little HamEric RileyLeslie DockeryDan OwenJudd WoldinTransferred to off-Broadway
2001Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne StoryBillie AllenSharleen CohenSharleen CohenSharleen Cohen
2002From My HometownKevin RamseyLeslie Dockery & Kevin RamseyLee Summers, Ty Stephens and Herbert Rawlings, Jr.Lee Summers
2002The Robber BridegroomChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonAlfred UhryRobert Waldman
2002Latin HeatMaria TorresMaria Torres
2002Zanna, Don't!Devanand JankiDevanand JankiTim AcitoTim AcitoTransferred to off-Broadway
2003GodspellChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonJohn Michael-TebelekStephen Schwartz
2003Mandela!Ricardo KhanSteven Fisher & Duma NdlovuSteven Fisher
2003BlackoutDeborah HurwitzSharleen CohenDebra Barsha
2004FootlooseChristopher ScottMonica JohnsonTom Snow
2004Lone Star Love, or The Merry Wives of WindsorMichael BogdanovJohn HaberJack Herrick

[5]

Theatre programs

In the past 10 years, Amas has worked with over 60 creative teams in the development of new musicals.

Six O'Clock Musical Theatre Lab

This is a development program for writers, lyricists, and composers to mount staged readings of new musicals. Each work generally receives three or four performances.[6]

Workshop Program

This is a program which lets composers, lyricists, and librettists work on a more polished and complete version of a new work. The productions generally entail a two to three-week rehearsal period with a series of performances.

Mainstage Program

This is a program which gives select musicals a fully produced off-Broadway run for four to six weeks with attendance by critics. The productions generally run under an Equity Letter of Agreement contract.[7]

Educational programs

Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy

This is a performance and training program which enrolls up to 30 teenagers and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 in all-day classes and rehearsals on Saturdays and some Sundays from October through May. Sixty percent of students receive full or partial Scholarships. The program ends with a musical which runs for two weeks in an off-off-Broadway theatre.

Immigration Experience

This is an in-residence set of workshops for middle and high school students consisting of 32 visits specializing in playwriting, theatre, and musical composition. Students also research their families' and communities' immigration histories which are turned into writings and songs performed in front of their school and extended community.

Broadway Babies

This is an in-residence program which runs from 4 to 12 weeks for younger children. Students make a mini-version of a Broadway show which relates to themes or curriculum being studied in their class.

Our America: The Civil Rights Movement through Song and Story

This is an in-residence program which explores the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Protest and Peace Songs, among other things. Eventually, there is a presentation.

Passport Around the World

This is an in-residence program with 18 artist visits based on the social studies curriculum of the classroom. Students create their own US Passport which includes a picture and stamped with flags which they will "visit"/study. The program concludes with a final presentation of the pieces studied.

Urban Mythography: Journey of the Hero

This is a program for elementary and middle school students to study Native American, Asian, classical Western and European mythologies and heroic icons. The class creates a piece to be rehearsed and presented to their school.[8]

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 Martin, Douglas (March 20, 2002). "Rosetta LeNoire, 90, Producer Who Broke Color Bar, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Amas Musical Theatre". NYC-ARTS.
  3. ↑ "Rosetta LeNoire, Champion of Nontraditional Casting, Remembered June 25 in NYC". Playbill. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "AMAS Musical Theatre production files". New York Public Library Archives. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Amas Musical Theatre History". Amas Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  6. ↑ Sierra, Gabrielle (October 20, 2011). "Photos: The Countess of Storyville Debuts at The Players Theatre". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Amas Theatre Programs". Amas Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Amas Educational Programs and the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy". Amas Musical Theatre. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
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