The Committee of Theatre Owners dims the lights of Broadway theatres in New York for one minute January 19 at 7:45 PM ET in memory of Sidney Poitier, the actor, director, and cultural icon who passed away January 6 at the age of 94.
After training with the American Negro Theatre, Mr. Poitier made his Broadway debut 75 years ago in an all-Black revival of Lysistrata. He went on to create the role of Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking A Raisin in the Sun, earning a 1960 Tony nomination as Best Actor in a Play and subsequently reprising his work in the 1961 film adaptation. In 1968, after becoming the first Black performer to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Lilies of the Field, Mr. Poitier returned to Broadway to direct Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights.
"Although Sidney Poitier’s brilliance shone on Broadway stages as a performer and director in just a small number of productions, his presence on Broadway was both titanic and influential," said Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League. "I know that Broadway fans worldwide recognize the incredible impact Mr. Poitier had on our art form. He is a true icon and an inspiration to so very many."
Read Playbill's complete obituary for Mr. Poitier here.
