Photo FeaturesCelebrating Black Women on Broadway With Amber Iman, Jocelyn Bioh, and Danielle BrooksThe co-founders of the new Instagram account honoring the legacy of Black women on the Main Stem discuss how the platform came to be, the women who have influenced them, and more.
By
Marc J. Franklin
June 24, 2020
Amber Iman, Jocelyn Bioh, and Danielle Brooks
There is a celebration happening over on Instagram. Among the selfies, influencers, and aspirational lifestyle images, the talented “Black Women of Broadway” are taking center stage. Co-founders Amber Iman, Jocelyn Bioh, and Danielle Brooks are honoring the legacy of Black women on the Main Stem and beyond with historic images of legends like Patti LaBelle on the theatrical stage, contemporary milestones like Brittney Johnson’s debut as the first Black woman to play Glinda on Broadway, and more, all in a joyous tribute to the community.
It’s not just a commemoration. It’s also a revolution as the Black Women who populate the theatre assume the spotlight, one that has relied heavily on Black talent while simultaneously overlooking and underestimating them. Playbill caught up Iman, Bioh, and Brooks to discuss the new platform as well as the Black women who have inspired each of them.
What prompted you to create this account?
Brandon Victor Dixon, Amber Iman, Joshua Henry, Savion Glover, George C. Wolfe and Audra McDonald on opening night of Shuffle Along
Amber Iman: A few years ago, I was scrolling through one of the digital Broadway platforms on what happened to be opening night of a musical. I was looking at the photos from the red carpet and my heart was broken. For the sake of storytelling, let's say that Tom Hanks was one of the celebrities in attendance. There are eight photos of Mr. Hanks and only one photo of the ensemble, that just happened to be full of Black women. That photo didn't even list their names, it just said, "The cast of....". How insane is that? A platform built for Broadway doesn't even care enough to recognize the artists who just danced and sweat and sang for three hours, who've been working tirelessly for months, years, to bring this show to life.
I remember attending my first Tony Awards for Shuffle Along. I will never forget stepping onto the red carpet and watching all the photographers immediately lower their cameras and check their iPhones. I was in a show, but I wasn't nominated, I wasn't on a TV show, so I didn't matter. I wasn't relevant to them at the moment so I wasn't worth their time.
Black women are some of the hardest working women in the industry. As a whole, Broadway artists aren't recognized or deemed worthy until we "transition" into TV/film, and that's ridiculous. We created this platform to celebrate the rich legacy of Black Women in theatre and to recognize and uplift artists working all across the country, from sound engineers, to costume designers, and everything in between. We plan for the "Black Women on Broadway" account to blossom into an organization rooted in community, access & education, mentorship, and scholarship. Stay tuned!
How did you three come together to create this platform? Amber Iman: It's all my fault! In my work as an artist and an activist, I am most interested in community building and creating opportunities for cross-generational communication. I've been fortunate to find myself in lots of different rooms, and I always keep my eyes open for women who are bold, fearless, strong, who inspire and challenge me. I also look for women whose strengths are my weaknesses.
Jocelyn Bioh is a woman that I admire so deeply, and want to be like when I grow up. She literally does everything well! She's a phenomenal actor, brilliant writer, and most importantly she brings light and warmth into every room. She's so generous with her time and her knowledge. I feel super blessed that I can call her friend.
Danielle Brooks is a mogul, an icon, and a badass! Watching Danielle move through this industry in a relatively short amount of time is a masterclass in itself. She grabbed a Tony nomination, turned around and produced a Broadway show, and she's winning at motherhood all before she turned 30...I stan! She works hard, she's generous in spirit, and is truly invested in lifting as she climbs.
I didn't really have any of the kinks worked out, but I thought the three of us might be able to create some magic together... and I was right.
Opening Night of Bioh's play School Girl’s; or, the African Mean Girls PlayMarc J. Franklin
What do you hope the audience takes away from the "Black Women of Broadway" account? Jocelyn Bioh: We are hoping that audiences, namely Black women who work in theatre (but, of course, all are welcome) can have a place to go and feel celebrated and inspired. In this insane time, we are all being forced into moments of introspection and reflection, but also finding ways to reconnect and be reinvigorated by theatre, which we all love and miss so much. We're hoping this Instagram account will do all of that and also educate people on the rich history of Black women in theatre. Not just in New York City, we mean theatre from all over the country. We want Black women who work in theatre from Broadway to Birmingham to Berkeley to be featured. We believe in fostering community and hope that Black women on Broadway will do just that.
If you could share a message to our Black theatre community (both the people who are currently here as well as future Black artists who are on their way), what would you want to say? Danielle Brooks: I am beyond proud of the Black theatre community, from The Antonyo Awards to Black Theatre United. We are creating our own opportunities and are no longer waiting for someone to give us a seat at the table. We know our worth and are unafraid to demand and create what we deserve for ourselves. And to our future Black artists, continue to work hard, honor those who came before you, and don't wait for anyone to bring your dreams to light. You ignite that flame. Align yourself with people that share your vision, and make it happen.
Take a look at the Black women who have influenced Iman, Bioh, and Brooks and be sure to follow the celebration along on instagram.
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Amber Iman, Jocelyn Bioh, and Danielle Brooks Share the Black Women in Theatre Who Influenced Them
Amber Iman, Jocelyn Bioh, and Danielle Brooks Share the Black Women in Theatre Who Influenced Them
18 PHOTOS
Amber Iman shares five of the Black women in theatre who have influenced her.
"I will never forget the first time I heard The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. It was one of the first times I heard, saw, and felt myself in a musical. She was young, vibrant, quirky and full of life—which most Black girls don't get to be on stage. Finding out that it was written by another phenomenal Black woman, Kirsten Childs, was the icing on the cake. "
Joan Marcus
"When I experienced Anna Deavere Smith in Notes from the Field, it was the first time I ever sat forward in a theatre and said, 'That's what I want my art to look like.' I couldn't get over the fact that a Black woman had her own one-woman show Off-Broadway. I was captivated by her power, her skill, the amount of research and transformation that went into creating all 18 characters, and the sheer brilliance of her performance."
Joan Marcus
Saycon Sengbloh and I grew up around the same time in Atlanta, Georgia. I was fortunate enough to see her play Celie in The Color Purple. It changed my life. Somebody that I knew made it to Broadway, which made it tangible, possible for me. Watching her absolutely command that stage gave me hope."
"Angela Robinson and I did Into The Woods together in Atlanta back in 2011. When I learned that I would get to work with a Broadway actor who was also a gorgeous Black woman, I prayed to God that she would be a nice person who might answer a couple questions about the big city. Angela surpassed my wildest dreams. She was kind, gracious, and generous. She took me under her wing, got me into Broadway Inspirational Voices, AND arranged a meeting with my first agents in NYC. She has become a sister friend who checks on me, supports me, prays for me, and loves on me! I am forever indebted to her."
I first came to know Dael Orlandersmith's work when I did her play Yellowman at Howard University. It was one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking pieces, and probably the most challenging role I've played: a role written for a dark-skinned woman, by a dark-skinned woman, that tackled love, race, class and colorism. When I finally got to see Dael live in her one-woman show, Forever at New York Theatre Workshop, I was transfixed. She and Anna Deavere Smith showed me that I could write and perform my own work, that a Black woman could carve out a space for herself and soar!"
Jocelyn Bioh shares five of the Black women in theatre who have influenced her.
"The very first straight play I ever performed in was Charlayne Woodard's Pretty Fire. I was a senior in high school and had just discovered my comedic chops. I was completely enamored with Charlayne's writing, her characters, and most importantly, that she looked like me."
"I have always been a huge fan of Viola Davis. I mean, who isn't? She's truly incredible. The first time I ever got to witness her on stage was in the 2010 Broadway revival of Fences. I don't think I breathed or blinked for two and half hours—I didn't want to miss an ounce of her performance. It was breathtaking."
"Like everyone else, I grew up with Phylicia Rashad via my television set. I never missed a Thursday night with my 'mom in my head,' Claire Huxtable. Over the years, I've been blessed to come to know Ms. Phylicia (as I refer to her) and she's always been so kind and gracious to me. I was privileged enough to see her perform on stage back in 2016 in Tarell McCraney's play Head of Passes. She performed a 45-minute monologue so exquisitely, I forgot I was in the theatre."
Craig Schwartz
"Lynn Nottage is my playwriting hero. I don't just read and study her plays, but I also enjoy them so much. From the way she crafts characters to her play structure, she is truly a legend. To this day, I thinkRuined is the most perfect play I've ever read/seen."
Marc J. Franklin
"When I was in graduate school getting my MFA in Theatre-Playwriting from Columbia University, I was given a ticket to see a play titled In The Continuum, written and performed by Nikkole Salter and Danai Gurira. It was the first time I had ever seen an African character on stage, being funny, real and so much like my mother, it scared me. Had I never seen that play, I don't know that I would have ever had the courage to write what I do now. I'm so thankful for that."
Danielle Brooks shares five of the Black women in theatre who have influenced her.
"To the cast of Black women that graced the stage of the original [Broadway production of] The Color Purple, thank you for your excellence. The Color Purple was the first Broadway show I ever witnessed, and that day my eyes were opened to what was possible for my life. Ten years later, I was able to make my Broadway debut in the role of Sofia in the revival production. Because of them, my dreams expanded."
"When I first heard Lillias White sing The Oldest Profession, she lit a fire under me that made me want to continue to strive to be the best that I could be."
Carol Rosegg
"LaTanya Richardson Jackson really is a gem to this community. She knows how to navigate language, and it feels like a master class every time you're watching her."
Patina Miller in Pippin
Michael Lutch
"Katori Hall is one of my favorite playwrights, because her words always stay true to the community she's writing about. I would love to direct one of her plays one day."
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