February 28, 1968 Juanita Hall, musical theater and film actress, died. Hall was born November 6, 1901 in Keyport, New Jersey and after receiving classical training at Julliard School became a leading Broadway performer. Hall began singing and playing small roles in theatre in the northeast. In 1935, she appeared on Broadway in Sailor Beware. Over the next [...]
Tag Archives | Tony Award
December 21st in African American History – George Faison
December 21, 1945 George Faison, dancer and choreographer, was born in Washington, D.C. Faison entered Howard University in 1964 to study dentistry, but dropped out in 1966 to pursue a career in dance. He moved to New York City and joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1967 and remained there through 1969. In [...]
April 2nd in African American History – Charles “Honi” Coles
April 2, 1911 Charles “Honi” Coles, tap dancer and actor, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Coles developed his high-speed rhythm tapping on the streets of his hometown. In 1940, while dancing with the Cab Calloway band, he teamed with Charles “Cholly” Atkins to form Coles & Atkins. Their partnership lasted 19 years. Coles made his [...]
February 14th in African American History – Gregory Oliver Hines
February 14, 1946 Gregory Oliver Hines, dancer, choreographer and actor, was born in New York City. Hines started dancing at an early age and together with his brother and father eventually became known as Hines, Hines and Dad.
December 17th in African American History – Moses Gunn
December 17, 1993 Moses Gunn, stage, film, and television actor, died. Gunn was born October 2, 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tennessee State University in 1959. He then studied at the University of Kansas from 1959 to 1961 in their graduate program for speech and drama. Gunn [...]
October 29th in African American History – Beatrice Melba Smith (Melba Moore)
October 29, 1945 Beatrice Melba Smith (Melba Moore), R&B singer and actress, was born in New York City. Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in musical education from Montclair State Teacher’s College and taught music for a year in the Newark Public School System. She began her performing career in 1967 in the cast of “Hair.”
September 23rd in African American History – George Costello Wolfe
September 23, 1954 George Costello Wolfe, playwright and director of theater and films, was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. Wolfe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Pomona College and then taught for several years in Los Angeles and New York where he earned a Masters of Fine Arts from New York University in 1983. [...]