THE 21^ST CENTURY

For better or worse, Disney has changed the face of Broadway. Beginning with a lavish stage production of The Lion King (1998) to the reworking of the Oscar nominated cartoon, Beauty and the Beast in 1999, Disney has produced three shows that have been huge hits with theatre-goers (Lassell 2002:18). Except for The Lion King, critics have not been favorably impressed with the Disney productions. One reviewer, Charles Isherwood, described Aida as a “historically inaccurate daydream of the period that might pass through the minds of the kids in the museum as they stare at those neat ankhs and amulets” (2000:1). Much of the criticism for the Disney productions is found in the cultural ideology of Broadway versus the mainstream showy entertainment of Disney. The shows are splashy, over the top, colorful and expensively produced, but many long-time fans of both genres worry that the pathos and sentiment of Broadway will be replaced by unemotional, canned and over sanitized Disney musicals (personal interview with Bob Ammidown, playwright).

Producer Julie Taymor managed to bridge the gap between the sterilized Disney world and the Broadway stage with her lavish production of The Lion King, currently still running on Broadway and in touring casts. Her use of puppets and elaborate costuming managed to portray in a live production, animals on a savannah in Africa. For her efforts, she became the first woman to win a Best Director Tony Award. Taymor chose a multi-ethnic cast that included African American women Tsidii Le Loka as “Rafiki” and Heather Headley as “Nala”.

Disney’s Aida, based on a Verdi opera of the same name, showcased Heather Headley in the title role. Previous stopping the show with her rendition of “Shadowland” in The Lion King, Headley won critical success for her stunning portrayal of an enslaved Nubian princess who falls in love with an Egyptian soldier. In 2000, Headley became the first African American woman to win a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical since 1989.

At this time, Broadway shows have more roles for African American women than ever before, but as in the past, most are in supporting roles. The award-winning Hairspray, features a show-stopping number by Mary Bond Davis called “Big, Blonde and Beautiful”, and the long-running Rent has an African American woman in the pivotal role of Joanne. The Lion King still casts minorities in all its lead roles, but this is the exception, rather than the norm. Critically acclaimed Caroline or Change, about the choices facing a black maid during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and starring Tonya Pinkins and Anika Noni Rose (who won a Tony for her role in 2004), closed after 136 performances (Sondheim 2004).

While Broadway has always showcased the talents of African American women, and continues to do so, there is still a great gap between the roles available for white actresses versus their black colleagues. So far in the 21^st century, the few shows starring African American women in key or lead roles has dwindled from an all time high number in the late 1990s to less than four shows in 2004. African American actresses often cite the lack of interest in black audiences to pay upwards of $60.00 per ticket for Broadway shows, and many support the idea of recording plays for DVD release to greater national and international audiences (personal interview with anonymous subject). Currently, very few shows are recorded for DVD or television broadcast, further closing the gap between those who can afford to attend the theatre and those who cannot. As long as African Americans are not buying theatre tickets to support black performers, the current trend of reducing actresses to secondary roles is likely to continue.