Explore Black History

April 1973

An off-white color-block paper playbill printed by Playbill for “The River Niger”.
On the top front of the playbill inside a pink, orange, and yellow color-block box is [PLAYBILL / MAGAZINE / BROOKS ATKINSON / THEATRE] in black ink. In the middle of the cover in large bold black type is [THE / RIVER NIGER].
On the inside of the playbill, a left page features a black-and-white photographic ad for Elizabeth Arden cosmetics. The right page (15) announces the play “The River Niger”. From the top in black type is [BROOKS ATKINSON / THEATRE / Under the direction of James and Joseph Nederlander / The River Niger is being presented on Broadway because of an overwhelming demand / for tickets which the Negro Ensemble was unable to fill during the play’s recent four- / month run at the St. Marks Playhouse. / For six seasons now, the NEC has been producing quality plays at our small 150-seat / home base theatre. / This unprecedented limited engagement on Broadway is note- / worthy. However, it does not mean that we are departing from our well established ac- / tivities as a non-profit producing institution and training program devoted to the con- / tinued growth and development of Black talents in every phase of theatre. / THE NEGRO ENSEMBLE COMPANY, INC. / presents / THE RIVER NIGER / by / JOSEPH A. WALKER / Directed by / DOUGLASS TURNER WARD / with / (Alphabetically) / GRAHAM BROWN / SAUNDRA MCCLAIN / ROXIE ROKER / CHARLES WELDON / FRANCES FOSTER / NEVILLE RICHEN / LENNAL WAINWRIGHT / DEAN IRBY / LES ROBERTS / DOUGLASS TURNER WARD / GRENNA WHITAKER / Lighting by / SHIRLEY PRENDERGAST / Set by / GARY JAMES WHEELER / Costumes by / EDNA WATSON / Incidental Music by / DOROTHY DINROE / Scenery and Costumes Supervised by / EDWARD BURBRIDGE / PREMIERED DECEMBER 5, 1972 AT ST. MARKS PLAYHOUSE / This play is dedicated to my mother and father and to highly underrate Black daddies everywhere. / --JOSEPH A. WALKER]. The rest of the interior consists of forty pages of text and advertisements. An Old Grand-Dad Whiskey ad is displayed below the play’s announcement. On the back of the playbill is an edge to edge color ad for Iceberg 10 cigarettes, depicted as a green and white striped carton in front of a white iceberg.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Dr. Sandra Austin

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2014.196.1

theater programs

© Metromedia, Inc 1973
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

ink on paper, metal

H x W x D: 9 × 5 5/8 × 1/8 in. (22.9 × 14.3 × 0.3 cm)

Object Name • Playbill for The River Niger

nmaahc_2014.196.1

NMAAHC

PLAYBILL FOR THE RIVER NIGER

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1970s

McClain, Saundra • Roker, Roxie • Playbill • Brown, Graham • Weldon, Charles • Wainwright, Lennal • Irby, Dean • Roberts, Les • Walker, Joseph A. • Foster, Frances • Whitaker, Grenna • Negro Ensemble Company • Richen, Neville • Ward, Douglas Turner

New York City • Brooks Atkinson Theater • United States • North and Central America

Broadway Theatre • Theatre companies • Drama (Theatre)

Locale • Brooks Atkinson Theater • City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

Electronic resource • Images

Use Restricted