Black Theatre Legends
Who is the playwright behind the iconic drama A Raisin in the Sun?
Who is Lorraine Hansberry
This playwright is known for his "Pittsburgh Cycle" of ten plays that chronicle the African American experience in the 20th century?
Who is August Wilson?
“I’m not going to get me no more of this. I’m going to put my money in the bank and let it grow. I’m going to make something out of myself.”
Who is Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry?
This 2008 film, based on the hit Broadway musical, features Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Amanda Seyfried, and is set on a Greek island.
What is Mamma Mia!?
Which actor famously portrayed Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences on Broadway and later in the 2016 film adaptation
Who is Denzel Washington?
Which playwright’s 1976 drama For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf broke new ground by blending poetry, dance, and theatre to explore the lives of seven women of color?
Who is Ntozake Shange?
"I am not an animal! I am a human being! I… am… a man!"
Who is John Merrick in The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance?
This 1996 film, based on the stage musical by Jonathan Larson, tells the story of a group of friends living in New York City during the AIDS crisis.
What is Rent?
Which pioneering African American actress became the first Black woman to win an Emmy Award for her role in the TV miniseries Roots
Who is Cicely Tyson?
This playwright, known for works such as The Brothers Size and In the Blood, uses Southern Black folklore and contemporary issues to create rich, poetic narratives about African American life. Who is he?
Who is Tarell Alvin McCraney?
"I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers."
Who is Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams?
his 2002 film adaptation of a Tony Award-winning musical, set in the 1940s, features Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, and includes the hit song "Come What May."
What is Moulin Rouge!?
This playwright’s work The Piano Lesson won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990, cementing his legacy in American theatre. Who is he?
Who is August Wilson?
Who is the playwright behind The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1969), a politically charged drama about a Black man who becomes a CIA agent and uses his skills to lead a revolution?
Who is Sam Greenlee?
"I have to believe that when things get tough, when the weight of the world bears down, it’s just life telling us to let it go."
Who is Sophie in Mamma Mia! by Catherine Johnson?
Based on the 2005 Broadway musical, this 2006 film stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter and is directed by Tim Burton, blending horror, musical, and dark humor.
What is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street?
Who was the founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, which created a platform for Black actors, directors, and playwrights to showcase their work starting in the late 1960s?
Who is Douglas Turner Ward?
This playwright’s 1987 work Intimate Apparel examines the life of an African American seamstress in early 1900s New York City, and is known for addressing themes of love, race, and social expectations.
Who is Lynn Nottage?
"We are all fools in love."
Who is Orsino in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare?
This 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play stars Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski and Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois.
What is A Streetcar Named Desire?