Sissle & Blake
Who was Noble Sissle?
A Black American lyricist, vocalist, bandleader, and civic official
Son of a minister (father) and teacher/juvenile probation officer (mother)
Born in 1889 in Indianapolis, IN; died in 1975
Describe the plot of Shuffle Along.
2 corrupt grocery store owners, Steve Jenkins and Sam Peck, run for mayor of Jimtown, promising to appoint the loser as Chief of Police. Steve wins--with the help of Tom Sharper, a rather sly campaign manager--and appoints Sam as Chief of Police, but they soon end up butting heads. Their cheating ways are exposed by detective Jack Penrose, and good guy Harry Walton is rewarded with the honor of mayor and the undying love of the beautiful Jessie Williams.
YOUR TURN! How many performances did Sissle and Blake’s Shuffle Along of 1921 have on Broadway?
500
What was the first song written by Sissle and Blake?
BONUS: Who was it sung by?
“It’s All Your Fault”
Sung by Sophie Tucker
Which member of the Dixie Duo enlisted in the army during WWI and worked in the regimental band?
Noble Sissle
Who was Eubie Blake?
A Black American pianist and composer
Son of former slaves
Born in 1887 in Baltimore, MD; died in 1983
What was one of the “firsts" that Sissle and Blake achieved with Shuffle Along?
1. Shuffle Along was the 1st all-Black musical on Broadway in over a decade
2. Shuffle Along was the 1st all-Black Broadway show to play for full Broadway prices
YOUR TURN! How many revivals of Shuffle Along did Sissle and Blake make?
2- after Shuffle Along of 1921 (the original), Sissle and Blake came back with Shuffle Along of 1933 (which had 15 performances on Broadway) and Shuffle Along of 1952 (which had only 4 performances on Broadway)
What was notable about the song "Love Will Find a Way" in Sissle and Blake's Shuffle Along of 1921?
It was a non-caricature on-stage expression of love by African Americans
Which member of the Dixie Duo was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan in 1981?
Eubie Blake
How did Sissle and Blake meet?
Both were hired for Joe Porter’s Serenaders at Riverview amusement park in Baltimore, MD, in 1915
YOUR TURN! True or False: Shuffle Along did not use blackface.
False- Black actors used blackface in Shuffle Along
What other musical did Sissle and Blake produce besides Shuffle Along and its revivals?
The Chocolate Dandies (1924)
Sissle and Blake reunited to write scores for _____ during WWII (1939-1945).
United Service Organizations (USO) shows
Which musical of Sissle and Blake's did Blake think had the best score?
BONUS: Which of Sissle and Blake's musicals was most successful?
The Chocolate Dandies (1924)
... but Shuffle Along of 1921 was more successful
What did Sissle and Blake call their joint act?
The Dixie Duo
Name at least one lasting impact of Shuffle Along.
1. Helped restore authentic Black artistry
2. Helped propel the Harlem Renaissance by paving the way for other African American pianist-composers
3. Introduced jazz dancing to Broadway
4. Served as a foundation for the “Jazz Age” of the 1920s
YOUR TURN! Whose election campaign used Sissle and Blake's song "I'm Just Wild About Harry" from Shuffle Along?
Harry S. Truman, in his 1948 US presidential election campaign
YOUR TURN! What NBC special did Eubie Blake appear on in 1960?
"Those Ragtime Years", after being rediscovered as a ragtime pioneer in the late 1950s-60s