When legendary Broadway producer David Merrick revived the flagging box-office and pizzazz for his long-running musical “Hello, Dolly!” by casting Pearl Bailey to play the lead character originated by Carol Channing and, with Cab Calloway, lead an all-black cast, he was thinking bottom line. It is, after all, show business.
Being 1967 America, in the middle of civil rights change, there were arguments among those of every color on whether the production — with no mention of racism and prejudice – was a retrograde throwback to segregation or a breath of fresh air. Of course, since the default in America was “white,” the same discussions never happened with Channing’s all-white cast.
But what finally counted was the overwhelming response from audiences, who just wanted to be entertained. The show drew not only traditional (read white) theater-goers but also people of color, thrilled to pay the price of a Broadway ticket to see something at once different and familiar. It worked for my mother, who dragged her young daughter (actually, we were co-conspirators) on a train from Baltimore to New York to see “Dolly!” and other shows, igniting a taste for Broadway and a desire to seek out theater that was more multi-colored than the nickname “Great White Way” would indicate.
In 2015, Broadway is taking renewed notice in how to present entertaining, sometimes challenging fare and keep a diverse, global audience interested. That might mean singer Brandy taking a turn in the long-running “Chicago” or NeNe Leakes of “Real Housewives” coming on board in the final month as the wicked stepmother in the multiracial cast of the now-closed “Cinderella,” one with KeKe Palmer, an African-American princess, in the starring role.
