By Marilyn Lester*** The importance of spotlighting often under-referenced Black Broadway artistry can’t be highlighted enough. From 1903’s In Dahomey to the present day, African American contributions to the stage have been paramount. Vastly important was 1921’s Shuffle Along, a megahit of its day that transformed all of American 
musical theater by introducing sophisticated romantic plots rather than vaudeville-style revues, as well as “new music” in jazzy rhythms. In 2016, Broadway’s ten-time Tony Award® nominated Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed offered an homage to the work. So hats off to producer-director Caseen Gaines (author of When Broadway Was Black) for a 10th anniversary celebration concert that brought both productions alive, with an all-star cast and just enough context to underscore the reason we were gathered in the room to celebrate.
Drawing from Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake’s original and the Making of, 12 songs from the greater Shuffle Along universe were selected for the 54 Below presentation. Opener was an energetic “Shuffle Along” with tap, presented by 
charmer Izaiah Harris. He was followed by Afra Hines, shimmying to “I’m Just Simply Full of Jazz”—a tune that helped put stars of the day Josephine Baker and Adelaide Hall on the map. Then it was back to Harris with a ballad (and a bit more tap) “In Honeysuckle Time.” But for full-on tap, it was the charismatic singer-tapper John Manzari who commanded the room with a full-out “Bandana Days” paired with an outlier: “How Ya Gonna Keep ’em Down on the Farm (After They’ve Seen Paree)?”—a 1919 tune by Walter Donaldson, Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis, popular at the close of World War I.
Amidst the protojazz of Sissle and Noble, particularly after the syncopation of “Bandana Days,” Ezekiel Andrew and Hines performed a quite different kind of tune in “Love Will Find a Way.” Like a Black Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, the duo deftly sang the romantic ballad, which was highly influenced by operetta composer Victor 
Herbert. A piece of shtick turned up with “Ain’t Cha Coming Back, Mary Ann, to Maryland?”, sung by Davon Williams, a Noble and Sissle tune used in programs of the day, often paired with “I’m Just Simply Full of Jazz.” But there was a serious twist to its inclusion here: the showing of an accompanying soundie, aka an early music video, made by electrical engineer/inventor and “father of radio,” Lee de Forest, who, in 1921, developed an optical sound-on-film process.
An honest-to-goodness blues was handled by Melody A. Betts as a real gutbucket wailer. And among a field of delightful tunes, two stood out as the most well-known: “Memories of You,” added to and included in the Making of, and from the original, “ “I’m Just Wild About Harry.” The former, an evocative ballad, was sung by Kimberly Marable, who also led the cast in a finale of the latter, bringing a memorable show to a rousing end.
Also featured in the 54 Sings Shuffle Along, Or… A 10th Anniversary Celebration cast were: Melvin Abston, Kristin Bria Hopkins, Subiya Mboya, Dwayne Washington, Sidney Wilson and Zurin Villanueva, The excellent musicians providing first-class support were: Taj Graves-Parker (trombone), Aveion Walker (reeds), Jack Cline (piano), John Feliciano (guitar), Brandon Jackson (bass-music direction) and Kent Williams (drums).
Photos by Maryann Lopinto: top to bottom: Caseen Gaines, Kimberley Marable, John Manzari
