Black performers are bringing extraordinary talent, energy and star power to Broadway, with Black actors appearing across dozens of current productions on the Great White Way.
From beloved long-running musicals such as The Lion King, Hamilton and Wicked to newer productions including Ragtime, Buena Vista Social Club and Death Becomes Her—Broadway audiences have plenty of opportunities to see Black performers take center stage.
Among the standouts is Hadestown at the Walter Kerr Theatre, where J. Harrison Ghee stars as Hermes; Gary Dourdan portrays Hades; Jordan Tyson plays Eurydice; and John-Michael Lyles takes on the role of Orpheus.
At the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Hamilton continues its celebrated Broadway run with Marcus John as Alexander Hamilton; Donald Webber, Jr. as Aaron Burr; Lencia Kebede as Angelica Schuyler; and Isaiah Johnson as George Washington.
Disney favorites also showcase Black talent. The Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre stars L. Steven Taylor as Mufasa; Sidney Nicole Wilson as Sarabi; Pearl Khwezi as Nala; and Bonita Hamilton as Shenzi.
Aladdin at the New Amsterdam Theatre features Michael James Scott as the Genie; J.C. Montgomery as the Sultan; and Dennis Stowe as Jafar.
Meanwhile, MJ The Musical, built around the life and music of Michael Jackson, continues at the Neil Simon Theatre. Matte Martinez stars as MJ, with a large cast portraying Jackson and members of his family at different stages of his life. The production features 25 of the superstar’s biggest hits.
Broadway audiences can also see China Anne McClain as Daisy Buchanan and Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, while Michelle Williams stars as Viola Van Horn in the musical comedy Death Becomes Her.
Ragtime at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater brings another powerful story to the stage. The musical follows three families pursuing the American Dream while confronting racism and prejudice in America. Its Black cast includes Joshua Henry as Coalhouse Walker, Jr.; Nichelle Lewis as Sarah; and John Clay III as Booker T. Washington.
At the Schoenfeld Theatre, Buena Vista Social Club takes audiences into the heart of Cuba and the musical traditions of Havana. Its cast includes Natalie Venetia Belcon; Chris Myers; Jaleel Battles, Jr.; Isa Antonetti; Da’Von T. Moody; Ashley De La Rosa and others.
Other Broadway productions featuring Black performers include Chicago; Death of a Salesman; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child; Moulin Rouge; The Outsiders; Six; Stranger Things: The First Shadow; Titanique; and Wicked.
More Black talent is arriving on Broadway as well. Paranormal Activity, scheduled to begin performances Aug. 14 at the August Wilson Theatre, stars Travis A. Knight as James in a story about a couple who move from Chicago to London hoping to escape their past, only to discover that what haunts them may have followed.
The sheer number and variety of roles demonstrate the presence Black actors have established across today’s Broadway landscape—in dramas, comedies, classic revivals, Disney spectacles and some of musical theater’s biggest productions.
Actors have the ability to educate, enlighten and inspire audiences through their work. Black performers on Broadway are doing exactly that, bringing their talent, strength and heart to stages throughout New York.
For theater goers, supporting that talent can be as simple as taking a seat and experiencing it for themselves.
(Based on reporting by Harlem Community Newspapers.)
