July 5 - A Broadway Debut

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On July 5, 1898, a musical comedy called Clorindy, or the Origin of the Cake Walk had its premiere in New York City.  Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote the lyrics, Will Marion Cook composed the music, and Ernest Hogan was the leading actor.  Clorindy was the first Broadway show created and performed by African Americans.  It was presented at the Casino Roof Garden on Broadway at Thirty-Ninth Street.  Before air conditioning, rooftops were often used as entertainment venues in the summer.

"Clorindy, or the Origin of the Cake Walk," a Negro operetta, by Paul L. Dunbar and Will Marion, was produced on July 5 at the Casino Roof Garden, for a trial.  The music of the operetta was composed by a colored pupil of Dvorak and Joachim, and the participants, headed by Ernest Hogan, were also colored.  The songs were all enthusiastically received, especially "Jump Back, Honey," "Who Dat Say Chicken in Dis Crowd?" "Hottest Coon in Dixie" and "Darktown is Out Tonight."  The novelty was received with such favor that the aggregation is engaged for the entire season.
 

"The Stage."  The Freeman (Indianapolis, Indiana).  July 23, 1898.  Page 5.

The fantastic singing, dancing and cake walking of the negro race find sprightly illustration in "Clorindy, or The Origin of the Cake Walk," given with so much spirit by Ernest Hogan and his colored cohorts.
 

"Casino Roof Garden."  The New York Times (New York, New York).  July 31, 1898.  Page 8.

Many years later, Will Marion Cook recalled how he collaborated with Paul on the development of the show, and the reaction of the audience on opening night.

After a long siege of persuasion, I finally got Paul Laurence Dunbar to consent to write the Clorindy libretto and lyrics.  We got together in the basement one night about eight o'clock.  We had two dozen bottles of beer, a quart of whiskey, and we took my brother's porterhouse steak, cut it up with onions and red peppers and ate it raw.  Without a piano or anything but the kitchen table, we finished all the songs by four o'clock the next morning.  By that time Paul and I were so happy we were ready to cry "Eureka!" only we couldn't make any noise at that hour so both of us sneaked off to bed, Paul to his house three blocks away and I to my room.
 

When I entered the orchestra pit, there were only about fifty people on the Roof.  When we finished the opening chorus, the house was packed.  The applause and cheering were so tumultuous that I simply stood there transfixed.  This was hardly Dunbar's finest lyric, but the chorus made that Broadway audience think it was.  When the last note was sounded, the audience stood and cheered for at least ten minutes.  Negroes were at last on Broadway, and there to stay.  Gone was the minstrel!  Gone the Massa stuff!  We were artists and we were going a long, long way.

"Clorindy, the Origin of the Cakewalk," by Will Marion Cook.  Theatre Arts (New York, New York).  September 1947.  Pages 61 - 65.

Paul's wife Alice went to see Clorindy in New York and wrote to him about the production and questioned whether he was getting his fair share of the earnings.

Last night I persuaded Mrs. Matthews to go with me to the Casino Roof Garden to see the Cake Walk.  The place was crowded.  There was hardly standing room.  The audience went wild and demanded an encore.  I made some inquiries from employees in the place and learned that it has been running all week with much success.  Last night was the last performance at the Casino, but I heard that it was likely to go to another theatre.  Now, in my opinion, money has been made on that cake walk, and since your name is used so muchly, your plain duty is to find out where do you come in.  I shall go to the music stores tomorrow and see if the songs are on sale.
 

Alice Moore Dunbar to Paul Laurence Dunbar, July 10, 1898.  Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).