''Amen Corner'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

with a book by Philip Rose and

Peter Udell Peter Udell (born 1934) is an American lyricist and writer, best known for his collaborations with composer Gary Geld. He started his career in popular music in the 1960s, writing lyrics for songs including " Sealed With A Kiss", " Save Your Heart ...

, lyrics by Udell, music by

Garry Sherman Garry Sherman (born December 28, 1933) is an American musician, arranger, composer and orchestrator, who was involved from the 1960s in many hit records as well as Broadway shows, film soundtracks and advertising campaigns. He has also maintained ...

, orchestration by Garry Sherman & Dunn Pearson and dance arrangements by Dunn Pearson & George Butcher, based on the 1954 play of the same title by

James Baldwin James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) was an American writer. He garnered acclaim across various media, including essays, novels, plays, and poems. His first novel, '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'', was published in 1953; de ...

. The score consists of mostly

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

-inspired music. After 12 previews, the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production, directed by Rose and

choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

by Al Perryman, opened on November 10, 1983, at the

Nederlander Theatre The Nederlander Theatre (formerly the National Theatre, the Billy Rose Theatre, and the Trafalgar Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 208 West 41st Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, it was des ...

, where it ran for 28 performances. The cast included

Rhetta Hughes Rhetta Hughes (born Dallas, Texas, June 15, 1939, died June 3, 2019) was an American soul singer and musical theatre and occasional screen actress. Music and acting career 1960s and before Although Hughes sang from a young age into adulthood ...

as Margaret, Keith Lorenzo Amos as David, Roger Robinson as Luke,

Ruth Brown Ruth Alston Brown (; January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress, sometimes referred to as the " Queen of R&B". She was noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atl ...

as Odessa, Helena-Joyce Wright as Sister Boxer, Jean Cheek as Sister Moore, and Chuck Cooper as Brother Boxer. Hughes was nominated for the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for Best Actress in a Musical. The production received poor reviews. The musical was produced in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia Drama Guild in 1986 and has been produced a number of times since.Information about a 2005 production
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Synopsis

Margaret Alexander, the pastor of a storefront church in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

in the early 1960s loses some of her sheen of righteousness in the eyes of her poor but devout, congregation, when her wayward

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

husband Luke returns after many years, now ill. Luke had always been trouble, and Sister Margaret had tried to keep him out of the life of her son, David, who she wants to become pastor some day. Now David wants to see his father, and Luke claims to have changed. Meanwhile, members of the church have seen David sneaking out to bars at night. Some argue that Margaret should step down as pastor. Margaret struggles with her feelings for her husband, who says he still loves her, and her teenaged son, David, who has lost his faith and threatens to leave home. She finally reconciles with her dying husband, which purges her of her bitterness, and finds the strength to continue her religious mission.

Song list

;Act I *"The Amen Corner" *"It Ain't No Fault Of His" *"That Woman Can't Play No Piano" *"In the Real World" *"You Ain't Gonna Pick Up Where You Left Off" *"In the Real World (Reprise)" *"We Got a Good Thing Goin'" *"Heat Sensation" *"Everytime We Call It Quits" ;Act II *"Somewhere Close By" *"Leanin' on the Lord" *"I'm Already Gone" *"Love Dies Hard" *"Rise Up and Stand Again"

References

{{reflist

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing

''Amen Corner''
at the Music Theatre International website

at the Musical Heaven website 1983 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on plays