''Rang Tang'' is a musical that premiered July 12, 1927, on

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 ...

at the Royale Theater and ran for 119 performances, including a 14-week overrun, during which, the production moved September 12, 1927, to the Majestic – finishing October 24, 1927. It was acclaimed as one of the most successful black musical revues of the latter 1920s, and owed much to a star-laden cast headlined by Flournoy Miller and

Aubrey Lyles Aubrey Lee Lyles (8 January 1884 – 28 July 1932), sometimes credited as A. L. Lyles, was an American vaudeville performer, playwright, songwriter, and lyricist. He appeared with Flournoy E. Miller as Miller and Lyles as a popular African-A ...

. The

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arr ...

— in 2 acts and 12 scenes (2 scenes added later) — is by Kaj Gynt; the lyrics are by Joseph H. Trent; the music is composed by

Ford Dabney Ford Thompson Dabney (15 March 1883 – 6 June 1958) was an American ragtime pianist, composer, songwriter, and acclaimed director of bands and orchestras for Broadway musical theater, revues, vaudeville, and early recordings. Additionally, for ...

, who tailored some of the songs for

Mae Barnes Mae Barnes (born Edith Mae Stith, possibly January 23, 1907 – December 13, 1996) was an American jazz singer, dancer and comic entertainer. She was responsible for introducing the Charleston dance to Broadway in the 1924 revue ''Runnin' W ...

and

Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was a pioneering American stage and screen actress and jazz and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the black community as "The First Lady of ...

; the score and post-production music was published by

Leo Feist Leopold Feist (January 3, 1869, New York City – June 21, 1930, Mount Vernon, New York), in 1897 founded and ran a music publishing firm bearing his name. In the 1920s, at the height of the golden age of popular music, his firm was among the seve ...

; all copyrighted in 1927 and copyrights renewed in 1954.

History

The production premiered after the world's first solo transatlantic flight – from

Roosevelt Field Roosevelt Field is a former airport, located east-southeast of Mineola, Long Island, New York. Originally called the Hempstead Plains Aerodrome, or sometimes Hempstead Plains field or the Garden City Aerodrome, it was a training field (Hazel ...

, Mineola,

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, to Le Bourget Aerodrome,

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, by

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

. The musical title, ''Rang Tang,'' is slang for

orangutan Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus ...

Plot

Sam Peck (

Miller A miller is a person who operates a Gristmill, mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Mill (grinding), Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surname ...

) and Steve Jenkins ( Lyles) are two debt-ridden Jimtown barbers who flee their creditors, steal an airplane, and, in the spirit of

, embark on another, further, albeit non-solo, first transatlantic non-stop flight from America to Africa in search of treasure. Toward the end of their destination, however, while in flight, the plane begins to malfunction and the wings fall off. Following a safe emergency splash landing in the sea near

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

, they meet (i) the

Queen of Sheba The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא‎, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she bring ...

(Josephine Hall), (ii) the King of

( Daniel L. Haynes), and (iii) a Zulu tribe. Peck and Jenkins become involved in series of comedic misadventures with natives and fierce animals in the forests, jungles, and deserts – staged as a mythical, exotic, and, at times, terrifying native land. They find a buried treasure, return to the U.S., and arrive at a Harlem cabaret, where they celebrate in grand style their new status as two of the richest men in the world.

Book, lyrics, melodies, arrangements

Book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical arr ...
: Kaj Gynt (1885–1956)
Lyrics: Jo Trent ''(né'' Joseph Hannibal Trent; 1892–1954)
Music:
Ford Dabney Ford Thompson Dabney (15 March 1883 – 6 June 1958) was an American ragtime pianist, composer, songwriter, and acclaimed director of bands and orchestras for Broadway musical theater, revues, vaudeville, and early recordings. Additionally, for ...
(1883–1958)
Orchestrations and vocal arrangements: Russell Wooding ''(né'' Alfred Russell Wooding; 1891–1959)

Premier production

Choreography Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design ...
: Charles Davis ''(né'' C. Columbus Davis; 1894–1963) ‡
Staging Staging may refer to: Computing * Staging (cloud computing), a process used to assemble, test, and review a new solution before it is moved into production and the existing solution is decommissioned * Staging (data), intermediately storing data ...
: Flournoy E. Miller (1885–1971)
Set design Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trained ...
:
Olle Nordmark Olle Emanuel Nordmark (May 25, 1890 – December 18, 1973) was a Swedish painter and muralist born in Nordanholen at Mockfjärd parish. He was focused on an art career from an early age. After emigrating in 1924 to the United States to gain ...
(1890–1973)
Costume design Costume design is the creation of clothing for the overall appearance of a character or performer. Costume may refer to the style of dress particular to a nation, a class, or a period. In many cases, it may contribute to the fullness of the arti ...
:
Olle Nordmark Olle Emanuel Nordmark (May 25, 1890 – December 18, 1973) was a Swedish painter and muralist born in Nordanholen at Mockfjärd parish. He was focused on an art career from an early age. After emigrating in 1924 to the United States to gain ...
Costume execution: Hilarie Mahieu Costumes, Inc. – Hilarie Albert Mahieu (1877–1964)
Masks, lantern heads, and shields: H. Foster Anderson
Orchestra direction:
Ford Dabney Ford Thompson Dabney (15 March 1883 – 6 June 1958) was an American ragtime pianist, composer, songwriter, and acclaimed director of bands and orchestras for Broadway musical theater, revues, vaudeville, and early recordings. Additionally, for ...
Produced by Walker and Kavanagh – Antoinette Walker ''(maiden;'' 1874–1970) and husband, Michael Joseph Patrick Kavanagh (1887–1967)

Opening night cast

Flournoy E. Miller (1885–1971), as Sam Peck, a barber ‡
Aubrey Lyles Aubrey Lee Lyles (8 January 1884 – 28 July 1932), sometimes credited as A. L. Lyles, was an American vaudeville performer, playwright, songwriter, and lyricist. He appeared with Flournoy E. Miller as Miller and Lyles as a popular African-A ...
(1884–1932), as Steve Jenkins, a barber ‡
Josephine Hall ''(née'' Josephine Allen; born 1890), as Queen of Sheba and singer
Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was a pioneering American stage and screen actress and jazz and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the black community as "The First Lady of ...
(1896–1932)
Daniel L. Haynes (1889–1954), as King of Madagascar and chorus member (baritone)
Inez Draw, singer
Lillian Westmoreland ''(maiden;'' 1906–1935), a so-called "double-voiced" talent – the ability to sing both soprano and alto

: Barnes, Mack, Jones dance trio

Mae Barnes Mae Barnes (born Edith Mae Stith, possibly January 23, 1907 – December 13, 1996) was an American jazz singer, dancer and comic entertainer. She was responsible for introducing the Charleston dance to Broadway in the 1924 revue ''Runnin' W ...
(1907–1996), dancer
Lavinia Mack (born about 1908), dancer
Byron Jones (1889–1934), dancer

: Cast (continued)

Zaidee Jackson (1898–1970), as Magnolia
Crawford Jackson
Joe Willis
Ralph Bryson, dancer

: Male chorus

Daniel L. Haynes (1889–1954), bass
Ambrose Allen
Howard Brown
C.H. Gordon
Gilbert Holland
Burble Jackson
Snippy Mason ''(né'' Arthur Robinson Mason; 1891–1976), tenor ‡
Llewellyn Ransom ''(né'' Llewellyn Aloysius Ransom; 1901–1972), tenor
James E. Strange ''(né'' James Easton Strange; 1895–1956), as barbershop customer and chorus member, tenor
Joseph Willis
Clarence Todd
Edwin Alexander
George Battles
Edward Thompson ''(né'' James Edward Thompson; 1898–1960), who, in 1924, married
Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was a pioneering American stage and screen actress and jazz and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the black community as "The First Lady of ...

: Ladies of the ensemble

Le 'Etta' Revells
Pauline Jackson
Susie Baker
Gladyce Bronson
Doris Colbert
La Valla Cook
Inez Draw
Teddy Garnette
Alice Hoffman
Margie Hubbard
Frances Hubbard
Evelyn Keyes (1908–1990)
Marie Mahood ''(née'' Marie Hardina Mahood; born 12 May 1904 Queens, NYC), as one of six of wives of Chief Bobo; in 1928, she married Marion W. Griffen (1903–2000)
Frankye Maxwell
Thelma McLaughlin
Marel Miles
Thula Ortes
Thelma Rhoton
Gladys Schell
Helen Smith
Norma Smith
Gomez Boyer
Mildred Coleman
Leonore Gadsden
Isabel Peterson
Ethelyn Boyd
Irma Miles
Marie Simmons
Anna Humphrey
Gertrude Williams

: Ford Dabney's ''Rang Tang'' Orchestra : In September 1927, "The Witch Doctor," a new scene by Trent and Dabney was added to the show. : ‡ Member of the 1921 ''

Shuffle Along ''Shuffle Along'' is a musical composed by Eubie Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, and a book written by the comedy duo Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles. One of the most notable all-Black hit Broadway shows, it was a landmark in African-Americ ...

'' cast

Songs

: ''Rang Tang;''

"Rang Tang," fox-trot song; Dabney (music), Trent (words), Frank E. Barry (arrangement);
"Rang Tang," Dabney (melody), Trent (words)
"Brown;" Dabney (music), Trent (words), ; Zaidee Jackson, vocalist
"Come to Africa," Dabney and Trent (words & melody); Josephine Hall, vocalist
"Ee Yah," hunting song, Dabney (melody), Trent (words)
"Everybody Shout," Dabney and Trent (words & music)
"Feelin' Kinda Good," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Harlem," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Jubilee in Monkeyland," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Jungle Rose," Dabney and Trent (words & melody); ;
Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was a pioneering American stage and screen actress and jazz and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the black community as "The First Lady of ...
, vocalist
"Jungle Rose," fox trot, Dabney (music), Trent (words)
"King and Queen," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Pay Me," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Sammy and Topsy," Dabney (melody), Trent (words)
"Sammy's Banjo," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Six Little Wives" (of Chief Bobo), Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Someday," Dabney (melody), Trent (words); Josephine Hall, vocalist
"Sweet Evening Breeze," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)
"Voodoo," Dabney (melody), Trent (words)
"Zulu Fifth Avenue," Dabney and Trent (words & melody)

: Not listed in ''Catalogue of Copyright Entries:''

"Summer Nights," Josephine Hall, vocalist
"Tramps of the Desert"

Post Broadway performances

After closing on Broadway, ''Rang Tang'' opened in *

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

: Werba's Theater *

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

Ford's Theatre Ford's Theatre is a theater located in Washington, D.C., which opened in August 1863. The theater is infamous for being the site of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. On the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth entered the theater box ...

– opened October 24, 1927, for a 1-week engagement *

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

: Tremont Theatre – November 28, 1927 *

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

: Shubert Theatre – opened December 29, 1927 * Jamaica, Queens, New York City: Cort Theater – January 1928; John Cort's theater, on 175th Street at

Jamaica Avenue Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue's western end is at Broadway and Fulton Street, as a continuation of East New York Avenue, in Brooklyn's E ...

; opened August 22, 1927, with the American stage premier of ''Mr. What's His Name;'' the structure was designed by Eugene DeRosa *

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), ...

: Lafayette Theatre – opened February 13, 1928

Other productions

* Staged and produced by Edward E. Daley (1884–1933), starring

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...

(1888–1937) and Joe Byrd ''(né'' Joseph Byrd; 1886–1946) **

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Woods Theatre The Woods Theatre was a movie palace located at the corner of Randolph and Dearborn Streets in the Chicago Loop. It opened in 1918 and was a popular entertainment destination for decades. Originally a venue for live theater, it later converted to s ...

– opened June 20, 1928, close July 14, 1928 **

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

( Paradise Valley): Koppin Theater – opened July 28, 1928; note: the Koppin Theater, owned by Henry Koppin ''(né'' Henry Emil Koppin; 1900–1961), opened August 27, 1927, and closed in 1929, after the

Wall Street Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...

Legacy as employer of African Americans in Broadway theater

In an informal survey of integrated casts in the 1927 Broadway season, ''

Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African-American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acqu ...

'' reporter Floyd J. Calvin (1902–1939) wrote:

Gallery

Androcles-and-the-Lion-Daniel-Haynes.jpg, 1938
Daniel L. Haynes in a 1938 stage presentation of '' Androcles and the Lion'' at the Lafayette Theatre,

Evelyn_Preer.jpg, 1923

(publicity photo)

Notes, copyrights, references

Notes

Copyrights

* Original copyrights *Note: sheet music copyrighted in the U.S. (a) prior to 1925 with copyright renewal or (b) from 1925 through 1963 without copyright renewal is deemed

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

. * ''

Catalog of Copyright Entries United States copyright registrations, renewals, and other catalog entries since 1978 are published online at the United States Copyright Office website. Entries prior to 1978 are not published in the online catalog. Copyright registrations and rene ...

, Part 1, Group 3: Class D: Dramatic Compositions, Motion Pictures, New Series,''

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

Copyright Office The United States Copyright Office (USCO), a part of the Library of Congress, is a United States government body that maintains records of copyright registration, including a copyright catalog. It is used by copyright title searchers who are ...

* ''

, Part 3 Musical Compositions, New Series,''

* ''

, Third Series, Renewal Registrations – Music'' * Renewals

Genealogical records

Inline

Historic newspapers, magazines, and journals

External links

* * * * {{ibdb production, id=10340, title=Rang Tang ''(1928) (production) Broadway musicals Revues All-Black cast Broadway shows 1927 musicals