BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR

[DAME]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:11am

I was wondering if anyone out there has seen any producions (especially the broadway one) of Bubbling Brown Sugar. Would love to know about the plot and structure of the show. There's a production of it ( see link) opening in Atlanta next weekend. I will be there and I am wondering if it is something I do, or don't want to see. Diahann Carroll is starring in it. Anyone?
Bubbling Brown Sugar

Updated On: 7/16/04 at 01:11 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 1:57am

?

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 2:07am

huh?

[DAME]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 2:16am

I was just bringing this threa back to the top.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 3:11am

If I'm not mistaken, this is more of a revue of Harlem's best music than a musical with a plot.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 3:27am

Gosh, Dame, I saw it a thousand years ago as a kid and all I remember is that it was a loosely-structured (clunky book) revue celebrating the history of Harlem with lots of great songs and and dance numbers that recreated the jazz, blues and R&B of the 20's, 30's and 40's. It starred the beautiful, sexy and vastly underappreciated Vivian Reed -- a terrific singer/dancer/actress/star (she was nominated for the Tony that year against McKechnie for "A Chorus Line," who won, as well as Verdon & Rivera for "Chicago") -- in the role I assume Carroll is doing.

With this show (that toured for YEARS with various African-American female stars) the better the singers/performers, the better the show (there's not a lot of plot). I'd assume with Mme. Diahann Carroll on board, it would certainly be a first-class production worth checking out.

Carroll is a gifted DAME to end all dames (not sure if one would call her a "hussy" without risking getting one's face slapped), and looking at the rest of the cast in the Playbill link you provided (the GREAT diva BJ Crosby of "Smokey Joe's Cafe" fame, Vernell Bagneris, Jeffry Denman of "The Producers"), if it were me, I'd definitely want to see it.

Faison's choreograpy for the big numbers should be terrific (he got the Tony for "The Wiz" -- he's not a great with book musicals, but he's fine with revues and is a wonderful choreographer). Just go! -- ignore the book scenes, enjoy the rest and let us know how it was.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 5:25am

Interesting note about the cast recording: It's the only cast recording ever made by a small record company in my hometown of Buffalo named Amherst Records. It also won a Grammy for Best Original Cast Recording. Didn't win any Tonys though- No chance to win going against A CHORUS LINE.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 6:10am

I saw it too, and only have vague recollections of it. I remember that Vivian Reed was out the day I saw it, so I didn't see her deliver her famed "Sweet Georgia Brown". But I remember really loving Avon Long's "Nobody" and "In Honeysuckle Time" and all of the Josephine Premice numbers. I also remember some hyperactive choreography for the whiny white guy who sang "Harlem Makes Me Feel". There is a lot of material that is not on the Broadway cast recording, which was a single disc. The London recording is a two disc set and I think it has everything, but I've never bothered to pick it up.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 7:26am

Bubbling Brown Sugar
Book by Loften Mitchell
Concept by Rosetta LeNoire
Music and Lyrics - Various
Opened March 2, 1976 at the Anta Theatre, (New York) and ran for 766 performances.

Synopsis

BUBBLING BROWN SUGAR tells the story of Harlem in the Golden Years. Taking many of the great songs from the era, Loften Mitchell has woven an ebullient tale of a time gone by.

Song List

Stompin' at the Savoy
Take the "A" train
Bubbling brown sugar
Nobody
His eye is on the sparrow
Swing low sweet chariot
Sophisticated lady
Stormy Monday blues
In honeysuckle time, when Emaline said she'd be mine
Sweet Georgia Brown
Honeysuckle Rose
Harlem makes me feel!
There'll be some changes made
God bless the child
It don't mean a thing
What Harlem Is To Me
Doin' The New Low Down
Harlem Sweet Harlem
Some Of These Days
St. Louis Blues
Rosetta
Solitude
Ain't Misbehavin'
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Memories Of You
Harlem '70
Goin' back in time
Moving uptown
Strolling
I'm gonna tell god all my troubles
C'mon up to jive time
Harlem-Time
Love will find a way
Dutch's song
Brown gal
Pray for the lights to go out
Jim, Jam, Jumpin' Jive

Nominated for 6 Tony awards in 1976

[junglered]

Posted: 7/16/04 at 11:59am

I'll be attending this show next week and am looking forward to seeing the vivacious and talented Ms. Carroll!

Posted: 7/16/04 at 12:18pm

I remember it pretty much as Margo does. Definitely no book to it at all. I remember buying to OCR on LP (33rpm) that's how old it is. The highlight for me is gospel tune "His eye is on the Sparrow". Go see it you folks in Atl. You will enjoy it.

[junglered]

Posted: 7/23/04 at 5:54pm

Hello All-

I had a lot of fun last night at Bubbling Brown Sugar. It is currently playing at Atlanta's historic Fox Theatre. This musical is more of a revue which has a pretty thin plotline. Nevertheless, it is still worth seeing. The show introduces us to 2 couples - one white and one black - who are visiting Harlem to see its sights by day. They meet up and become acquainted and collectively wish they knew more about old Harlem. As if by magic, they run into 3 older folks who were pioneers of the music and vaudeville club scene of yesteryear. Veterans Diahann Carroll (Irene Paige), Clent Bowers (Checkers), and Vernel Bagneris (John Sage) are persuaded to take the sightseers on a time trip through Harlem's musical history and the show is mostly told through flashback.

The audience is treated to such classics as "Take the 'A' Train", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Honeysuckle Rose", "At the Savoy", "Minnie the Moocher", "My Feet's Too Big", "Ain't Misbehaving", "God Bless the Child", "It Don't Mean a Thing", and the title song "Bubbling Brown Sugar". Diahann Carroll looks phenomenal at age 69 and is quite the theatre legend. She excels on songs where she doesn't compete with the orchestra too much - piano accompaniment is just perfect for her voice. Broadway veteran BJ Crosby (Smokey Joe's Cafe, Chicago, OneMo'Time) who plays multiple roles in Bubbling Brown Sugar steals the show with her rendition of "His Eye Is On the Sparrow".

Period costumes by Reggie Ray are spectacular. The sets are a little spare for my taste. Is this show ready to return to Broadway? Not yet---but the basics are there. If this tour comes to your city, it is worth checking into to revisit a slice of America's past.

-Junglered

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 7/23/04 at 6:27pm

Is this a show? lol