[Dixielandjazz] Lafayette Theatre / Harlem Vaudeville

[Rob McCallum]

Hello all,

I read a fascinating passage this morning from a book called The Blacker the
Berry.  It was published in 1929 by Harlem Renaissance writer Wallace
Thurman, and the passage describes a night out at the Lafayette Theatre, an
important establishment in the history of jazz.  Because it is such a gem
for describing the atmosphere and because it is an uncommon book, I'm going
to reproduce the couple of paragraphs (though edited) that describe this
scene below (which is a bit long so delete now if uninterested).

A quick note, for those interested, the central theme of the story deals
with color prejudices among black people regarding lightness or darkness of
skin tone.  Thurman, the author, also rejected many of the "definitions"
being placed on black "artists" by supposed race spokesmen and sociologists
like Alain Locke and W.E.B DuBois, and viewed the "literary" renaissance as
so much propaganda.  He believed that black artists (and this includes
musicians) had the right to pursue any creative endeavor that they saw fit,
and not have an agenda forced on them just because they are black.

Following the minstrel thread, it was common for black entertainers to also
darken their skin color for exaggerated (and stereotyped) comic effect.  One
quote from this story offers an explanation:  "... since black is the
favorite color of vaudeville comedians and jokesters, and conversely, as
intimately associated with tragedy, it is no wonder that even the blackest
individual will seek out some one more black than himself to laugh at"
(146).

Here's the Lafayette Theatre passage:

    Before Emma and Alva could reach the entrance door, they had to struggle
through a crowd of well-dressed young men and boys, congregated on the
sidewalk in front of the theater.  The midnight show at the Lafayette on
Friday is quite a social event among certain classes of Harlem folk, and, if
one is a sweetback or a man about town, one must be standing in front of the
theater, if not inside.  It costs nothing to obstruct the entrance way, and
it adds to one's prestige.  Why, no one knows.

    ... There was much noise in the theater, much passing to and fro, much
stumbling along dark aisles.  People were always leaving their seats,
admonishing their companions to hold them, and someone was always taking
them despite the curt and sometimes belligerent, 'This seat is taken."
Then, when the original occupant returned, there would be still another
argument.  This happened so frequently that there seemed a continual
wrangling automatically staged in different parts of the auditorium.  Then
people were always looking for someone or something, always peering into the
darkness, emitting code whistles, and calling to Jane or Jim or Pete or
Bill.  At the head of each aisle, both upstairs and down, people were packed
in a solid mass, a grumbling garrulous mass, elbowing their neighbors,
cursing the management, and standing on tiptoe trying to find an empty,
intact seat - intact because every other seat in the theater seemed to be
broken.  Hawkers went up and down the aisle shouting 'Ice cream, peanuts,
chewing gum, or candy.' ... A sadly inadequate crew of ushers inefficiently
led people up one aisle and down another trying to find their supposedly
reserved seats;  a lone fireman strove valiantly to keep the aisles clear as
the fire laws stipulated...

    First, a movie was shown as the organ played mournful jazz.  About one
o'clock the midnight revue went on.  The curtain went up on the customary
chorus ensemble singing the customary 'Hello, we're glad to be here, we're
going to please you' opening.  This was followed by the usual song-and-dance
team, a lady Charleston dancer, and two black-faced comedians ... aided
frequently by the ... noisy chorus, which somehow managed to appear upon the
stage almost naked in the first scene, and keep getting more and more naked
as the evening progressed.

    ... There was as much, if not more, activity in the orchestra and box
seats than there was on the stage ... Emma Lou found the spontaneous ...
utterances of those around her much more amusing than the stereotyped antics
of those on stage.

    ... (Upon leaving)  'First time I ever went to a midnight show without
something on my hip (flask)' he complained to Emma Lou as they crossed the
taxi-infested street in order to escape the crowds leaving the theater and
idling in front of it, even at four A.M. in the morning."  (171 - 175).

BTW - The Lafayette Theatre is still standing, though it has long been
converted into a church.  It's next door to the Connie's Inn building which
is also still standing.

All the best,
Rob McCallum