Shuffle Along begins previews on Broadway tonight

SHUFFLE ALONG, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed begins previews at Broadway's Music Box Theatre tonight, ahead of an official opening on 28 April 2016. The musical is currently booking through to 9 October 2016.

SHUFFLE ALONG, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed is conceived by Flournoy Miller & Aubrey Lyles, and features music & lyrics by Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle, and a book by George C. Wolfe, who also serves as Director.

Synopsis: "In May 1921, Shuffle Along, a new musical conceived by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles with music and lyrics by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, became the unlikeliest of hits, significantly altering the face of the Broadway musical as well as that of New York City. In April 2016 — 95 years later — SHUFFLE ALONG, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, will be a backstage musical telling the story of the creation of this transformative but now forgotten show.
By the time Shuffle Along stumbled into town after a back-breaking pre-Broadway tour, it was deeply in debt and set to open at a remote Broadway house on West 63rd Street. In a season full of spectacles, such as Sally — a Ziegfeld musical comedy — and another edition of George White's Scandals, Shuffle Along's failure was almost a foregone conclusion. New York City was still in the throes of the Depression of 1920. And despite being celebrated vaudeville performers, Miller and Lyles and Sissle and Blake had never performed on Broadway, much less written a musical. But with an infectious jazz score and exuberant dancing, Shuffle Along ignited not just Broadway but all of New York City. George Gershwin, Fanny Brice, Al Jolson, Langston Hughes, and famed critic George Jean Nathan were among the many fans who repeatedly flocked to West 63rd Street to see a cast which — during its run of 504 performances — featured such soon-to-be theatrical luminaries as Josephine Baker, Paul Robeson, Florence Mills, Fredi Washington, and Adelaide Hall. Because of Shuffle Along, Uptown and Downtown met and became one."

The cast includes six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald (Lottie Gee), Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (F.E. Miller), Tony winner Billy Porter (Aubrey Lyles), Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (Noble Sissle) and Tony nominee Joshua Henry (Eubie Blake), with Phillip Attmore, Alexandria Bradley, Darlesia Cearcy, Darius De Haas, C.K. Edwards, Leo Ash Evens, Afra Hines, Curtis Holland, Jason Holley, Adrienne Howard, Lee Howard, Kendrick Jones, Lisa Latouche, Alicia Lundgren, JC Montgomery, Erin N. Moore, Janelle Neal, Brittany Parks, Arbender Robinson, Karissa Royster, Britton Smith, Zurin Villanueva, Christian Dante White, Joseph Wiggan, Pamela Yasutake, Richard Riaz Yoder and Brooks Ashmanskas.

SHUFFLE ALONG, Or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed features choreography by Savion Glover, music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Daryl Waters, musical direction by Shelton Becton, scenic design by Santo Loquasto, costume design by Ann Roth, and lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer. It is produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin.

- by Tom Millward