16/10/2026
This week, we’re showcasing some of the brilliant musicals that celebrate Black experiences, culture and musical heritage! ✨
💚Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978) - Celebrating the music of jazz pianist and composer Thomas “Fats” Waller, this lively musical revue captures the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance and the jazz age of the 1920s and 1930s. It won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical
💚Ragtime (1998) - Set in early 20th-century America, Ragtime explores the intersecting lives of three groups of people as they navigate a changing society shaped by racial prejudice, class divisions and social inequality. The musical won multiple Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical
💚The Color Purple (2005) - Based on Alice Walker’s award-winning novel, this powerful musical follows a 40-year journey of survival, self-discovery and empowerment in the rural American South between 1909 and 1945. It received 11 Tony Award nominations, with LaChanze winning Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
💚 Dreamgirls (1981) - Set in the 1960s and 1970s, Dreamgirls follows the rise of The Dreamettes, a young Black female R&B trio, exploring ambition, friendship, heartbreak and the challenges of the music industry. The production received 13 Tony Award nominations and won six awards in 1982
It’s been wonderful to follow our students’ journey as they’ve explored different eras of musical theatre throughout Black History Month. These stories remind us of the artists, musicians and communities whose creativity, resilience and contributions continue to shape and enrich the world of musical theatre today🖤
