"Erased from History: Orson Welles, Jesse O. Thomas, and the 1936 Black Cast Macbeth at the Texas Centennial” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: "Erased from History: Orson Welles, Jesse O. Thomas, and the 1936 Black Cast Macbeth at the Texas Centennial”
Author: Marguerite Rippy
Abstract: In 1936, Orson Welles’ Federal Theater Production of Macbeth went on national tour with an integrated cast and crew of 100 African and African American dancers, actors, and musicians. The first stop was at the Texas Centennial Celebration, which commemorated Texan independence from Mexico. The production was documented by Exhibition General Manager and National Urban League officer Jesse O. Thomas, who framed the Centennial and its Hall of Negro Life as an important moment in black history. The 1936 Texas Centennial Macbeth is rarely referenced in either the context of Welles’ career or as a major moment in African American theater. This presentation seeks to rectify an important omission from African American performance history by studying the unique performance context of the Centennial for the 1936 Macbeth, directed by Orson Welles.
Date: 04/16/20
Conference Name: Popular Culture / American Culture Association National Conference

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