Anita Bush
Encyclopedia
Anita Bush was an American
stage actress and playwright. She founded the Anita Bush All-Colored Dramatic Stock Company in 1915, a pioneering black repertory theatre company that helped launch the careers of Charles Gilpin
, Dooley Wilson
, Evelyn Preer
and others.
In the early part of the 20th Century, Bush worked extensively as a dancer in musical theatre and vaudeville performing with the likes of Bert Williams
and George Walker
. When a back injury sidelined her dancing career, she turned to drama. In 1915, she presented the idea of launching a dramatic stock company to Eugene "Frenchy" Elmore, the assistant manager of the Lincoln Theatre, an established vaudeville house in the Harlem section of New York City. Although her company had not yet been established, she convinced Elmore that she could mount a production in just two weeks.
With a signed contract with Elmore, Bush went to Billie Burke, a Harlem-based white director/playwright to stage his play, The Girl at the Fort, a light comedy with five characters. Bush then assembled the cast which included Carlotta Freeman
, Dooley Wilson
and Andrew Bishop. The play opened at the Lincoln Theatre in November 1915.
For the next six weeks, Bush's company presented a different play every two weeks to much success. However, when Maria C. Downs, the owner of the theatre, insisted that the name of her company be changed to the Lincoln Players, Bush balked and moved to the Lafayette Theatre with a production of Across the Footlights, which opened in December 1915.
At the Lafayette Theatre, the Anita Bush Stock Company would mount a new play on a weekly basis. In March 1916, the Lafayette Theatre purchased the rights to her company and changed the name to the Lafayette Players
. Bush then organized four additional companies of the Lafayette Players which toured throughout the United States. In 1920, Bush left the company to pursue a career in motion pictures.
In 1921, she appeared in The Bull-Dogger, the first of two Norman Film Company productions starring Bill Pickett
. The following year she was featured in The Crimson Skull.
Bush died on February 16, 1974 at the age of 90.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage actress and playwright. She founded the Anita Bush All-Colored Dramatic Stock Company in 1915, a pioneering black repertory theatre company that helped launch the careers of Charles Gilpin
Charles Sidney Gilpin
Charles Sidney Gilpin became one of the most highly regarded actors of the 1920s. He played in critical debuts in New York: in the 1919 premier of John Drinkwater’s Abraham Lincoln and played the lead role of Brutus Jones in the 1920 premier of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones, also touring...
, Dooley Wilson
Dooley Wilson
Arthur "Dooley" Wilson was an American actor and singer. He was born in Tyler, Texas, and is remembered as piano-player "Sam" who sings "As Time Goes By" at the request of Ilsa Lund in the 1942 film, Casablanca - the Sam in the famously misremembered line "Play it again, Sam" -- a phrase which...
, Evelyn Preer
Evelyn Preer
Evelyn Preer, born Evelyn Jarvis , was a pioneering African-American stage and screen actress and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Evelyn was known within the black community as "The First Lady of the Screen."She was the first black actress to earn celebrity and popularity...
and others.
Biography
Bush was born on August 1, 1883 in Washington, DC.In the early part of the 20th Century, Bush worked extensively as a dancer in musical theatre and vaudeville performing with the likes of Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
and George Walker
George Walker (vaudeville)
George Walker was an African American vaudevillian. In 1893, in San Francisco, Walker met Bert Williams, who became his performing partner. Walker and Williams appeared in The Gold Bug , Clorindy , The Policy Player , Sons of Ham , In Dahomey , Abyssinia , and Bandanna Land...
. When a back injury sidelined her dancing career, she turned to drama. In 1915, she presented the idea of launching a dramatic stock company to Eugene "Frenchy" Elmore, the assistant manager of the Lincoln Theatre, an established vaudeville house in the Harlem section of New York City. Although her company had not yet been established, she convinced Elmore that she could mount a production in just two weeks.
With a signed contract with Elmore, Bush went to Billie Burke, a Harlem-based white director/playwright to stage his play, The Girl at the Fort, a light comedy with five characters. Bush then assembled the cast which included Carlotta Freeman
Carlotta Freeman
Carlotta Freeman was an American stage actress. She was one of the first African American women in the legitimate theatre.-Biography:...
, Dooley Wilson
Dooley Wilson
Arthur "Dooley" Wilson was an American actor and singer. He was born in Tyler, Texas, and is remembered as piano-player "Sam" who sings "As Time Goes By" at the request of Ilsa Lund in the 1942 film, Casablanca - the Sam in the famously misremembered line "Play it again, Sam" -- a phrase which...
and Andrew Bishop. The play opened at the Lincoln Theatre in November 1915.
For the next six weeks, Bush's company presented a different play every two weeks to much success. However, when Maria C. Downs, the owner of the theatre, insisted that the name of her company be changed to the Lincoln Players, Bush balked and moved to the Lafayette Theatre with a production of Across the Footlights, which opened in December 1915.
At the Lafayette Theatre, the Anita Bush Stock Company would mount a new play on a weekly basis. In March 1916, the Lafayette Theatre purchased the rights to her company and changed the name to the Lafayette Players
Harlem Renaissance Theatre Companies
- Lafayette Players - Krigwa Players Little Theater Group : Aldridge Players :- Alhambra Players :- Lafayette Players :...
. Bush then organized four additional companies of the Lafayette Players which toured throughout the United States. In 1920, Bush left the company to pursue a career in motion pictures.
In 1921, she appeared in The Bull-Dogger, the first of two Norman Film Company productions starring Bill Pickett
Bill Pickett
Willie M. "Bill" Pickett was a cowboy and rodeo performer.Pickett was born in the Jenks-Branch community of Travis County, Texas. He was the second of 13 children born to Thomas Jefferson Pickett, a former slave, and Mary "Janie" Gilbert. Pickett had 4 brothers and 8 sisters...
. The following year she was featured in The Crimson Skull.
Bush died on February 16, 1974 at the age of 90.