Here is a recent clip of Bronzeville ‘behind the scenes’, covered by True-Star Media
Joliet got a first look at a musical through the eyes of the director that charted the history of the ‘Great Migration’ of African Americans from the south to the north. “Bronzeville,” which will begin touring the country after its premiere at Chicago’s Studebaker Theatre April 5-15. The Producer and Director, Margaret Mahdi gave a glimpse of the musical at the Rock n’ Roll Museum in downtown Joliet on Wednesday to promote the production’s upcoming debut and national tour.
“This is the very first production to give a full picture of the Black Chicago Renaissance which began with the Great Migration from the South in the first decades of the twentieth century,” said producer and director Margaret Mahdi in sit-down interviews with local media at the Rock ‘n Roll Museum. Mahdi was born in Joliet, but her family moved to Chicago when she was a child. She visited Joliet to talk about her new project.
Bronzeville has been under development for over a decade. “Its really been cultivating since 2004,” Mahdi recalled. It all started with conversations with Sam Greenleaf, the author of ‘The Spook Who Say by the Door,’ who was my mentor. We used to meet over breakfast and talked about doing a story on the Harlem Renaissance. One day, he said to me, ‘Why not do a story on Chicago, because there was a Black Renaissance here as well, that began with the Great Migration from the south.”
Mahdi ran with the idea and began developing the project, working with students at Kennedy King College at the Katherine Dunham Theatre. “We started in 2003 with the basic idea surrounding the Great Migration and soon, the project developed legs of its own. It was revamped in 2004 and then evolved into a full-fledged musical in 2010.
“In 2016 we booked the Chicago Theatre. We were the first community theatre group to ever sell out at the Chicago Theatre,” Mahdi recalled proudly. “We were going to tour then, but decided we needed more work.”
Active development came to a screeching halt during COVID, but the hiatus provided an opportunity to take a fresh look at the project. “We completely re-wrote Bronzeville and now we’re ready for prime time.”
After the initial run in Chicago in April, Mahdi predicts the production will be tour-ready in October.
“We’d like to start in the south where the wave of the Great Migration began, and then possibly move it to Off-Broadway and then Broadway. There’s such a rich history that needs to be told.”
Mahdi says her motivation for doing the musical was the result of all the negative press surrounding black teens. “We needed to rewrite that story about urban Black youth and all the bad publicity surrounding teens ‘wilding out.’
“A lot of our African American youth are getting lost because they don’t know who they are. The purpose of Bronzeville is to inspire them to walk a different walk and tap into their God-given talent.”
Bronzeville not only covers the history of the African American experience from the Great Migration but makes a statement about youth today. “We’re showing that past history is relevant to today by presenting young local artists like Dlow and the Dlow Shuffle that everybody’s doing.”
(Chicago-born Hip-Hop artist and choreographer Dlow is the stage name of Daryon Martice Simmons. “DLOW” is an acronym that stands for “Determined, Loyal, Optimistic, and Willing to Learn”. He became known through his bopping, a type of dance. He has been a regular collaborator of fellow hip-hop dancer and rapper, Lil Kemo (also known as “King Kemo”) since 2013 when they made their first video together. His single, “Bet You Can’t Do It Like Me” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015.)
Bronzeville tells the story in music and dance of 15-year-old Marquis, a conflicted youth growing up on Chicago’s South Side. “He’s torn between the teachings of his father, a former convict who’s gone straight, and the rebellion of the streets. “Marquis’ father had been incarcerated for ten years, but he came out of it a better human being who wants to point the way to a better life for his son,” Mahdi said, recounting the story behind Bronzeville.
“The father, John, begins to tell the story of his family history to his son by showing him a photo album that traces the family tree from the Great Migration to today.
Marquis has an awakening and sees the foundation that was laid for him to get on a different path to become a better human being.”
Mahdi said that Bronzeville is more than just another Black History musical; it’s a vehicle for change.
“There are black people who paved the way. It’s up to the playwrights and the artists to carry the torch. We’re in a different energy space today. Starting with the impact of George Floyd and leading up to the new migration that’s happening today, there’s so much building up that has to be addressed. I feel that Bronzeville is a tipping point to begin that discussion. There’s a lot of work to do, but I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to take on that responsibility.”