It was an archeological dig, but it was also very exciting! I’m used to interviewing people and using that material as the backbone for my work, but while I conducted some interviews for this book, primary sources really were my best friends here. I spent a lot of time in libraries sifting through old newspapers, personal correspondence, unpublished memoirs, and a lot of other materials. What was the research and writing process like for both Footnotes and When Broadway Was Black? This is really the definitive version of the Shuffle Along story, as it also includes more information about the 2016 George C. As the book was coming out in paperback, we took advantage of the opportunity we had to expand the book. Most of the book is actually the same, but there is a brand-new introduction, the last chapter has been rewritten, there is new information throughout, and some new photos. I often refer to it as the “special edition” of Footnotes. When Broadway Was Black is really an extension of Footnotes.
What made you want to write When Broadway Was Black and expand upon the legacy of Shuffle Along? Your previous book Footnotes focuses on Noble Sissle, Eubie Blake, Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles and their journeys to Broadway in addition to the creation of Shuffle Along. It’s all storytelling, which has always been my first love. What a friend I must have been! But in all seriousness, I also always loved acting and, as I grew older, directing. When I was little, I would retell stories I had read, or episodes of television shows I had watched, to my friends on the playground. I’ve always been interested in both writing and theater. How did you get started in theatre and writing? My latest book is When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical That Changed the World, which looks at the history and lasting legacy of 1921’s Shuffle Along, not only to the theater industry, but to the entertainment industry and America more broadly.
I’m a writer and the author of several books on different pivotal moments in popular culture. For those that may not know you, can you share a little bit about yourself? Hi Caseen, thank you so much for joining us today! We’re so happy to have you here. Grab a cup of tea, get cozy, and read our interview below! I’m thrilled to have Caseen on the blog today and learn a bit more about him and When Broadway Was Black. I read an ARC of Footnotes last year and was absolutely blown away by this rich history of musical theatre, and when I heard that Caseen was releasing another book expanding upon Shuffle Along and it’s Broadway journey, I just knew that I had to read it. Happy Thursday, friends! Today we have a special guest on the blog, Caseen Gaines, author of Footnotes and When Broadway Was Black.
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