Theresa Merritt discusses “Ma Rainey” (video interview). At his best, as in Seven Guitars (1996), he specialized in the contrapuntal interplay of down-home versus urban ideologies. The movie is based on August Wilson's play that premiered on Broadway in 1984 and starred Theresa Merritt … Theresa Merritt was born on September 24, 1922 in Newport News, Virginia, USA as Theresa Irene Merritt. Richards and Wilson worked together for almost two years on the play. ''A singing actress of both wit and power, she finds bitter humor in the character's distorted sense of self: when she barks her outrageous demands to her lackeys, we see a show business monster who's come a long way from her roots.''. Yearning for a career as an opera singer, she studied at the Settlement School of Music in Philadelphia, and at Temple University and New York University. At that time, the best-known actor in the cast was Theresa Merritt, who played Ma. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1985 CD release of "Original Broadway Cast Recording Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" on Discogs. It opened at the Yale Repertory Theater in April 1984, and then moved to Broadway 's Cort Theatre. During the 34th National Convention of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Merritt and E. Fannie Granton of Jet magazine were made honorary members of the sorority in 1977. The singer-comedienne Theresa Merritt and the actor Charles S. Dutton enriched Wilson’s Broadway production.Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was the template for Wilson’s later, more complexly developed black colloquies. She also appeared alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton in the film adaptation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Theresa Merritt. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Blue,'' died on June 12 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. This is an original press photo. Later, Ms. Merritt toured as a backup singer for Harry Belafonte and Jackie Wilson and sang at Carnegie Hall in 1985 as part of the Kool Jazz Festival and Salute to Cole Porter. Ms. Merritt acted in several films, including ''They Might Be Giants'' (1972), ''The Goodbye Girl'' (1977), ''All That Jazz'' (1979), ''The Great Santini'' (1979), ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' (1982) and ''The Serpent and the Rainbow'' (1988). She was 75. When she was 21, Ms. Merritt was chosen by Billy Rose, the Broadway producer, to join the cast of his 1943 musical, ''Carmen Jones.'' Her most notable film roles were Aunt Em in the 1978 film version of The Wiz, Mrs. Crosby in the 1977 film adaptation of Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, and Juanita in the Adam Sandler comedy Billy Madison. Historic Images Part Number: nop58956. Blue,'' ''Cosby'' and ''Law and Order.''. She was married to Benjamin Hines. [3] She also toured with road companies of Funny Girl, Show Boat, and South Pacific.[4]. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Theresa Merritt, whose half-century career on television, in movies, on Broadway and in concert halls stretched from the original production of ''Carmen Jones'' to a recent episode of ''N.Y.P.D. She portrayed the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey in August Wilson's award-winning "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." She was ''Ma Rainey incarnate,'' wrote Frank Rich in his review in The New York Times. Theresa Merritt (September 24, 1922 – June 12, 1998) was an actress and singer who played Aunt Em in the 1978 movie verison of The Wiz (movie). Born in Emporia, Virginia, Merritt appeared in many theatrical productions but gained fame later in life when she starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination,[1] and The Wiz, in which she replaced Mabel King as Evelline. Merritt died of skin cancer on June 12, 1998 in The Bronx.[5]. In 1973, she portrayed Mammy in … Born in Emporia, Virginia, Merritt appeared in many theatrical productions but gained fame later in life when she starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination, and The Wiz, in which she replaced Mabel King as Evelline. Ms. Merritt was born in Emporia, Va., but moved to Philadelphia while a toddler to be reared by an aunt and uncle after her mother died. She was 75 and lived in the Hollis section of Queens. Ma Rainey (1886-1939) was among the first black singers to get a recording contract - albeit with a white company's ''race'' division. In 1985, she returned to Broadway to play the title role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and won a Tony nomination. Nor is it a reverential, solemn approach to Wilson’s breakthrough success, first staged on Broadway in 1984 with Charles S. Dutton as Levee and Theresa Merritt as Ma Rainey. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a 2020 American drama film directed by George C. Wolfe and written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, based on the play of the same name by August Wilson.The film, and its source play, focus on Ma Rainey, an influential blues singer, and dramatize a … La pièce è il secondo capitolo del Ciclo di Pittsburgh, una raccolta di dieci opere teatrali scritte da Wilson sulle vite degli afroamericani in ogni decennio del XX secolo, ed è l'unica delle dieci a non essere ambientata a Pittsburgh, bensì a Chicago. Theresa Merritt was an actress who was no stranger to being featured in numerous film roles throughout her Hollywood career. Jasmine Addams,'' a 1971 musical based on Carson McCullers's ''Member of the Wedding''; the wicked witch in ''The Wiz,'' and John Lithgow's black Polish landlady in ''Division Street,'' a 1980 farce by Steve Tesich. '', See the article in its original context from. This article about a United States film and television actor born in the 1920s is a stub. A scanner may interpret colors and contrast differently than human eyes will, so it is possible that the actual photograph may be slightly darker or lighter in person. In a 1984 interview, following her acclaimed opening in ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,'' Ms. Merritt said: ''I don't regret never being a big star. August Wilson Archive. Ms. Merritt is probably best known for two roles. When Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was revived on Broadway in 2003, the production was dedicated to the memory of Theresa Merritt, Joe Seneca, and Robert Judd. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, a 1982 play by August Wilson, is a fictionalized account of a recording of her song of the same title set in 1927. She's known for her role in That's My Mama (1974-1975) and for her film roles in The Wiz (1978) and Billy Madison (1995). However, as we'll explain below, most of the plot is fictional. (1972), The Crucible (1972), Trumpets of the Lord (1969), Golden Boy (1964), Tambourines to Glory (1963), and Carmen Jones (1943, 1945, 1947). It may contain wrinkles, cracks, and possibly even tears due to its age and how it was handled before it got to us. A scanner may interpret colors and contrast differently than human eyes will, so it is possible that the actual photograph may be slightly darker or lighter in person. Theresa Merritt (1922-1998) was an actress who began her career in stage musicals and dramas but on-screen usually played warm, motherly types. Division Street (Oct 08, 1980 - Oct 25, 1980) Performer: Theresa Merritt [Mrs. Bruchinski] PlayComedyOriginal. She also appeared in the Broadway production of The Wiz. Theresa Merritt Hines (September 24, 1922 – June 12, 1998) was an American stage, film, and television actress and singer. Charles S. Dutton, who was nominated for a Tony award for playing the same role, was cited in supporting, but the late Theresa Merritt, who played Ma Rainey, was also nominated in supporting. She was an actress, known for Billy Madison (1995), The Wiz (1978) and All That Jazz (1979). This article about a United States singer is a stub. Theresa Merritt, 75, Praised In Role of Ma Rainey, Is Dead, https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/21/nyregion/theresa-merritt-75-praised-in-role-of-ma-rainey-is-dead.html. - kieran 04:49 pm EST 12/20/20 In 1996, she played Gordon's mother Grandma Sarah in Sesame Street Episode 3578. A spokesman for her family said Ms. Merritt died after a six-year battle with skin cancer. Performer: Theresa Merritt [Ma Rainey] PlayDramaOriginal. The Wiz (Jan 05, 1975 - Jan 28, 1979) Performer: Theresa Merritt. Her other New York stage roles included a gospel singer in ''Trumpets of the Lord'' in 1969; the understanding Southern maid in ''F. And on Broadway in 1984 she originated the title role of a domineering, manipulative blues singer in August Wilson's ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,'' earning a Tony nomination. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. She earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the Broadway play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. As a teen-ager, she sang in church and community choirs and appeared on a radio show aimed at black audiences, ''Parisian Tailor's Colored Kiddie Hour.''. Theresa Merritt was an actress who was no stranger to being featured in numerous film roles throughout her Hollywood career. Beginning in 1974, she starred in ''That's My Mama,'' an ABC situation comedy set in a Washington barbershop where a widowed mother knows best what her hapless son (played by Clifton Davis) should do. re: Theresa Merritt mesmerizing - shocktheatre 06:22 pm EST 12/20/20 (2) re: Theresa Merritt mesmerizing - FinalPerformance 06:49 pm EST 12/20/20 (1) re: Theresa Merritt mesmerizing - shocktheatre 06:52 pm EST 12/20/20. 1924-1998. She left The Wiz, citing the role's harmful effect on her voice. Photo is dated 02-06-1994. Actress Theresa Merritt, who starred in the TV series "That's My Mama," died June 12 of skin cancer in Calvary Hospital, New York. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. She also appeared on numerous television series, including ''Beekman Place,'' ''Another World,'' ''Police Story'' and ''The Love Boat.'' Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the only one to include a real person, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, portrayed by Davis. IN August Wilson's ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,'' now at the Yale Repertory Theater, ... As portrayed by the author - and embodied by the actress Theresa Merritt - Ma … Direction was by Lloyd Richards, one of August Wilson's most frequent collaborators. Robert Judd (actor) - Wikipedia Theresa Merritt portrayed Aunt Em in the film adaptation of the broadway musical where the character was originally played by Tasha Thomas. [2], Merritt's other Broadway credits included Mule Bone (1991), Division Street (1980), Don't Play Us Cheap! In 1985, she returned to Broadway to play the title role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and won a Tony nomination. Theresa Merritt and Whoopi Goldberg starred as Rainey in the Original and Revival Broadway productions, respectively. Theresa Merritt on IMDb: Movies, Tv, Celebrities, and more... Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events Merritt was married to Benjamin Hines, and they had four children. Actress. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom opened at Broadway's Cort Theatre in Oct. 1984, playing 276 performances before closing in June 1985. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom è un'opera teatrale del drammaturgo statunitense August Wilson, portata al debutto a New Haven nel 1984. The African-American performer launched her career with a starring role in Billy Rose's musical Carmen (1943). It may contain wrinkles, cracks, and possibly even tears due to its age and how it … In the 1980s, Ma was front and center in pop culture once again thanks to the Broadway staging of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, starring Theresa Merritt as … This is an original press photo. Ms. Merritt is survived by her husband of 52 years, Benjamin Hines, and by four children, Norman, Benjamin Jr. and Denise, all of Hollis, and Dennis, of St. Louis. I'm 62, and I've had a taste of it all. In the last year, she played guest roles on ''N.Y.P.D. This is an original press photo. Ms. Merritt is survived by her husband of 52 years, Benjamin Hines, and by four children, Norman, Benjamin Jr. and Denise, all of Hollis, and Dennis, of St. Louis. The University Library System (ULS) at the University of Pittsburgh has acquired the archive of the late playwright and Pittsburgh native son August Wilson, best known for his unprecedented American Century Cycle —ten plays that convey the Black experience in each decade of the 20th century. This article about an American theatre actor born in the 1920s is a stub. It may contain wrinkles, cracks, and possibly even tears due to its age and how it was handled before it got to us. Photo is dated 12-21-1993. "Theresa Merritt, 75, Praised In Role of Ma Rainey, Is Dead", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Theresa_Merritt&oldid=1016491949, American theatre actor, 20th-century birth stubs, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Internet Off-Broadway Database person ID same as Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 April 2021, at 13:27. That can all go in seconds. Merritt was in the original Broadway cast of Carmen Jones in 1943, moving from ensemble to the featured role of Carmen's friend Frankie in two more forties mountings. She played Frascetta. As a Tony-nominated Broadway star, a former background singer for Harry Belafonte, ... with a starring role in Billy Rose's musical Carmen (1943). 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