Onstage: Twentieth Century Theatre Designs by African Americans

Onstage, the first exhibition and manuscript of its kind, will focus on stage designs by African American artists from 1900 to the 1990s. The designers profiled in this project represent a fascinating diversity of backgrounds, styles and approaches to design. Their work includes designs for Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional and community theatre. Major studies on European American designers have resulted in numerous publications and exhibitions. In contrast, African American designers have been ignored in such studies, even though they have labored creatively behind the scenes since the turn of the century. The main objective of Onstage is to end the anonymity of these artists and to encourage public awareness and appreciation of the achievements of these men and women.