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The plaza lobby of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. On the right, a red reception desk with "Welcome" in large white text and black counter. Center, the entrance to the exhibition. To the left of the entrance, a floor-to-ceiling mural wall reads "Syncopated Stages: Black Disruptions to the Great White Way" in bold colorful text; to the right, a large collage of six headshots, each washed with a different bright color.

Join us for a free virtual exploration of the newest exhibition at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Syncopated Stages: Black Disruptions to the Great White Way. 

Designed for guests who are blind or have low vision, this virtual event will be led by writer and audio describer Mel Watkins and joined by staff from the Library’s Theater Division. It will incorporate verbal description and discussion.

To register for this virtual exhibition exploration and other events designed for the blind and low vision community, submit our program registration form.

If you wish to register via email or over the phone, you can reach the Accessibility Team at [email protected] or by calling 212-875-5375.

After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with pre-program information, including the Zoom link and details about the program.

About Syncopated Stages: Black Disruptions to the Great White Way:
Although the common nickname for Broadway, “the Great White Way,” refers, historically, to its dazzling lights, the phrase also suggests the ways in which many histories of New York theater center white artists. Black artists, though, have been important shapers of musical theater in the United States before the electric light was ever used on stage. In the early 20th century, Black composers and writers created many popular musicals in New York that helped define the genre, setting it apart from 19th-century traditions.

New forms of syncopation, the disruption of the dominant rhythm, and narratives composed and written by Black artists challenged the prevailing sounds and depictions of Black people on stage. These innovations were more than stylistic. They pushed back against exclusion and stereotype, laying the groundwork for generations of Black artists whose contributions have reshaped Broadway. Syncopated Stages spotlights their work, acknowledges the challenges they faced, and celebrates the brilliance of what they made. We invite you to explore how Black artists transformed the New York stage and how their work still reverberates today.

This exhibition is organized by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and curated by playwright, professor, and scholar Michael Dinwiddie. 

 

Accessibility

black and white Audio Description icon
Live verbal description for guests who are blind or have low vision

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