Sons of Ham was a 1900 musical staged in the United States. Will Marion Cook wrote the music and Jesse A. Shipp the book. It was a farce, with Bert Williams and George Walker portraying two young men mistaken for twin heirs.[1] It was their first majorly successful show.[2]
It opened October 15, 1900 at the Star Theatre and closed October 20, 1900 after 8 performances. It also played April 29, 1901 at the Grand Opera House and closed May 4, 1901 after 8 performances.[3] The cast also included Williams' wife, Lottie Williams in the role of Gabby Slaughtry.
Bert Williams and George Walker were photographed performing their characters in the show.[4] The show succeeded their first together, A Lucky Coon.[5] The title of the show, a biblical reference, caused some controversy and protest.[5] Their show In Dahomey followed.
In the fall of 1902, Williams and Walker created a No. 2 company, fronted by Dan Avery and Charles Hart and stage managed by Charles S. Sager. They rehearsed in late September, and went on the road to White Plains, NY (mid-October), Holyoke, Mass (Oct 28), Turners Falls, Mass (Oct 31), Meriden, Conn (Nov 6), Bloomsburg, PA (Nov 27), Washington, DC (Dec 2); Wilmington, Delaware (Dec 10), New Haven, Conn (Dec 22-24), Hartford, Conn (Dec 25). In the new year, the company played Portland, Maine (mid-January), Rochester, NY (end of March), Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida (mid-April), Washington, DC again (April 29), Reading, PA (May 19-20), Allentown, PA (May 21), Harrisburg, PA (May 22), Pottsville, PA (May 23, and Carlisle, PA (May 25).
References
- ^ "The Sons of Ham (1899) — Black Work Broadway". blackworkbroadway.com.
- ^ https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/WilliamsAndWalker1901Recordings.pdf
- ^ Williams, Bert; Walker, George; Walker, Ada Overton (October 15, 1900). "Sons of Ham". Performing Arts Encyclopedia – via memory.loc.gov.
- ^ "Comedians Bert Williams and George Walker on stage in "Sons of Ham."..." Getty Images. 9 March 2016.
- ^ a b "His Work – Bert Williams". journeys.dartmouth.edu.