Ashley Filapose

Dr. Kellee Van Aken

American Musical Theatre
Research Paper
Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk
Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk is a unique, fragmented musical, which was

brought to the stages of Broadway in 1996. The idea for the show came from the minds of

director, playwright and performer George C. Wolfe and dancer and performer Savion Glover.

The show overall, tells the story of African American history and culture through music, spoken

word, and mainly through dance. It not only brought up important and key issues and themes

throughout, but also brought the world of dance to the forefront of the stage, showing how its

integration is crucial to the story told. In this paper, the background and creation of the show will

be discussed, as well as some of the important topics integrated in the musical, how dance is

important in the show, and why this musical is so important to the world of musical theatre.
Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk was conceived after its director George C. Wolfe

was inspired by the choreographer of the show Savion Glover. George C. Wolfe was born in

1954 and grew up in Frankfurt, Kentucky where he got involved in the dramatic arts from an

early age, directing and performing in school shows. After receiving his BA in directing from

Pomona College, he went on to teach in Los Angeles at the Inner City Cultural Center and then

following that, moved to New York where he earned an MFA from New York University for

musical theatre and dramatic writing. He went on to create off-Broadway shows, which focused

on the struggles of African Americans, like The Colored Museum, which was done in a revue

format like Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk. Wolfe started to be nationally recognized

when his production Jellys Last Jam, which told the story of Jazz musician Roll Morton,

debuted in 1991, receiving 11 Tony Award nominations. He received his first Tony Award for the

show Angels in American, Millennium Approaches, which he directed. It was in 1996 that Bring
in da Noise, Bring in da Funk burst onto Broadway, earning Wolfe his second Tony. Wolfe also

served as the Artistic Director and producer for the New York Shakespeare Festival from 1993 to

2004, and went on to pursue some work in the film industry while also continuing to work in the

theatre. His most notable directorial film debut came in 2008 with the film Nights in Rodanthe

(Johnson and Donaldson)(George C. Wolfe Biography).

Savion Glover, born in 1973 from Newark, New Jersey, had been dancing and performing

from a young age, starting to take drumming lessons at age 4 and tap lessons at age 7, always

having a love for creating rhythms. He started out on Broadway at the age of 12 in The Tap

Dance Kid, first as the understudy and then was featured as the lead in 1984. After being

involved in other performances, such as in the show Black and Blue, which he received a tony

award nomination for, starring in the film Tap in 1989 and working on his craft, Glover debuted

his first choreography in 1990 for a festival at the Apollo Theatre. He also became the youngest

recipient of the National Endowments of the Arts grant two years following this. In 1991 he took

on the role of Jelly in Wolfes show Jellys Last Jam, and following came the success of Bring in

da Noise, Bring in da Funk, which Glover was awarded a Tony Award for best choreography.

Glover went on to do work in television and in film, such as appearances on Sesame Street, a

featured role in the biopic Bojangles, and he created the choreography for the animated movie

Happy Feet. In 2005, Savion Glover debuted his own show Classical Savion, where he

performed tap dances to classical music. The show went on to tour the U.S. later on. Glover is

most significantly known for his unique and hard-hitting style of tap dancing (Savion Glover |

Biography - American Dancer).

George C. Wolfe and Savion Glover as stated went on to develop together and with others

on their creative team Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk, which can be described as A free-

form history of black America told in the languages of rhythm, blues and tap shoes (Review:
Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk). Glover in an interview said he wanted the show to be

real and raw, and bring the noise to musical theatre. He says that the script was loosely based

on every day issues and topics the creators of the show dealt with while working on the show

(THNKR). Reg E. Gaines wrote the book for the show, while the music and lyrics took on a

more collaborative effort. Daryl Waters, Zane Mark, and Ann Duquesnay, who also starred as a

lead and the only female performer in the show, did music for the show. Reg E. Gains also

worked on the lyrics for the show, combining efforts with George C. Wolfe. Other notable

contributions to the show include the scenic designer, Ricardo Hernandez, the costume designer

Pau Tazewell, the lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, the sound designer Dan

Moss Schreier, and projection design by Batwin + Robin Productions (Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring

in 'Da Funk).
Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk follows the format of a revue, comprised of 6

scenes within 2 acts. Starting in the days of slavery in American, the musical follows the

struggles and lives of African Americans through time up to the present day of the time in which

it was created, which is mainly expressed through the tap dancing in the show (Bring in da

Noise, Bring in da Funk, The Guide to Musical Theatre). The costumes are accurate to the time

periods reflected within the individual scenes, giving the characters an authentic look. The set is

more simplistic in nature, giving the audience a sense of location, but also allowing the

performers to take center stage and the majority of the audiences attention. The lighting is also

significant in that it can dramatically transform the stage from one location to the next, such as a

prison cell to the streets of a city, but again does not overwhelm or take away from the characters

(Brantley). It is not the time chronology that binds the show together, but more the constant beat

and rhythm brought in through the music, spoken word, and dance of the show. This is what can

characterize the show as a fragmented musical. It does not necessarily focus in on the topic of
introspection on the characters part as Bush Jones addresses in chapter 8, being that there is not

much dialogue of any kind in the show (Bush Jones, pp. 269-304). The musical does however

bring the lives of the characters together through their struggles and bold personas. The music

styles of the show also bring the history to life, from Vaudeville to Jazz, to Ragtime and Hip-Hop

style music that convey the decades the show travels through (Terry-Morgan).
This show is unique because not only does it present serious issues and topics from the

history of African Americans, it incorporates and emphasizes these topics without a particularly

linear progression of the story and relies more so on dance and rhythms to engage the audience

and get the point of the show across. Because the show is divided into these mostly unrelated

scenes, the audience is able then to connect more fully with the issues and topics presented

because they can experience each scene on an individual basis, focusing on just one particular

issue or period of history. In its Broadway opening, the main cast, which was also an all Black

cast, was comprised of 7 members and 2 drummers, each who played more than one role

throughout the course of the show. Savion Glover as da Beat, Ann Dequesnay as da Singer, and

Jeffery Wright as da Voice, are three characters who can be seen as more of the leads in the

show, each bringing a key element of dancing, singing, or spoken word (Bring in da Noise,

Bring in da Funk). The cast was comprised of people that the creative team knew and brought in

for the show. Savion Glover knew Baakari Wilder and Vicnent Bingham from a Washington tap

show they had all been in together and also found the two drummers, Jared Crawford and

Raymond King, on the city streets performing. To describe it simply, Glover said he wanted it to

be a cast of friends (Kendall).

Within the two acts of the show, the audience experiences African American culture

through the lens of several different time periods. Act I progresses from early slavery in Africa,

referencing the slave castle Isle Goree, to the 1900s and the start of industrialization, to the Jazz
era and the streets of Harlem. Act II picks up in the Hollywood of 1930s and 1940s following

the character of the Kid, who represents the struggles of Black performers of the time. Then

Harlem is again brought back to the stage, showing how it changed through events like the Civil

Rights Movement. The act ends with the show being brought to current times, in the streets of

New York (Terry-Morgan). Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk had its first production off-

Broadway at the New York Shakespeare Festival Theatre, also known as the Public Theatre in

November of 1995 (Brantley). It had its first preview on April 9th, 1996 leading up to its

Broadway debut on April 25th of the same year after a total of 15 previews at the Ambassador

Theatre. Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk closed on January 10th, 1999 after a total of 1,135

shows. In total, the show was nominated for 9 Tony Awards in 1996 and won 4 of those. It was

also nominated for 5 drama desk awards, winning 2 and was nominated for Drama League

Distinguished Production of a Musical award that same year (Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da

Funk).
The main issues or themes within Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk are displayed

through the historical events represented, but are also made current for the audience.

Discrimination, hardships and determination to overcome said hardships, stereotypes and rhythm

are key themes and ideas that shape the show. George C. Wofle describes the show as focusing

on the migrations that African Americans had to physically or emotionally make through the

course of history (Kendall). At the start of the show, the audience is made well aware of this

beat that is essential to the shows world. In the beginning is displayed on a screen on

stage, and the phrase in completed by a performer, who comes on stage to say da beat!

Following this in the song Slave Ships the idea of the beat is reinforced with the sounds of

ocean waves crashing against boats carrying slaves, all of which are spoken of by name, such as

The Nightingale and The Hope (Terry-Morgan).

 Several songs give an accurate and moving depiction of discrimination against African

Americans throughout time, particularly Act I songs The Lynching Blues and Quittin

Time/The Chicago Riot Rag. In the first song mentioned, there is a clear Jazz tone to the music,

with harmonicas in the background and the soulful voice of a female lead singer. Throughout the

song, crimes are listed that African Americans were charged for during this time period in the

early 1900s, making it evident how prominent it was that they would be grouped together under

the label of criminals and be subjected to violence. Within the song, there is a portion where

the tap dancing becomes faster and more frantic, giving a sense of urgency and suspense. The

image of a hanged man is displayed on the stage, bringing these terrifying times to life for the

audience (Terry-Morgan).
In the song Quittin/The Chicago Riot Rag, the audience is able to experience the

progression from a good working life in a factory in the North to one of the most violent race

riots that occurred in 1919, the Chicago Race Riots. At the beginning of the song the music is

slower and simple and a man sings about the workday ending and being able to go out and enjoy

himself, dressed to the 9s, ready to find himself a girl out on the town. The music then beings

to pick up, first to a leisurely piano rag tune, then leads to a police siren sounding off. An

announcer begins speaking saying that race riots have broken out, leaving some murdered and

some injured. The music becomes frantic with many drums, gun shot noises, fight noises, dogs

barking, and whistles in the background. On top of all this, the tap dancing is heard through the

chaos, also becoming frantic. After this section, the more leisurely rag tune returns, but is warped

and sounds off, as a man speaks about the many deaths of men during the riots. A woman

ironically speaks of how the North is a better place for blacks and that they will be safer there.
Along the lines of discrimination, Racism is of course an accompanying theme that is

represented in the show in the song Drummin/Taxi. The song brings to light the current
perspective of the time that the show was written in, rather than that of years past in African

American history as is the case with earlier scenes of the show. The song shows 4 young men

trying to hail a Taxi in the city, but none of them can get one to stop, causing them to take out

their anger through a tap dance sequence. The act of the taxis not stopping for them shows how

racism prevailed in culture, even in something as simple as trying to get a taxi (Terry-Morgan).

This brings humanity and reality to the musical, especially since this scene takes place in current

times. The audience would be more aware of events like this occurring in society, and the scene

shows how this issue of racism is not just a broad issue that affects society as a whole negatively.

The scene shows that racism affects individual lives on a daily basis and can even make small or

normal activities difficult for those who are the victims, which makes the issue very real and

powerful to the audience, especially through the energized tap dancing.

In Act II, the audience sees again the transition of years passing, as they are brought into

the world of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. Following this the story moves into the area of

Harlem, where the story of how a Black community became desolate and demoralized over time

is told. In the end, the show comes to present day and what current African American culture is

like. The musical manages to cover several decades and important historical events within

without overwhelming the audience because of the non-central plotline it follows. Within the

beginning of Act II is where the audience is introduced to the struggle African Americans faced

in the 1930s either becoming poor and keeping their integrity, or becoming a performer in

vaudeville and minstrel shows, entertaining the white world audiences. This is where the topic of

stereotyping comes into play in Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk, particularly in The Uncle

Huck-A-Buck Song. Within this song, the audience can see the struggle African Americans

faced during this time, having to compromise their dignity and play exaggerated and inaccurate

portrayals of themselves. The whole song is a parody of Shirley Temple and the dancer
Bojangles Robinson, where the character of Lil Dahlin, performed by Savion Glover, dresses in

a full size doll costume. The song in a basic sense is saying that even though we have had our

culture taken away from us, we will use this to be successful and keep true to ourselves as much

as we possibly can. There is even a point in the song where Lil Dahlin asks Uncle Huck-A-

Buck, Why do I make more money than you? This question follows less serious questions like

Why is the sky blue? which is something a little girl might ask. This suddenly blunt question

brings the audience back to reality, showing them the struggle of African American performers

and how they would be underpaid for their work (Terry-Morgan).

In terms of comparing Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk to other musicals, it takes

common or shared elements that work great on Broadway and transforms them into a unique and

moving theatre experience. The musical integrates dance fully, becoming dependent on the dance

sequences to help tell the stories of the variety of characters, much how Oklahoma! used the

dream ballet to express the emotions and internal thoughts of some characters or how A Chorus

Line used dance to tell the pasts of its characters. It is also reminiscent of the concept of dance in

West Side Story, because not only does it rely on the dance sequence, the show uses the dance to

create the African American culture at different points throughout history, much like Jerome

Robbins used dance to signify the clear distinction of cultures of the Sharks and the Jets.

Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk is different because it brought dance to life and

really made it the feature of the show along with the music, making dialogue secondary. It also

was a major stepping-stone in African American theatre, bringing the tribulations, triumphs, and

the overall feel of African American culture to the stage in a new, energetic way do due to its use

of dance. To quote George C. Wolfe, It's [the musical] about physical, cultural, emotional

migrations. It's about that American phenomenon of figuring out who you are in a new place
(Kendall)." While the show focuses in on African American history and culture, the themes

presented are relatable to almost anyone, such as this idea of finding yourself or staying true to

who you are in a new environment or in the midst of struggle. In conclusion, Bring in da Noise,

Bring in da Funk brought a unique way of integrating dance into a musical to the Broadway

stage, and was able to tell the stories of African American historical culture to a large audience

while keeping the main issues presented within the show current.

Works Cited

Brantley, Ben. "Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk." Partners.nytimes.com. New York Times,

26 April 1996. Web. 15 April 2015. <http://partners.nytimes.com/library/theater/theater

noise-review-600add.html>.

"Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk." The Guide to Musical Theatre. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 April

2015. <http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_b/bringdafunk.htm>.

"Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk." Playbillvault.com. Playbill, 10 January 1999. Web. 15

April 2015. <http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/977/Bring-in-da-Noise-Bring-in

 da-Funk>.

Bush Jones, J. (2003). Chapter 8: Fragmented Society, Fragmented Musicals. Our Musicals,

Ourselves: A Social History of the American Musical Theatre. Hanover, New Hampshire:

University Press of New England.

"George C. Wolfe Biography." Tribute.ca. Tribute Entertainment Media Group), n.d. Web. 15

April 2015. <http://www.tribute.ca/people/george-c-wolfe/19867/>.

Johnson, Anne, and Catherine Donaldson. "Wolfe, George C. 1954." Encyclopedia.com.

HighBeam Research, 01 January 2004. Web. 15 April 2015.

<http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/George_C._Wolfe.aspx>.

Kendall, Elizabeth. "'Bring in Da Noise' Steps Uptown, Feet First." The New York Times. The \

New York Times, 20 April 1996. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

<http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/21/theater/theater-bring-in-da-noise-steps-uptown-

feet-first.html>.

"Review: Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk." Variety.com. Variety Magazine, 13 Mar. 1998.

Web. 15 April 2015. <http://variety.com/1998/legit/reviews/bring-in-da-noise-bring-in

da-funk-4-1200453141/>.

"Savion Glover | Biography - American Dancer." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia

 Britannica, 21 Oct. 2014. Web. 15 April 2015.

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/235765/Savion-Glover>.

Terry-Morgan, Elmo. "Noise/Funk: Fo' Real Black Theatre On 'Da Great White Way." African

American Review 31.4 (1997): 677-686. Academic Search Elite. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

THNKR. Tap Dancer Defies Stereotypes on Broadway. Online video clip. Youtube.com. 24

April 2013. Web. 15 April 2015.