Anita Bush

Anita Bush
Born August 1, 1883(1883-08-01)
Washington, DC, United States
Died February 16, 1974(1974-02-16) (aged 90)
New York, New York, United States
Occupation Theatre producer, dancer, actor
Years active 1915–?

Anita Bush (August 1, 1883–February 16, 1974) was an American stage actress and playwright. She founded the Anita Bush All-Colored Dramatic Stock Company in 1915, a pioneering black repertory theatre company that helped launch the careers of Charles Gilpin, Dooley Wilson, Evelyn Preer and others.[1]

Biography

Bush was born on August 1, 1883 in Washington, DC.

In the early part of the 20th Century, Bush worked extensively as a dancer in musical theatre and vaudeville performing with the likes of Bert Williams and George Walker.[1] When a back injury sidelined her dancing career, she turned to drama. In 1915, she presented the idea of launching a dramatic stock company to Eugene "Frenchy" Elmore, the assistant manager of the Lincoln Theatre, an established vaudeville house in the Harlem section of New York City. Although her company had not yet been established, she convinced Elmore that she could mount a production in just two weeks.[2]

With a signed contract with Elmore, Bush went to Billie Burke, a Harlem-based white director/playwright to stage his play, The Girl at the Fort, a light comedy with five characters. Bush then assembled the cast which included Carlotta Freeman, Dooley Wilson and Andrew Bishop. The play opened at the Lincoln Theatre in November 1915.[2]

For the next six weeks, Bush's company presented a different play every two weeks to much success. However, when Maria C. Downs, the owner of the theatre, insisted that the name of her company be changed to the Lincoln Players, Bush balked and moved to the Lafayette Theatre with a production of Across the Footlights, which opened in December 1915.[2]

At the Lafayette Theatre, the Anita Bush Stock Company would mount a new play on a weekly basis. In March 1916, the Lafayette Theatre purchased the rights to her company and changed the name to the Lafayette Players. Bush then organized four additional companies of the Lafayette Players which toured throughout the United States. In 1920, Bush left the company to pursue a career in motion pictures.[2]

In 1921, she appeared in The Bull-Dogger, the first of two Norman Film Company productions starring Bill Pickett. The following year she was featured in The Crimson Skull.

Bush died on February 16, 1974 at the age of 90.

References

  1. ^ a b Johnson, John H., ed. (April 1973) "Black women 'star' behind scenes in New York drama" Ebony (Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.) 28 (6): 106–107 
  2. ^ a b c d "Anita Bush Players". Seattle, Washington: BlackPast.org. http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/anita-bush-players. Retrieved 2010-09-30. 

External links