Doctor Jazz is a 1975 musical with music by Luther Henderson and Buster Davis, with a book and lyrics by Davis. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1975 and was nominated for three Tony Awards for Best Choreography (Donald McKayle), Best Actress in a Musical (Lola Falana) and Best Costume Design (Raoul Pene Du Bois). The musical takes its name from the 1920s Jazz standard Doctor Jazz and tells an original story primarily set in the Storyville district in New Orleans and revolving around Edna Mae Sheridan, her mother, who owns a brothel, and two men vying for her attention.[1][2]

Doctor Jazz
MusicLuther Henderson
Buster Davis
LyricsBuster Davis
BookBuster Davis
PremiereMarch 19, 1975 (1975-03-19): Winter Garden Theatre
Productions1975 Broadway

Production history

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Doctor Jazz opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on March 19, 1975. The show was directed and choreographed by Donald McKayle and produced by Cyma Rubin. The show struggled in previews, and closed after only five official performances.[3]

Original cast and characters

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Character Broadway (1975)
Steve Anderson Bobby Van
Edna Mae Sheridan Lola Falana
Georgia Sheridan Lillian Hayman
Harriet Lee Peggy Pope
Jonathan Jackson Jr. Jack Landrón
Henry / Rudy / Harry Paul Eichel
Pete Eron Tabor

Musical numbers

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An original cast album was released following the show's closing.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Doctor Jazz – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  2. ^ "'Doctor Jazz' Opens at Winter Garden". The New York Times. 20 March 1975. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Doctor Jazz (Broadway, Winter Garden Theatre, 1975) | Playbill".
  4. ^ "Doctor Jazz – 1975 Original Broadway Cast" – via castalbums.org.