Micki Grant
Encyclopedia
Micki Grant is an American singer (soprano
) actress, writer and composer. She performed in Having Our Say (as Sadie Delaney), Tambourines to Glory
and Jericho-Jim Crow
, The Gingham Dog, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
and has received three Tony Award
nominations for her writing. In the early 1960s, she appeared off-Broadway in Jean Genet's "Black on Black" (with James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson), and in "Brecht on Brecht", in which she sang (among other things) "The Ballad of Barbara Schuman". In 1964, Grant appeared as 'Ella Hammer' in the Howard da Silva
's off-Broadway revival of Marc Blitzstein
's The Cradle Will Rock
, opposite Jerry Orbach
and Rita Gardner
. In 1965, Micki Grant became the first African-American cast member of a daytime soap opera
, when she played the role of Peggy Harris Nolan on NBC
's Another World
.
Much of her early work was done with director Vinnette Carroll, the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway. They collaborated on Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope and Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, both enjoying critical acclaim and long Broadway runs.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
) actress, writer and composer. She performed in Having Our Say (as Sadie Delaney), Tambourines to Glory
Tambourines to Glory
Tambourines to Glory is a 1956 black gospel musical play by Langston Hughes. It tells the story of two female street preachers who open a store front church in Harlem...
and Jericho-Jim Crow
Jericho-Jim Crow
Jerico-Jim Crow is a critically acclaimed 1964 musical, with a book written by Langston Hughes. It was a pioneering work in the urban contemporary gospel musical style, based on the themes of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States...
, The Gingham Dog, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope is a musical revue with music and lyrics by Micki Grant. It was originally produced by Edward Padula.The all-singing, all-dancing show focuses on the African American experience with songs on such topics as tenements, slumlords, ghetto life, student protests, black...
and has received three Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nominations for her writing. In the early 1960s, she appeared off-Broadway in Jean Genet's "Black on Black" (with James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson), and in "Brecht on Brecht", in which she sang (among other things) "The Ballad of Barbara Schuman". In 1964, Grant appeared as 'Ella Hammer' in the Howard da Silva
Howard Da Silva
Howard Da Silva was an American actor.-Early life:He was born Howard Silverblatt in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Benjamin and Bertha Silverblatt. His parents were both Yiddish speaking Jews born in Russia. He had a job as a steelworker before beginning his acting career on the stage...
's off-Broadway revival of Marc Blitzstein
Marc Blitzstein
Marcus Samuel Blitzstein, better known as Marc Blitzstein , was an American composer. He won national attention in 1937 when his pro-union musical The Cradle Will Rock, directed by Orson Welles, was shut down by the Works Progress Administration...
's The Cradle Will Rock
The Cradle Will Rock
The Cradle Will Rock is a 1937 musical by Marc Blitzstein. Originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project, it was directed by Orson Welles, and produced by John Houseman. The show was recorded and released on seven 78-rpm discs in 1938, making it the first cast album recording.The musical is a...
, opposite Jerry Orbach
Jerry Orbach
Jerome Bernard "Jerry" Orbach was an American actor and singer. He was well known for his starring role as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the Law & Order television series and as the voice of Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As well, Orbach was a noted musical theatre star...
and Rita Gardner
Rita Gardner
Rita Gardner is an American actress and singer.Gardner made her stage debut as Luisa in the original cast of The Fantasticks in 1960. Additional off-Broadway credits include The Cradle Will Rock , To Be Young, Gifted, and Black , Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris , Steel Magnolias...
. In 1965, Micki Grant became the first African-American cast member of a daytime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, when she played the role of Peggy Harris Nolan on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
.
Much of her early work was done with director Vinnette Carroll, the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway. They collaborated on Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope and Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, both enjoying critical acclaim and long Broadway runs.
Writing credits
- Don't Bother Me, I Can't CopeDon't Bother Me, I Can't CopeDon't Bother Me, I Can't Cope is a musical revue with music and lyrics by Micki Grant. It was originally produced by Edward Padula.The all-singing, all-dancing show focuses on the African American experience with songs on such topics as tenements, slumlords, ghetto life, student protests, black...
(1971) – musicalMusical theatreMusical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
– music and lyrics, performer - Your Arms Too Short to Box with GodYour Arms Too Short to Box with GodYour Arms Too Short to Box with God: A Soaring Celebration in Song and Dance is a Broadway musical based on the Biblical Book of Matthew, with music and lyrics by Alex Bradford and a book by Vinnette Carroll, who also directed...
(1976) – musical – additional music and lyrics - WorkingWorking (musical)Working is a musical with a book by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, music by Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers, and James Taylor, and lyrics by Schwartz, Carnelia, Grant, Taylor, and Susan Birkenhead....
(1978) – musical – music and lyrics with Stephen SchwartzStephen Schwartz (composer)Stephen Lawrence Schwartz is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell , Pippin and Wicked...
, Craig CarneliaCraig CarneliaCraig Carnelia is an American musical theater composer and singer, known for his collaboration on the musicals Working and Sweet Smell of Success.-Biography:...
, and James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.... - It's So Nice to Be Civilized (1980) – musical – book, music and lyrics