{{short description|American actress and playwright (1922–2002)}} {{Infobox person | name = Vinnette Justine Carroll | image = Vinnette Carroll, 1979.jpg | alt = | caption = Carroll in 1979 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=|1922|03|11}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|df=|2002|11|05|1922|03|11}} | death_place = Lauderhill, Florida, U.S. | other_names = | occupation = Playwright<br>actress<br>theatre director | education = Wadleigh High School | alma_mater = Long Island University<br>New York University<br>Columbia University | spouse = | children = | parents = | known_for = The first African-American woman to direct on Broadway }} '''Vinnette Justine Carroll''' (March 11, 1922 – November 5, 2002) was an American playwright, actress, and theatre director. She was the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway, with her 1972 production of the musical ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope''. Until Liesl Tommy's 2016 nomination for ''Eclipsed'', Carroll was the only African-American woman to have received a Tony Award nomination for direction.<ref name="McClinton" /> <!--sp OK-->
== Life and work == Carroll was born in New York City to Edgar Edgerton, a dentist, and Florence (Morris) Carroll.<ref name="McClinton">McClinton, Calvin A. ''The Work of Vinnette Carroll, An African American Theatre Artist''. Edwin Mellen Press, 2000.</ref> She moved to Jamaica with her family at the age of three, and spent much of her childhood there. Brought back to New York at the age of 10, she and her two sisters were the only black students at their New York public school.<ref name="LA Times">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-07-me-carroll7-story.html|title=Vinnette Carroll, 80; Pioneering Theater Director|first=Don|last=Shirley|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 7, 2002|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref> Her mother was a strong presence who played Arturo Toscanini in the home and disciplined her three daughters wisely.<ref name="Smith2">Smith, Karen L. (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 2.</ref> Her father encouraged his daughters to become physicians. Carroll compromised by studying psychology.<ref name="LA Times" />
She left the field of psychology to study theater, and in 1948 accepted a scholarship to attend Erwin Piscator’s Dramatic Workshop at the New School for Social Research. There, she studied with Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, Margaret Barker, and Susan Steele.
Carroll later founded the Urban Arts Corps, a nonprofit, interracial community theater where, as artistic director, she was able to provide a professional workshop for aspiring young actors in underserved communities.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. vi.</ref> She produced over 100 plays through the Urban Arts Corps from her loft theatre on West 20th Street in Manhattan.<ref name="James V. Hatch 2003 page 401">James V. Hatch, "From Hansberry to Shange", in Errol G. Hill and James V. Hatch (eds), ''A History of African American Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003), p. 401.</ref> The theater was a member of the Black Theater Alliance and the Off-Off Broadway Alliance, and was supported by the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment of the Arts, the Edward Noble Foundation, and CBS.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', 1975, pp. 54–55.</ref> Urban Arts Corps productions included ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'', Jean-Paul Sartre's''The Flies'', and William Hanley's ''Slow Dance on a Killing Ground'', among many others.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. v.</ref> The theater provided a space to "nurture emerging playwrights and showcase their works."<ref>Nelson, Emmanuel S.(ed.) (2004), ''African American Dramatists: An A to Z Guide'', Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, p. 189.</ref>
In 1968, Carroll joined the New York State Council on the Arts upon the request of executive director John B. Hightower. She had previously been appointed director of the Ghetto Arts Program for the State of New York.<ref name="Conyers, James 2000, page 22">Conyers, James (2000). ''Black Lives: Essays in African American Biography''. Vol. 23, No. 4, p. 22.</ref>
== Education == Carroll attended Wadleigh High School, an integrated high school in Harlem, Manhattan. She then received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Long Island University in 1944. In 1946, she received her Master of Arts degree from New York University. She was a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University, but decided not to finish the psychology degree and instead to pursue a career in acting. Psychology, while not her chosen profession, was a tool she found invaluable in working with people.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 3.</ref> She began studying theatre at the New School for Social Research in 1946, where she aspired to become an actress. She also studied in the fields of clinical and industrial psychology, and was awarded a scholarship to do postgraduate work at the New School for Social Research in 1948.<ref name=Smith2 />
Her philosophy of directing and her technique for creating her folk plays reflect similar theories, ideas, and aesthetic principles to those of Bertolt Brecht.<ref name="Conyers25">Conyers (2000). ''Black Lives: Essays in African American Biography''. Vol. 23, No. 4, p. 25.</ref> She also promoted the principles of Erwin Piscator's "objective style of performance". After working with Piscator, she studied at Strasberg's studio between 1948 and 1950.<ref name="Smith4">Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 4.</ref> The juxtaposition of these opposing styles led to Carroll's own technique in creating her new style of folk drama.<ref name=Conyers25 />
== Acting career == Carroll's first stage appearance was at the New School for Social Research in 1948.<ref name=Smith4 /> She performed in many of the school's productions, including roles as Clytemnestra in ''Agamemnon'', the Nurse in ''Romeo and Juliet'', and the Duchess in ''Alice in Wonderland''. Carroll made her professional stage debut as a Christian in a summer stock production of George Bernard Shaw's ''Androcles and the Lion'' at the Southold Playhouse on Long Island.<ref name=Conyers21 /> She played Addie in Lillian Hellman's ''The Little Foxes'' and then, in 1949, Bella in Arnaud d'Ussaeu and James Gow's ''Deep Are the Roots''.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 5.</ref>
In 1955, Carroll joined the faculty of the Performing Arts High School in New York City.<ref name="Conyers21" /> She taught theater arts and directed productions as a faculty member at the high school for 11 years. Later, due to a shortage of faculty positions, Carroll created a one-woman show and toured the United States and the West Indies until 1957.
She made her London stage debut at the Royal Court Theatre on December 4, 1958, as Sophia Adams in ''Moon on a Rainbow Shawl''. She then won an Obie Award for her role in Errol John’s ''Moon on a Rainbow Shawl''. In February 1963, she returned to London as the Narrator in ''Black Nativity'' at the Piccadilly Theatre.<ref name="Smith6">Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 6.</ref> Carroll also worked in film and television. She appeared in the films ''Up the Down Staircase'' (1967), ''Alice's Restaurant'' (1969), and others. In 1976, she played a memorable role as Dr. Wynell Thatcher on the two-part All in the Family episode "Archie's Operation."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0509940/?ref_=tt_ch | title=Archie's Operation: Part 1 | website=IMDb }}</ref> She later appeared in ''The Last Home Run'', which was filmed in 1996 and released in 1998. In 1964, she received an Emmy Award for ''Beyond the Blues'', which dramatized the works of Black poets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2002/scene/people-news/vinnette-carroll-1117875646/|title=Vinnette Carroll|website=Variety|first=Robert|last=Hofler|date=November 6, 2002|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref> She later returned to London with her company and performed in Peter Wessel Zapffe's''The Prodigal Son''.<ref name=Smith6 />
== As a playwright and director == During her era, Carroll was one of the few women directing in commercial theatre.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 10.</ref> She worked to develop a new form of theater, "the gospel song-play", to capture the richness and variety of life through music, theater, and dance.<ref>Conyers (2000). ''Black Lives: Essays in African American Biography''. Vol. 23, No. 4, p. x.</ref> In 1957, she formed her first all-black cast to present Howard Richardson and William Berney's ''Dark of the Moon'' at the Harlem YMCA.<ref name="Conyers21">Conyers (2000). ''Black Lives: Essays in African American Biography''. Vol. 23, No. 4, p. 21.</ref> The second production of ''Dark of the Moon'' launched the careers of several young African-American actors, including James Earl Jones, Shauneille Perry, and Harold Scott.
In 1972, she became the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway with her staging of ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope''. The hit gospel revue was conceived by Carroll, with music and lyrics by Micki Grant. It was nominated for four Tony Awards. In 1976, she collaborated with Grant and Alex Bradford on ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'', which garnered three Tony nominations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbill.com/article/vinnette-carroll-tony-nommed-creator-of-your-arms-too-short-dead-at-80-com-109406|title=Vinnette Carroll, Tony-Nommed Creator of ''Your Arms Too Short...'', Dead at 80|first=Kenneth|last=Jones|website=Playbill|date=November 6, 2002|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref> This show was an adaptation of the ''Gospel According to Matthew''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-11-08-0211080099-story.html|title=Vinnette Carroll, 80|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 8, 2002|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref>
Carroll did not dwell on her role as a female director because she felt it would be self-defeating.<ref>Smith (1975), ''Vinnette Carroll: Portrait of an Artist in Motion'', p. 52.</ref> Through her effort and talent, she provided communities with illustrations of unity through her productions. Her contributions as an artist and playwright are often overlooked. However, she is known for the reinvention of song-play, which was revitalized in many of her theater works. The expression of identity through gospel music in the African-American theater experience is clearly delineated in the development of song-play.<ref>Conyers (2000). ''Black Lives: Essays in African American Biography''. Vol. 23, No. 4, p. 19.</ref> Her work was about the reaffirmation of life and people. Common stereotypes of African Americans led Carroll "into creating and directing new works that positively and artistically presented people of color in theater and art."<ref name="Conyers21" /> Her primary interest was giving voice to African Americans and other minority communities that have been culturally and artistically silenced.<ref name="Conyers, James 2000, page 22"/> Carroll once said of her career: "They told me that I had one-third less chance because I was a woman; they told me I had one-third less chance again because I was black, but I tell you, I did one hell of a lot with that remaining one-third."<ref name="James V. Hatch 2003 page 401"/>
== Retirement and death == Carroll moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during the 1980s. There, she founded the Vinnette Carroll Repertory Company, where she remained as artistic director and producer until her failing health forced her to retire in 2001.<ref>Nelson (ed.) (2004). ''African-American Dramatists: An A to Z Guide'', p. 90.</ref> She died of heart disease and diabetes in Lauderhill, Florida, on November 5, 2002, at the age of 80.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/07/arts/vinnette-carroll-playwright-and-director-is-dead-at-80.html|title=Vinnette Carroll, Playwright And Director, Is Dead at 80|newspaper=The New York Times|first= Jesse|last= McKinley|date=November 7, 2002|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref>
== Plays == * ''Agamemnon'' (1948) * ''The Little Foxes'' (1948) * ''Deep Are the Roots'' (1949) * ''Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1950) * ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' (1956) * ''The Grass Harp'' (1956) * ''Small War on Murray Hill'' (1957) * ''The Crucible'' (1958) * ''Moon on a Rainbow Shawl'' (1958) * ''Jolly's Progress'' (1959) * ''The Octoroon'' (1961) * ''Moon on a Rainbow Shawl'' (1962) * ''Black Nativity'' (1963) * ''The Prodigal Son'' (1965)
==Directing credits== *''The Prodigal Son'' (1965) *''Black Nativity'' (1961) *''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'' (1972) *''Desire Under the Elms'' (1974) *''Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1976) *''But Never Jam Today'' (1979)
==See also== *List of African-American firsts
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *Theodora Aidoo, [https://face2faceafrica.com/article/meet-vinnette-carroll-the-first-african-american-woman-to-direct-on-broadway "Meet Vinnette Carroll, the first African-American woman to direct on Broadway"], ''Face2Face Africa'', March 7, 2020. *[http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/vinnette-carroll-was-very-talented-arts Vinnette Carroll biography] at African American Registry *[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9399729/Vinnette-Carroll "Vinnette Carroll"], Encyclopædia Britannica *[http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/article-9399729 Encyclopædia Britannica's Guide to Black History] *{{IMDb name|141030}} *{{IBDB name}} *[http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=13030/hb2199n7pc Portrait of Vinnette Carroll, 1979]. ''Los Angeles Times'' Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles. *Laura Sydell, [https://www.nhpr.org/2002-11-09/black-theater-pioneer-carroll-remembered "Black Theater Pioneer Carroll Remembered"], New Hampshire public Radio and NPR, November 9, 2002.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carroll, Vinnette Justine}} Category:1922 births Category:2002 deaths Category:21st-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American women Category:20th-century American actresses Category:20th-century African-American actresses Category:African-American dramatists and playwrights Category:American musical theatre directors Category:American theatre directors Category:The New School alumni Category:Columbia University alumni Category:Long Island University alumni Category:New York University alumni Category:American women theatre directors Category:Broadway theatre directors