Cast & creatives
People behind the production
Bubbling Brown Sugar is a celebrated musical revue that whisks audiences to the Harlem Renaissance, weaving iconic songs by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller into a dazzling two-act nightclub fantasia. Originating from a concept by Rosetta LeNoire and inspired by a book by Loften Mitchell, the show opened on Broadway at the ANTA Playhouse on March 2, 1976, and ran for 766 performances through December 31, 1977. The production earned Tony nominations for Best Musical (1976) and Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Vivian Reed), with Olivier nominations in London and Theatre World Awards for Vivian Reed and Chip Garnett. The complete discography features Original Broadway Cast Recording (Amherst Records, 1976), Original London Cast Recording (Pye, 1977; reissued by DRG in 1992), and Bubbling Brown Sugar / O.C.R. (Amherst Records, 1991).