Amas Musical Theatre, also known as the Rosetta LeNoire Theatre Academy and the Mainstage Musical Theatre, and formerly known as the Amas Repertory Theatre, Inc. and the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre, is a non-profit Manhattan-based theatre organization founded by Rosetta LeNoire. The name stems from the Latin word "amare", meaning "to love". "Amas" is the active indicative present form of "you love". The Academy puts on both a showcase and an off-off-Broadway performance at the end of the year, featuring inner-city and other teenagers. Amas is an anchor theatre tenant of The Players Theatre, a theatre located in Greenwich Village. The theatre has produced over 60 original musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar and Bojangles!.
History The organization was founded in 1968 by Rosetta LeNoire as the Amas Repertory Theatre to promote interracial and color-blind casting. In her words, it was a place "where all people could work together, with respect for individual skills and talents, rather than for race or color." In 1997, a newspaper called the New York Beacon wrote that "Rosetta created non-traditional casting before the phrase itself was created." Amas' first production, Soul, Yesterday and Today, which was based on the poetry of Langston Hughes, held its rehearsals in the basement of LeNoire's home in the Bronx. In 1989, the name was changed to Amas Musical Theatre. In 1977, Amas moved to Fifth Avenue and 104th Street, then in 1992 to the West 42nd Street theatre district. The organization's youth program, now known as the Amas Musical Theatre Teen Academy, was known as the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre from the 1970s to 1980s, where training was offered to youths ages 10 to 18.
Production history Year(s) Title Director Choreographer Book by Music by Notes 1973–1976 Reminiscing with Sissie and Blake Louis Johnson Louis Johnson Louis Johnson Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle 1973–1976 Bubbling Brown Sugar Robert M. Cooper Fred Benjamin Loften Mitchell Transferred to Broadway 1977 Come Laugh and Cry with Langston Hughes Rosetta LeNoire Eugene Little Musical Revue 1977 Save the Seeds, Darling Arthur Whitelaw Helen Powers William David Brohn 1977 Bojangles! Ira Cirker Frank Hatchett Norman Mitgang 1977 Ragtime Blues Jay Binder Dennis Karr Mitch Douglas Scott Joplin 1978 Boston, Boston William M. Maher William M. Maher William M. Maher William David Brohn 1978 Adam, the Life of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. June Ahlert Richard Ahlert 1978 Beowulf Voigt Kempson Voigt Kempson Betty Jane Rylie Victor Davies 1979 Suddenly the Music Starts Henry Le Tang Johnny Brandon Johnny Brandon 1979 It's So Nice to Be Civilized Jeffrey Dunn Fred Benjamin Micki Grant Micki Grant 1979 Helen Lucia Victor Lucia Victor Johnny Brandon 1979 Sparrow in Flight, The Story of Ethel Waters Dean Irby Bernard Johnson Charles Fuller 1980 Mama, I Want to Sing! Duane L. Jones Vy Higginsen Richard Tee 1980 Jam, A Jazz Odyssey William Mooney Dennis J. Shearer John Gerstad 1980 Dunbar Ron Stacker Thompson Ayanna (adaptation) Paul Tilman Smith & Quitman Flood, III 1980 Before the Flood Billie Allen Mabel Robinson Rudy Gray David Blake 1980 And Still I Rise Maya Angelou Maya Angelou Lalo Schifrin 1981 Will They Ever Love Us on Broadway? Mable Robinson Mable Robinson Osayande Baruti Osayande Baruti 1981 Mo' Tea, Miss Ann? Denny Shearer Denny Shearer Bebe Coker Leander Morris 1981 A Local Dilemma Frederick MacKinnon Fred Lederman 1981 Langston Speaks Bob Brooker Based on the work of Langston Hughes 1981 The Crystal Tree Billie Allen Doris Julian Luther Henderson 1981 The Winds of Change William M. Maher Robin Reseen Franklin Tramutola Joseph D'Agostino 1982 Louisiana Summer Robert Stark Eiko Yamaguchi Robert & Bradley Wexler Rocky Stone 1982 Five Points William M. Maher Laurence Holder John Braden 1982 Opening Night William M. Maher Mabel Robinson Corliss Taylor-Dunn & Sandra Reaves Phillips Corliss Taylor-Dunn & Sandra Reaves Phillips 1984 Miss Walters to You Billie Allen Loften Mitchell 1984 The Buck Stops Here Regge Life Tim Mellett Norman J. Fedder Richard A. Lippmann 1984 Sing Me Sunshine Jack Timmers Henry Le Tang Robert E. Richardson & Johnny Brandon Johnny Brandon 1984 Blackberries Andre DeShields Andre DeShields Joseph George Caruso 1985 Anonymous Vincenzo Stornaiuolo Vincenzo Stornaiuolo Vincenzo Stornaiuolo 1985 Northern Boulevard William Martin Dennis Dennehy Kevin Brofsky Carleton Carpenter 1985 Manhattan Serenade Bob Rizzo Bob Rizzo Karen Kottrell & Alfred Heller Louis Alter 1986 Bingo! Ossie Davis Henry Le Tang Ossie Davis & Hy Gilbert George Fischoff Based on The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings 1986 The Peanut Man: George Washington Carver Regge Life Andy Torres Melvin Hasman William Greg Hunter 1986 La Belle Helene John Fearley J. Randall Hugill John Fearley Jacques Offenbach Adapted from Helen 1986 Sh-Boom Stuart Warmflash Audrey Tischler Eric V. Talt, Jr. Willex Brown, Jr. 1987 Hot Sake with a Pinch of Salt Bill Martin Audrey Tischler Carol Baker & Lana Stein Jerome I. Goldstein Based on A Majority of One 1987 Dazy Phillip Rose Allen Knee Lowell E. Mark 1987 Prime Time Marvin Gordon R.A. Shiomi Johnny Brandon 1988 Conrack Stuart Ross Granville Burgess Lee Pockriss Based on The Water is Wide 1988 Struttin''' || Lee Chamberlin || || Lee Chamberlin || Lee Chamberlin || AUDELCO Award: Outstanding Musical Production |- | 1988 || Robin's Band || Anthony Abeson || || Anthony Abeson & Jerry Eskow || Maija Kupris |- | 1989 || Paris '31 || John Fearley || Robert Longbottom || John Fearley || Cole Porter |- | 1989 || Prizes || Lee Minskoff || Margo Sappington || Raffi Pehlivanian || Charles DeForest & Lee Minskoff |- | 1989 || Blackamoor || Kent Paul || || Joseph George Caruso || Ulpio Minucci || Based on I, Juan de Pareja|- | 1990 || Step into My World || Ronald G. Russo || Jeffrey Dobbs || || Micki Grant || Musical revue based on the career of Micki Grant |- | 1990 || Capitol Cakewalk || Tom O'Horgan || Welsey Fata || Elmire Kline & Perry Arthur Koreger || Terry Waldo || NY Outer Critics Circle Award winner |- | 1991 || Juba || Sheldon Epps || Mercedes Ellington || Wendy Lamb || Russel Walden || Richard Rodgers Production Award winner; Mainstage production |- | 1992 || Junkyard || Avi Ber Hoffman || || Manuel Mandel & Michael Sahl || Michael Sahl || Lab Presentation |- | 1992 || Gunmetal Blues || Davis Hall || || Scott Wentworth || Craig Bohmler & Marion Adler |- | 1993 || The River Flows || James L. Moody || Felicia Kennerly || || Holly B. Francis & Andre Orlando Edwards |- | 1994 || Legacy || James L. Moody || Felicia Kennerly || || Holly B. Francis |- | 1995 || Bobos || Luther Fontaine || Monica Johnson || Ed Shockley || James McBride |- | 1995 || Time and the Wind || Louis Johnson || || Norman Matlock || Galt MacDermot || World premiere |- | 1995 || I Have a Name || James L. Moody || || Holly B. Francis || Holly B. Francis |- | 1996 || Bring in the Morning || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || || Gary William Friedman |- | 1996 || Paul Robeson || Harold Scott || || || Phillip Hayes Dean || Broadway production in association with Eric Krebs |- | 1997 || Song by Song: The Music of Michael Valenti || Mark Waldrop || || || Michael Valenti || World premiere |- | 1997 || The Princess and the Black-Eyed Pea || Daniel Banks || || Karole Foreman || Andrew M. Chukerman || Richard Rodgers Development Award winner |- | 1997 || Bobos || Daniel Banks || Monica Johnson || Ed Shockley || James McBride || Richard Rodgers Development Award for Playwriting winner |- | 1998 || Out of the Night and into the Light: Miss Havisham's Wedding Night || Nancy Rhodes || || John Olon-Scrymgeour || Dominick Argento |- | 1998 || Out of the Night and into the Light: Ocean Dream || Nancy Rhodes || || Nancy Rhodes || Victor Kioulaphides |- | 1998 || Out of the Night and into the Light: I Will Wait || Nancy Rhodes || || Nancy Rhodes || Arif Mardin |- | 1998 || Barrio Babies || Susanna Tubert || || Luis Santeiro || Fernando Rivas || Richard Rodgers Development Award |- | 1999 || Rollin' on the T.O.B.A. || Ronald Stevens || || || || Transferred to off-Broadway then to Broadway |- | 2000 || Four Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria! || Lisa Portes || Maria Torres || Dolores Prida || David Coffman |- | 2000 || Carefully Taught || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || || || Musical revue |- | 2000 || A Virtual Woman || Nancy Rhodes || || Marsha Sheiness || Rick Cummins |- | 2000 || The Me Nobody Knows || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || Will Holt || Gary William Friedman |- | 2000 || Starmites || Barry Keating || || Stuart Ross & Barry Keating || Barry Keating |- | 2001 || Once on This Island || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || Lynn Ahrens || Stephen Flaherty |- | 2001 || Little Ham || Eric Riley || Leslie Dockery || Dan Owen || Judd Woldin || Transferred to off-Broadway |- | 2001 || Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Story || Billie Allen || Sharleen Cohen || Sharleen Cohen || Sharleen Cohen |- | 2002 || From My Hometown || Kevin Ramsey || Leslie Dockery & Kevin Ramsey || Lee Summers, Ty Stephens and Herbert Rawlings, Jr. || Lee Summers |- | 2002 || The Robber Bridegroom || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || Alfred Uhry || Robert Waldman
| 2002 || Latin Heat || Maria Torres || Maria Torres || || |- | 2002 || Zanna, Don't! || Devanand Janki || Devanand Janki || Tim Acito || Tim Acito || Transferred to off-Broadway |- | 2003 || Godspell || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || John Michael-Tebelek || Stephen Schwartz |- | 2003 || Mandela! || Ricardo Khan || || Steven Fisher & Duma Ndlovu || Steven Fisher |- | 2003 || Blackout || Deborah Hurwitz || || Sharleen Cohen || Debra Barsha |- | 2004 || Footloose || Christopher Scott || Monica Johnson || || Tom Snow |- | 2004 || Lone Star Love, or The Merry Wives of Windsor'' Michael Bogdanov John Haber Jack Herrick
Theatre programs In the past 10 years, Amas has worked with over 60 creative teams in the development of new musicals.
Six O'Clock Musical Theatre Lab This is a development program for writers, lyricists, and composers to mount staged readings of new musicals. Each work generally receives three or four performances.
Workshop Program This is a program which lets composers, lyricists, and librettists work on a more polished and complete version of a new work. The productions generally entail a two to three-week rehearsal period with a series of performances.
Mainstage Program This is a program which gives select musicals a fully produced off-Broadway run for four to six weeks with attendance by critics. The productions generally run under an Equity Letter of Agreement contract.
Educational programs
Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy This is a performance and training program which enrolls up to 30 teenagers and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 in all-day classes and rehearsals on Saturdays and some Sundays from October through May. Sixty percent of students receive full or partial Scholarships. The program ends with a musical which runs for two weeks in an off-off-Broadway theatre.
Immigration Experience This is an in-residence set of workshops for middle and high school students consisting of 32 visits specializing in playwriting, theatre, and musical composition. Students also research their families' and communities' immigration histories which are turned into writings and songs performed in front of their school and extended community.
Broadway Babies This is an in-residence program which runs from 4 to 12 weeks for younger children. Students make a mini-version of a Broadway show which relates to themes or curriculum being studied in their class.
Our America: The Civil Rights Movement through Song and Story This is an in-residence program which explores the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Protest and Peace Songs, among other things. Eventually, there is a presentation.
Passport Around the World