BUBBLING OVER
WITH NOSTALGIA

Amas celebrates a milestone with
a joyful reminder of the music
that put the company on the map

Anthony Wayne, Darius de Haas, Brittany Nicole Williams, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards

Amas Musical Theatre sure knows how to throw a party.

Held in a penthouse with a wraparound terrace, the company’s 58th Anniversary Gala Benefit found guests happily mingling over hors d’oeuvres, conversation, and cocktails before settling in for the evening’s entertainment. Greeting attendees with grace and gratitude, Artistic Producer Donna Trinkoff set the tone for a festive fundraiser on May 11.

The invited guests—donors, supporters, staff, friends, colleagues, and members of the press—soon settled in for a concert version of a Broadway gem of yore, an early example of what would later be called a jukebox musical, weaving beloved songs into a storyline. Directed by Jonathan S. Cerullo, choreographed by Maria Torres, and featuring musical direction by Darnell White, the performance was warmly and enthusiastically received. The choice was especially fitting, as 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of Bubbling Brown Sugar, a show conceived by Amas founder Rosetta LeNoire that helped put the company on the map.

The Company

The evening also carried a strong sense of history. Among those in the (pent)house was chef, author, philanthropist, and television personality Carla Hall, whose uncle appeared in the original chorus! Some attendees had seen the original production before it closed on the final day of 1977. Others simply carried a deep affection for the artists and songs celebrated throughout the evening. In that sense, Bubbling Brown Sugar remains what it has always been: a nostalgic trip through some memorable Harlem avenues.

The show’s time-travel framework allows younger characters unfamiliar with Harlem’s cultural history to encounter the music and musicians who shaped it. Their curiosity provides a convenient device for introducing key figures and stories without turning the evening into a lecture.

Half a century later, the songs themselves remain the real stars.

Nicole Williams and Anthony Wayne

The score features standards associated with Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, Bert Williams, Billie Holiday, and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson—the latter also happened to be Rosetta LeNoire’s godfather. Numbers such as “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Love Will Find a Way” continue to demonstrate exactly why they have endured.

Though this anniversary concert was necessarily more compact than the original production, and did not include every number from the expansive 1976 score, it retained the spirit of the original while wisely concentrating on the most familiar and beloved material.

The cast was bursting with talent and pizzazz: Mel Johnson, Jr., Carmen Ruby Floyd, Darlesia Cearcy, Anthony Wayne, Brittany Nicole Williams, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, and two favorites from cabaret and beyond: Darius de Haas, who brought his trademark sophistication to “Sophisticated Lady,” and Nicolas King, radiating pure joy as a newcomer to Harlem with the exuberant “Harlem Makes Me Feel!”

King and de Haas were also highlights of Amas’s previous event this season, an invited reading of the new musical Industrial Strength, based on comedy writer Steve Young’s real-life discovery of the often lavish corporate “industrial musicals” once created to motivate company employees and sales . While workshops are not subject to review, the reading I attended was a hoot, judging from the audience’s delighted laughter and enthusiastic applause. One can only hope that project continues its journey toward a full production.

Likewise, one can hope for future opportunities to revisit Bubbling Brown Sugar. Fifty years after its debut, its celebration of Harlem’s musical heritage still charms, entertains, and educates. Judging by the reception at this golden anniversary with plenty of swing, its appeal remains very much alive.

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photos by Russ Rowland

Bubbling Brown Sugar (50th Anniversary Concert Presentation)
Amas Musical Theatre’s 58th Anniversary Gala Event
Penthouse 45, 432 W. 45th St. in New York City
presented May 11, 2026
for more info, and to make donations, visit Amas

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