22:
83:
Born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1894, Light was the son of an English building contractor who was working on a project in Pittsburgh at the time of Light's birth. He returned to England with his parents while still an infant and did not return to the United States until he was fourteen years old.
343:
among other
Philadelphia impresarios, Light directed, produced, and promoted numerous plays with all-black casts in Philadelphia during the mid to late 1930s through his work with the FTP. He continued to pursue other projects to promote black artists after the
183:
in the role of Jim Harris opposite the white actress Mary Blair in the role of his wife Ella Downey. The decision by O'Neill and Light to portray a racially mixed couple was controversial for the time period, and both men received threats from the
134:, and he met them on his first day in New York City while moving into the building. These relationships led him to join the Provincetown Players as an actor; beginning with the role of the English teacher in
402:
Light was married twice. His first marriage to Sue
Jenkins ended in divorce. His second marriage was to Patti Margolies. He died at the age of 69 at his home in Manhattan on February 11, 1964.
67:; an organization dedicated to fighting racial discrimination in hiring practices in the American theatre by producing plays with all-black casts. He taught on the faculties of the
1154:
142:. He went on to portray 33 more roles with the company, and was ultimately made a member of the executive committee managing the theatre troupe. In 1922 he succeeded
103:(OSU) where he graduated with degrees in English literature and philosophy. He was a swimmer on the OSU swim team, and also served as editor of the OSU magazine
322:
who oversaw FTP's
African American theatre units nationally. Light had worked with McClendon earlier when he directed her in the Broadway production of
169:
636:
441:
656:
160:
567:
1009:
Intertextuality in
American Drama: Critical Essays on Eugene O'Neill, Susan Glaspell, Thornton Wilder, Arthur Miller and Other Playwrights
153:
Light made his
Broadway debut as an actor on February 4, 1921; portraying Captain Caleb Williams in the original production of O'Neill's
173:(1923), before completely re-orienting his career away from acting into directing. The first play he directed on Broadway was O'Neill's
1144:
110:
In 1917 Light graduated from OSU and moved to New York City after earning a scholarship to pursue graduate studies in philosophy at
1159:
568:"'THE DREAM PLAY' NOT IN A KEY OF REALITY; Provincetown Produces Strindbergs Drama, a Restless Inquiry Into the Meaning of Life"
314:(FTP) in 1936; a branch of the FTP whose mission was to create employment opportunities for black performers in order to combat
150:, and Robert Edmond Jones was instrumental in transforming that group of creatives into the Experimental Theatre, Inc. in 1923.
771:
332:
in 1932; a work which centered around the lynching of an innocent black man on the campus of a college in the
American south.
1169:
175:
1164:
1149:
1139:
861:
387:
85:
72:
1089:
1066:
1043:
1020:
997:
961:
938:
915:
892:
869:
846:
823:
787:
96:
1174:
514:
1134:
657:"3 CLASSIC DRAMAS TO BE GIVEN HERE; 'Oedipus Rex' and 'The Mayor of Zalamea' Among Shows Planned by New Group"
288:
976:
310:
An opponent of racial discrimination, Light was appointed
Director of the "Philadelphia Black Unit" of the
907:
1109:
989:
762:
379:
815:
802:
311:
64:
26:
1012:
884:
115:
100:
99:
in painting and architecture. He ultimately abandoned his studies in art and transferred to
1129:
1124:
383:
315:
293:
247:
127:
68:
52:
973:
Oral
Interpretation as a Form of Professional Theatre on the New York Stage from 1945-1965
8:
1058:
1035:
881:
The
Complete Kay Francis Career Record: All Film, Stage, Radio and Television Appearances
637:"THE PLAY; Virgil Geddes's 'Native Ground' Put On by the Experimental Theatre of the WPA"
257:
221:
204:
111:
442:"JAMES LIGHT DIES; O'NEILL ASSOCIATE; Staged Playwright's Works With Provincetown Group"
1081:
661:
641:
572:
446:
363:
328:
323:
270:
75:; serving as the dean of the drama school at the latter institution from 1939 to 1942.
1085:
1062:
1039:
1016:
993:
957:
934:
911:
888:
865:
842:
819:
783:
729:
705:
391:
227:
189:
164:
131:
44:
345:
340:
262:
147:
143:
60:
56:
48:
36:
163:. He starred in only one more play on Broadway, the role of Baron Skansenkorge in
1105:
953:
697:
632:
359:
232:
776:
Critical Companion to Eugene O'Neill: A Literary Reference to His Life and Works
759:
A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama: Volume 1, 1900–1940
367:
319:
196:
135:
1118:
779:
709:
336:
280:
252:
89:
838:
349:
275:
215:
185:
180:
155:
930:
303:
126:
Light's first apartment building in New York housed three members of the
118:
in 1929 which allowed him to pursue further studies in drama in Europe.
354:
242:
237:
179:
in 1924. The play featured an interracial couple with the black actor
43:, and educator. He is best remembered as a champion of the playwright
298:
318:
in the American theatre. He was appointed to that post by actress
904:
Staging America: The Artistic Legacy of the Provincetown Players
348:. His final directing assignment on Broadway was a revival of
209:
390:(NSSR) in the 1930s, and ultimately became the Dean of NSSR's
21:
146:
as director of Provincetown Players, and along with O'Neill,
40:
950:
The Encyclopedia of the New York Stage, 1920-1930, Volume 1
63:, he was director of the "Philadelphia Black Unit" of the
1155:
David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University faculty
59:
as director of that organization in 1922. During the
195:Light's other Broadway credits as director include
51:and in regional theaters. He was a member of the
1116:
1078:A Sustainable Theatre: Jasper Deeter at Hedgerow
1006:
92:who later became a prominent literary theorist.
1007:Murphy, Brenda; Eisenhauer, Drew, eds. (2013).
631:
704:. New York: Benjamin Blom, reprint edition .
465:
463:
461:
459:
457:
378:In 1928 Light was appointed director of the
47:, and he directed many of his plays both on
878:
855:
78:
35:(1894 – February 11, 1964) was an American
947:
723:"Rose McClendon Rises to Heights in Black
535:
533:
397:
986:The Cambridge Companion to Eugene O'Neill
769:
702:Arena: The History of the Federal Theatre
683:
681:
491:
489:
454:
95:Light began his college education at the
1052:
983:
696:
479:
477:
475:
20:
948:Leiter, Samuel L.; Hill, Holly (1985).
924:
901:
832:
530:
1117:
1075:
1029:
970:
809:
756:
678:
486:
436:
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
422:
420:
362:that starred an all-black cast led by
25:1938 photograph of James Light by the
796:
472:
121:
16:American theater director (1894–1964)
770:Blansford, Karen Charmaine (2009).
417:
13:
879:Kear, Lynn; Rossman, John (2016).
862:University of North Carolina Press
799:Off-Broadway: A History, 1915-1962
687:Witham, Introduction and Chapter 1
388:The New School for Social Research
88:where he befriended his classmate
73:The New School for Social Research
14:
1186:
1145:Carnegie Mellon University alumni
1099:
835:Paul Muni; His Life and His Films
1030:Ranald, Margaret Loftus (1984).
858:Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon
665:. November 24, 1945. p. 22.
450:. February 12, 1964. p. 33.
97:Carnegie Institute of Technology
984:Mannheim, Michael, ed. (1998).
971:Jaswal, Alice Jeanette (1968).
774:. In Dowling, Robert M. (ed.).
750:
737:
716:
690:
669:
649:
625:
616:
607:
598:
589:
580:
576:. January 21, 1926. p. 18.
560:
551:
1160:Federal Theatre Project people
586:Murphy & Eisenhauer, p. 34
542:
521:
507:
498:
1:
797:Cowan, Robert Arthur (1962).
405:
1170:Ohio State University alumni
1032:The Eugene O'Neill Companion
977:University of Michigan Press
833:Druxman, Michael B. (1974).
410:
7:
1165:Male actors from Pittsburgh
908:University of Alabama Press
386:. He joined the faculty of
373:
176:All God's Chillun Got Wings
10:
1191:
1150:Columbia University alumni
1140:American theatre directors
1110:Internet Broadway Database
990:Cambridge University Press
856:Goudsouzian, Aram (2011).
772:"Light, James (1895–1964)"
763:Cambridge University Press
557:Kear & Rossman, p. 205
289:Pedro Calderón de la Barca
1053:Szalczer, Eszter (2012).
925:Leaming, Barbara (2004).
902:Kennedy, Jeffery (2023).
757:Bigsby, C. W. E. (1982).
595:Leiter & Hill, p. 234
380:Yale Dramatic Association
114:. He was later awarded a
816:Harvard University Press
810:Cowley, Malcolm (2014).
79:Early life and education
1013:McFarland & Company
885:McFarland & Company
803:Purdue University Press
398:Personal life and death
312:Federal Theatre Project
65:Federal Theatre Project
27:Federal Theatre Project
1175:The New School faculty
515:"Diff'rent (Playbill)"
469:Blansfield, p. 646-647
370:as Polydorus in 1946.
366:in the title role and
29:
1135:American stage actors
335:Working closely with
326:'s anti-racism drama
307:(1945) among others.
213:(1925), Strindberg's
116:Guggenheim Fellowship
101:Ohio State University
24:
1059:Taylor & Francis
384:Yale School of Drama
316:institutional racism
294:The Mayor of Zalamea
128:Provincetown Players
69:Yale School of Drama
53:Provincetown Players
1076:Witham, B. (2013).
1036:Bloomsbury Academic
743:Goudsouzian, p. 394
394:from 1939 to 1942.
225:(1926), O'Neill's
222:The Great God Brown
219:(1926), O'Neill's
205:William Shakespeare
112:Columbia University
86:Peabody High School
55:, and he succeeded
1082:Palgrave Macmillan
662:The New York Times
642:The New York Times
635:(March 24, 1937).
573:The New York Times
447:The New York Times
364:Etta Moten Barnett
324:Annie Nathan Meyer
271:Archibald MacLeish
190:poison pen letters
122:Actor and director
84:He graduated from
30:
1055:August Strindberg
733:. March 31, 1932.
730:New York American
228:The Emperor Jones
165:August Strindberg
1182:
1095:
1072:
1049:
1026:
1003:
980:
967:
944:
921:
898:
875:
852:
829:
806:
793:
766:
744:
741:
735:
734:
720:
714:
713:
698:Flanagan, Hallie
694:
688:
685:
676:
673:
667:
666:
653:
647:
646:
629:
623:
620:
614:
611:
605:
602:
596:
593:
587:
584:
578:
577:
564:
558:
555:
549:
546:
540:
539:Mannheim, p. 100
537:
528:
527:Szalczer, p. 185
525:
519:
518:
511:
505:
502:
496:
493:
484:
481:
470:
467:
452:
451:
438:
346:Great Depression
341:Hedgerow Theatre
263:Kenneth Raisbeck
170:The Spook Sonata
161:Princess Theatre
148:Kenneth Macgowan
144:George Cram Cook
61:Great Depression
57:George Cram Cook
37:theatre director
1190:
1189:
1185:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1180:
1179:
1115:
1114:
1102:
1092:
1069:
1046:
1023:
1000:
964:
954:Greenwood Press
941:
918:
895:
872:
849:
826:
812:The Long Voyage
790:
753:
748:
747:
742:
738:
722:
721:
717:
695:
691:
686:
679:
674:
670:
655:
654:
650:
633:Brooks Atkinson
630:
626:
621:
617:
612:
608:
603:
599:
594:
590:
585:
581:
566:
565:
561:
556:
552:
547:
543:
538:
531:
526:
522:
513:
512:
508:
503:
499:
495:Kennedy, p. 248
494:
487:
482:
473:
468:
455:
440:
439:
418:
413:
408:
400:
392:School of Drama
376:
360:Belasco Theatre
233:Mrs. Henry Wood
124:
81:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1188:
1178:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1113:
1112:
1101:
1100:External links
1098:
1097:
1096:
1090:
1073:
1067:
1050:
1044:
1027:
1021:
1004:
998:
981:
968:
962:
945:
939:
922:
916:
899:
893:
876:
870:
853:
847:
830:
824:
807:
794:
788:
767:
752:
749:
746:
745:
736:
715:
689:
677:
668:
648:
624:
622:Leaming, p. 87
615:
613:Druxman, p. 58
606:
597:
588:
579:
559:
550:
548:Bigsby, p. 305
541:
529:
520:
506:
504:Ranald, p. 184
497:
485:
483:Cowley, p. 699
471:
453:
415:
414:
412:
409:
407:
404:
399:
396:
375:
372:
368:Sidney Poitier
320:Rose McClendon
267:Rock Me, Julie
216:The Dream Play
197:Hatcher Hughes
140:Close the Book
136:Susan Glaspell
132:Eugene O'Neill
130:, one of them
123:
120:
80:
77:
45:Eugene O'Neill
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1187:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1122:
1120:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1103:
1093:
1091:9781137121851
1087:
1083:
1079:
1074:
1070:
1068:9781136979750
1064:
1060:
1056:
1051:
1047:
1045:9780313225512
1041:
1037:
1033:
1028:
1024:
1022:9780786463916
1018:
1014:
1010:
1005:
1001:
999:9780521556453
995:
991:
987:
982:
978:
974:
969:
965:
963:9780313236150
959:
955:
951:
946:
942:
940:9781617744471
936:
932:
928:
923:
919:
917:9780817321406
913:
909:
905:
900:
896:
894:9781476602875
890:
886:
882:
877:
873:
871:9780807875841
867:
863:
859:
854:
850:
848:9780498014130
844:
840:
836:
831:
827:
825:9780674728226
821:
817:
813:
808:
804:
800:
795:
791:
789:9781438108728
785:
781:
780:Facts On File
777:
773:
768:
764:
760:
755:
754:
740:
732:
731:
726:
719:
711:
707:
703:
699:
693:
684:
682:
675:Jaswal, p. 27
672:
664:
663:
658:
652:
645:. p. 28.
644:
643:
638:
634:
628:
619:
610:
604:Cowan, p. 102
601:
592:
583:
575:
574:
569:
563:
554:
545:
536:
534:
524:
516:
510:
501:
492:
490:
480:
478:
476:
466:
464:
462:
460:
458:
449:
448:
443:
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
423:
421:
416:
403:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
356:
351:
347:
342:
338:
337:Jasper Deeter
333:
331:
330:
325:
321:
317:
313:
308:
306:
305:
300:
296:
295:
290:
286:
285:Native Ground
282:
281:Virgil Geddes
278:
277:
272:
268:
264:
260:
259:
254:
253:E.E. Cummings
250:
249:
248:Rapid Transit
244:
240:
239:
234:
230:
229:
224:
223:
218:
217:
212:
211:
206:
202:
198:
193:
191:
187:
182:
178:
177:
172:
171:
166:
162:
158:
157:
151:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
119:
117:
113:
108:
106:
102:
98:
93:
91:
90:Kenneth Burke
87:
76:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
28:
23:
19:
1077:
1054:
1031:
1008:
985:
972:
949:
927:Orson Welles
926:
903:
880:
857:
839:A. S. Barnes
834:
811:
798:
775:
758:
751:Bibliography
739:
728:
724:
718:
701:
692:
671:
660:
651:
640:
627:
618:
609:
600:
591:
582:
571:
562:
553:
544:
523:
509:
500:
445:
401:
377:
353:
350:Aristophanes
334:
327:
309:
302:
297:(1945), and
292:
284:
274:
266:
256:
246:
236:
226:
220:
214:
208:
200:
194:
186:Ku Klux Klan
181:Paul Robeson
174:
168:
154:
152:
139:
125:
109:
104:
94:
82:
32:
31:
18:
1130:1964 deaths
1125:1894 births
1106:James Light
931:Hal Leonard
329:Black Souls
304:Oedipus Rex
105:Sansculotte
33:James Light
1119:Categories
406:References
355:Lysistrata
243:Lajos Egri
238:East Lynne
710:855945294
411:Citations
299:Sophocles
241:(1926),
156:Diff'rent
700:(1965).
374:Educator
339:and the
287:(1937),
279:(1935),
269:(1931),
261:(1928),
251:(1927),
231:(1926),
203:(1925),
49:Broadway
1108:at the
382:at the
358:at the
159:at the
1088:
1065:
1042:
1019:
996:
960:
937:
914:
891:
868:
845:
822:
786:
708:
210:Hamlet
725:Souls
276:Panic
201:Ruint
41:actor
1086:ISBN
1063:ISBN
1040:ISBN
1017:ISBN
994:ISBN
958:ISBN
935:ISBN
912:ISBN
889:ISBN
866:ISBN
843:ISBN
820:ISBN
784:ISBN
706:OCLC
188:and
71:and
727:".
352:'s
301:'s
291:'s
283:'s
273:'s
265:'s
258:Him
255:'s
245:'s
235:'s
207:'s
199:'s
167:'s
138:'s
1121::
1084:.
1080:.
1061:.
1057:.
1038:.
1034:.
1015:.
1011:.
992:.
988:.
975:.
956:.
952:.
933:.
929:.
910:.
906:.
887:.
883:.
864:.
860:.
841:.
837:.
818:.
814:.
801:.
782:.
778:.
761:.
680:^
659:.
639:.
570:.
532:^
488:^
474:^
456:^
444:.
419:^
192:.
107:.
39:,
1094:.
1071:.
1048:.
1025:.
1002:.
979:.
966:.
943:.
920:.
897:.
874:.
851:.
828:.
805:.
792:.
765:.
712:.
517:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
