About the project

September 17, 2025 – February 21, 2026

Although the common nickname for Broadway, “the Great White Way,” refers, historically, to its dazzling lights, the phrase also suggests the ways in which many histories of New York theater center white artists. Black artists, though, have been important shapers of musical theater in the United States before the electric light was ever used on stage. In the early 20th century, Black composers and writers created many popular musicals in New York that helped define the genre, setting it apart from 19th-century traditions. New forms of syncopation, the disruption of the dominant rhythm, and narratives composed and written by Black artists challenged the prevailing sounds and depictions of Black people on stage. These innovations were more than stylistic. They pushed back against exclusion and stereotype, laying the groundwork for generations of Black artists whose contributions have reshaped Broadway. Syncopated Stages spotlighted their work, acknowledged the challenges they faced, and celebrated the brilliance of what they made and how their work still reverberates today.

Curated by Michael Dinwiddie with an advisory panel of Britt Dixon, Caseen Gaines, Michael McElroy, A.J. Muhammad, Arminda Thomas, and Ben West.

Exhibition Design: Christine Rung
Graphic Design: Adam Cohen
AV Design: Kevin Kelly