Trending...
- Liquidity Aggregation: US-Registered JHKXWL Integrates AI Analytics for Brazilian and Global Institutional Traders
- Lineus Medical Receives Patent for SafeBreak® Vascular Generation 2
- New 2025–2026 Energy Rebates: Squeaks Services Explains How to Qualify
New documentary film series shines a spotlight on Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana Revue and a little-known aspect of African American culture. Meet the unknown pioneers who helped shape Black and Cuban entertainment during Jim Crow. Watch Part One in Celebration of Black History Month!
DURHAM, N.C. - ncarol.com -- Step right up, folks! The last remaining great Black troupers are finally telling their stories about one of America's most successful traveling shows that broke carnival records from the U.S. to Western Canada, birthed music icons like Rufus Thomas, Fontella Bass and Mercedes Valdés, and significantly impacted Black and Latin entertainment during the Jim Crow era. Also unearthed is the legend of one of Tampa's most beloved showman, Leon Claxton Sr., a brave African-American impresario who left an extraordinary legacy despite the insurmountable odds against him and his dreams.
A magical journey into the complexities of American entertainment and race history, JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana is a compelling three-part documentary film series produced by director Leslie Cunningham who shines an overdue spotlight on her grandfather's wildly popular tent theatre presentation of Black and Cuban music, dance and comedy. This "all-colored" stage revue was the top midway attraction on Royal American Shows' North American traveling carnival exhibition for nearly forty years (from 1935-1967). Considered a carnival "Jig show" by the outdoor entertainment industry and media of the day, Claxton's popular brown-skin girl show, nevertheless, rose above the segregated stage and achieved mainstream and international recognition.
More on ncarol.com
"The idea of calling the film 'JIG SHOW' continues to make me uncomfortable, as I suspect it will make others uncomfortable as well," says Leslie. In part one of the film series, Leslie addresses her discomfort and deals with the racist slur head-on. "As I researched the etymology of 'Jig", I came to realize the power and punch this three-letter word held in the progress of this film project, and the more I became aware of the inevitability of the film title," adds Leslie.
The cast is led by main characters Shirley Bates-Johnson, Leslie's 96 year-old grandmother who was the lead exotic dancer on Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana revue in the 1940's, and her son John Cunningham (Leslie's father), a long-time Latin musician from San Diego, California who was raised on the traveling show and drove stakes with the tent-hands in the 1950s. However, JIG SHOW is not just about family, but triumphs, connections and weaving across cultural divides. "Above all else, my mission is to preserve this rich Black and Cuban entertainment legacy before the memories die with a generation," shares Leslie.
Each part of JIG SHOW combines breathtaking never-before digitized show photographs and rarely seen historical clips with interviews from a colorful cast of former performers, academics and patrons who witnessed the spectacle. Beautiful b-roll of the city of Tampa highlight where Harlem in Havana was headquartered for nearly 20 years, while classic and new Hip Hop music honor the voluptuous showgirls and tenacious entertainers of color who bravely showcased their talents on the frontline of racial polarization and left behind a glorious legacy that still resonates with wonder today.
More on ncarol.com
2021 Film series schedule (start watching on Vimeo On-Demand at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jigshow on the below dates):
The film series is a part of a larger creative work titled "The Harlem in Havana Project", a multimedia documentary project created by Leslie nearly ten years ago to help revive her family's rich show-business history. The project includes a website (harleminhavana.com), the film series, and a set of titillating photography books called Brown-Skin Showgirls that help to expand our cultural knowledge about Black Burlesque. Leslie concludes, "This creative work provides an opportunity for a whole segment of artists, dancers and performances to tap into this history and enhance their current art forms. Back then it was just a colored variety show with performance pieces, but today it's an art form. This is where that history originated!"
Giving Back to the Community
In honor of producer Leon Claxton's philanthropy work in the city of Tampa, Leslie is donating $1 from every online order to Stand Up Speak Out - NC (SUSO), a Durham, North Carolina-based community organization which aims to empower children and teens by providing advocacy and therapeutic support through Art Therapy.
Filmmaker Q&A
Filmmaker Leslie Cunningham is currently available for virtual interviews and speaking engagements about the film series or documentary project. She is also planning live screenings and Brown-Skin Showgirls photography exhibits in 2022.
Visit http://www.jigshow.com to learn more about the film series or http://www.harleminhavana.com to learn more about the multimedia project.
A magical journey into the complexities of American entertainment and race history, JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana is a compelling three-part documentary film series produced by director Leslie Cunningham who shines an overdue spotlight on her grandfather's wildly popular tent theatre presentation of Black and Cuban music, dance and comedy. This "all-colored" stage revue was the top midway attraction on Royal American Shows' North American traveling carnival exhibition for nearly forty years (from 1935-1967). Considered a carnival "Jig show" by the outdoor entertainment industry and media of the day, Claxton's popular brown-skin girl show, nevertheless, rose above the segregated stage and achieved mainstream and international recognition.
More on ncarol.com
- Liquidity Aggregation: US-Registered JHKXWL Integrates AI Analytics for Brazilian and Global Institutional Traders
- Q4 2025 Outlook: JGCMGS Unveils High-Frequency Infrastructure for Italian and Global Markets
- UK Financial Ltd Announces Full Ecosystem To Erc-3643 "SEC-Ready" Tokens For All UK Financial Ltd Tokenized Projects
- Pushing the Wave Series Launches Premium Hardback Editions of 2017–2022 and 2023 Volumes
- ZEELOOL 2025 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Big Deals
"The idea of calling the film 'JIG SHOW' continues to make me uncomfortable, as I suspect it will make others uncomfortable as well," says Leslie. In part one of the film series, Leslie addresses her discomfort and deals with the racist slur head-on. "As I researched the etymology of 'Jig", I came to realize the power and punch this three-letter word held in the progress of this film project, and the more I became aware of the inevitability of the film title," adds Leslie.
The cast is led by main characters Shirley Bates-Johnson, Leslie's 96 year-old grandmother who was the lead exotic dancer on Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana revue in the 1940's, and her son John Cunningham (Leslie's father), a long-time Latin musician from San Diego, California who was raised on the traveling show and drove stakes with the tent-hands in the 1950s. However, JIG SHOW is not just about family, but triumphs, connections and weaving across cultural divides. "Above all else, my mission is to preserve this rich Black and Cuban entertainment legacy before the memories die with a generation," shares Leslie.
Each part of JIG SHOW combines breathtaking never-before digitized show photographs and rarely seen historical clips with interviews from a colorful cast of former performers, academics and patrons who witnessed the spectacle. Beautiful b-roll of the city of Tampa highlight where Harlem in Havana was headquartered for nearly 20 years, while classic and new Hip Hop music honor the voluptuous showgirls and tenacious entertainers of color who bravely showcased their talents on the frontline of racial polarization and left behind a glorious legacy that still resonates with wonder today.
More on ncarol.com
- Americans Are Building Family Legacies That Last Generations — Not Just Paychecks That Last a Month
- A $7 Ticket Could Rewrite Someone's Destiny — 327 Acres of U.S. Land to Be Won by Anyone, Anywh
- Bent Danholm Lists Contemporary Lakefront Residence in Winter Garden's Avalon Cove
- Safe Health Zones: A Global Breakthrough to Protect Night-Shift Workers from Preventable Harm
- ProfileSpider Launches Powerful One-Click Profile Scraper for Recruiters and Growth Teams
2021 Film series schedule (start watching on Vimeo On-Demand at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jigshow on the below dates):
- Part 1: (Available to watch now). Premiered Friday, February 5 (Celebrating Black History Month)
- Part 2: Friday, April 2 (Happy Birthday Leon Claxton!)
- Part 3: Friday, June 4 (Celebrating Juneteenth!)
- In the Fall, the full film series will be available on VOD and DVD, plus a study-guide for the educational market.
The film series is a part of a larger creative work titled "The Harlem in Havana Project", a multimedia documentary project created by Leslie nearly ten years ago to help revive her family's rich show-business history. The project includes a website (harleminhavana.com), the film series, and a set of titillating photography books called Brown-Skin Showgirls that help to expand our cultural knowledge about Black Burlesque. Leslie concludes, "This creative work provides an opportunity for a whole segment of artists, dancers and performances to tap into this history and enhance their current art forms. Back then it was just a colored variety show with performance pieces, but today it's an art form. This is where that history originated!"
Giving Back to the Community
In honor of producer Leon Claxton's philanthropy work in the city of Tampa, Leslie is donating $1 from every online order to Stand Up Speak Out - NC (SUSO), a Durham, North Carolina-based community organization which aims to empower children and teens by providing advocacy and therapeutic support through Art Therapy.
Filmmaker Q&A
Filmmaker Leslie Cunningham is currently available for virtual interviews and speaking engagements about the film series or documentary project. She is also planning live screenings and Brown-Skin Showgirls photography exhibits in 2022.
Visit http://www.jigshow.com to learn more about the film series or http://www.harleminhavana.com to learn more about the multimedia project.
Source: TRIBES Entertainment
0 Comments
Latest on ncarol.com
- Own 327 Acres of American Prime Real Estate with 2 Miles Waterfront Worth In Millions for Just $7 — Worldwide Raffle Launched
- Lakefront Acreage in Longwood's Ravensbrook Community Hits the Market
- Monika Balayan Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
- Elevate Sales Kick Off Announces National Event for Property Management Growth in 2026
- Federal Lawsuit Claims Raleigh DA Lorrin Freeman and Police Chief Rico Boyce Concealed Evidence
- We're Winning: Historic Plunge in Overdose Deaths Marks Stunning Reversal in America's Drug Crisis
- Lineus Medical Receives Patent for SafeBreak® Vascular Generation 2
- New 2025–2026 Energy Rebates: Squeaks Services Explains How to Qualify
- CCHR's New Documentary Prescription for Violence Highlights Overlooked Safety Warnings
- Men's Health Network Announces a New Feature to Support the Well-Being of Men When and Where They Are through Text Alerts
- Comp-U-Floor Unveils Powerful New Commercial Module
- Revenue Optics Announces the Appointment of Sonal Chowdhury as Senior Manager – Strategic Operations
- How California Convinces Buyers Not to Purchase New Cars — and How This Hurts Dealers
- Tax Fears and Political Volatility Drive Wealthy UK Residents to Consider Leaving, La Vida Survey Shows
- Titan Steel Buildings Expands Nationwide to Deliver Large Steel Warehouses and Industrial Facilities
- Marry Me Marinara Announces New Gourmet Pasta Sauce - Bringing Restaurant Quality to Home Kitchens
- Kaltra Removes Size Barriers for Microchannel Coils with Fully Integrated Large-MCHE Production
- Guests Can Save 10 Percent Off New Vacation Rental Homes at KeysCaribbean's Village at Hawks Cay Villas
- Paylode Acquired by Moved to Power the Next Generation of Ancillary Revenue Automation
- Global Preschool Giants Unite to Celebrate the 12th Anniversary of Badanamu's Hit Song "Ponytail"