Trending...
- Opteamix welcomes Girish Ramachandra to its leadership team as Senior Vice President of Client Services
- RAS AP Consulting Expands Managed AP Governance™ Ecosystem, Launches Trademark Process, and Secures IFOL Speaker Invitation
- UK Financial Ltd Makes History: Chainlink CRE Circulating Supply Verification Goes Live Across Its Complete Ecosystem Of Nine Exchange-Traded Tokens
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
- Crownlight Strategies® Announces Federal Trademark Registration
- New Book Calls 'Sense of Belonging' the Missing Link in Student Success
- Igbozue Connecticut USA Celebrates 2026 Summer Family Picnic
- KT Medical Staffing Addresses the Questions Families Forget to Ask Before Bringing Private Nursing Care Home
- Private Autopsies Give Arizona Families Answers After Nursing Home and Care Facility Deaths
"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
- OPUS Global Data Solutions Launches Food Trader Plus, Bringing Operational Control and Deal-Level Profit Visibility to Food Brokers
- Phinge CEO DeMaio Unveils Speech to Congress: User Data Sovereignty vs Tech Surveillance Capitalism, Asserting Foundational 2021 App-Less Patents & IP
- Michael Maertens Hired as Century Fasteners Corp. – Chief Financial Officer
- Beneath the Cloudline Explores Hope After Collapse in a New YA Science-Fantasy Novel
- Built to Last: Why BSI Is Among the Nation's Fastest-Growing Companies, and One of Its Best Places to Work
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
- The City's Most Elegant Open-Air Dinner Party Returns September 12, 2026
- FDA Clears Major Regulatory Hurdle as Preservative-Free Ketamine Program Moves Within Reach of Commercialization: NRx Pharmaceuticals: (NAS DAQ: NRXP)
- Autonomous Robotics Platform Expansion as Public Market Debut is Very Close: MBody AI Corp. (N A S D A Q: MBAI)
- New Book gives Consumer Goods Leaders a Governance Playbook for Generative and Agentic AI
- Loud! OOH calls for prize draw advertising standards as £1.3bn category moves outdoors
- Black Ribbon Productions Launches With Fearless 2026 Horror Slate
- Actor Dominic Pace Returns to Television and Film
- Opteamix welcomes Girish Ramachandra to its leadership team as Senior Vice President of Client Services
- Silicon Box Ships 500M Units at High Yield, Expands Production Capacity for Panel-Level Packaging
- Why Baton Rouge's Humid Climate Can Contribute to Carpenter Ant Damage — J&J Exterminating Explains How to Protect Your Home
- RPR Promotes Emily Line to Chief Strategy Officer and Janine Sieja to Chief Product Officer
- Expanding Beyond Space as New Drone Market Opportunities Accelerate Growth: Ascent Solar Technologies (N A S D A Q: ASTI)
- Lauren Merrell, Dale Sorensen Real Estate, announces price improvement for an extraordinary island retreat
- Portalz Publishes FES World First Architecture Introducing a New Cryptographic Platform
- Cellofest Brings Free Cello Concerts and Community Events to Bethany Beach August 5–16
- Blue Sky Capital Strategies, LLC awarded Leasing and Financial Services agreement with Premier Inc
- Michael M. Thomas Expands Executive Leadership Across Central India Outreach and Royal Trinity School
- Northeast Airlines and Travel, Inc. Initiates FAA Part 121 Certification for Boeing 737-800 Freighter Cargo Operations
- Walker's Realty and North Jersey Properties Introduce Extraordinary Luxury Estate for Rent in West Orange, New Jersey
- Extreme Heat Strains Home Appliances: Appliance EMT Offers "Summer Rescue" Relief