What is “The Black Crook?”
On September 12, 1866, a New York theater named Niblo’s Garden gave birth to the premiere of The Black Crook.
Niblo's Garden set the ambitious idea of introducing European novelty acts to mainstream American audiences into motion.
The highly innovative, thespian, and even romantic songs in this musical are what make it famous. “You Naughty, Naughty Men,” a thrillingly dramatic music about the evils of bad men against women, is one of the iconic pieces of the musical.
Other iconic pieces include Act II’s “Pas de Demons” and Act I’s March of the Amazons.
Though it is pretty challenging to access these pieces to listen to today, they still hold the title of being what set the stage for the modern future of American theatre.
It contributed to the theatre by being the first for Broadway to open the door for new cultures, abstract ideas, and even minorities at the time of discrimination on multiple fronts to contribute to art displays, whether it be music or acting.
Though audiences and critics had mixed opinions on The Black Crook, particularly regarding the presentation of the dancing and costumes, the musical was highly successful, arguably due to the heated criticism and debate surrounding it.
This work has modernized the meaning of a musical indeed. Still, many were perplexed, impressed, or perhaps even disgusted by its foreign European elements, seemingly short and revealing clothes, and its glorious effects added to the story.
This uniqueness has given The Black Crook a special place in history. This uniqueness has given The Black Crook a special place in the history of American theatre that needs to be recognized.
Jul 9