Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death 1971

Opened: October 20, 1971
Closing: July 30, 1972

Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death - 1971 - Broadway History , Info & More

Ambassador Theatre (Broadway)
219 W. 49th St. New York, NY 10019

The work is a loosely associated group of 19 songs, all having to do with the bitter African-American experience in the U.S.

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HARMONY, ASSASSINS & More Win 2022 Off Broadway Alliance Awards
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 24, 2022


The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, today announced the winners of the 11th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off Broadway during the 2021-2022 season.

KIMBERLY AKIMBO, HARMONY & More Nominated for Off Broadway Alliance Awards
by Nicole Rosky - May 5, 2022


The Off Broadway Alliance, an organization of Off-Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing professionals, has announced the nominees for the 11th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off Broadway during the 2021-2022 season. 

Broadway Revival of AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH Will Proceed, Dedicated to Melvin Van Peebles
by Nicole Rosky - Sep 23, 2021


As BroadwayWorld reported in March, Melvin Van Peebles' musical 'Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death' has been planning for a Broadway next year. The production will proceed, despite the recent death of the playwright, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 89. The show will now be dedicated to Peebles.

Theater Stories: CURIOUS INCIDENT, THE BAND'S VISIT, THE INHERITANCE and More About the Ethel Barrymore Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 11, 2021


Today's Theater Stories features the Ethel Barrymore Theatre! Learn about Ethel Barrymore herself, shows to have graced the theatre's stage, including An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Chaplin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band's Visit, The Inheritance, and many more!

AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH Will Be Revived on Broadway Next Year
by Stephi Wild - Mar 23, 2021


Melvin Van Peebles' musical 'Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death' is set to be revived on Broadway next year.

Student Blog: Zodiac Signs of Tony-Nominated Musicals
by Student Blogger: Madison Moore - Mar 22, 2021


The criteria are that these shows have been nominated for Best Musical from the 3rd Tony Awards (the ceremony that started the Best Musical category) in 1949 to the nominations of what will now be the 74th Tony Awards in 2021. I will be determining their signs based upon their Broadway premiere date. With those rules in mind, here we go!

BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST PROTEST SONGS OF ALL TIME - with Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Kendrick Lamar & More
by Peter Nason - Jun 18, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest protest songs from 1939-2020. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

Breaking: Harold Wheeler, Rosemary Harris & Terrence McNally Will Be Honored for Lifetime Achievement at the 2019 Tony Awards
by Nicole Rosky - Apr 25, 2019


According to the New York Times, actress Rosemary Harris, musician Harold Wheeler and playwright Terrence McNally will all be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2019 Tonys.

Did You Know... Our Favorite Fun Facts About the 2017 Tony Nominees!
by Matt Tamanini - May 2, 2017


The 2017 Tony nominations were announced this morning. If you haven't checked them out yet, what are you waiting for?! CLICK HERE to check out a full list of this year's nominees, and HERE for reactions from the lucky few!

VIDEOS: Broadway's Road To THE WIZ; Five Early-70s Musicals About Black Urban Life
by Michael Dale - Dec 2, 2015


THE WIZ was part of a growing trend of the 1970s when urban black stories and music were making their way to Broadway.

Arthur French to Receive Equity's 2015 Paul Robeson Citation Award
by Tyler Peterson - Oct 7, 2015


Actor Arthur French has been named to receive the 2015 Paul Robeson Citation Award presented by the Actors Equity Foundation.              

New Brooklyn Theater's Site-Specific THE DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH Plays Now thru 1/19
by BWW News Desk - Jan 9, 2014


New Brooklyn Theater has announced casting today for its site-specific production of Edward Albee's The Death of Bessie Smith at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn. This rare revival will run for eight performances between today, January 9 and 19, 2014.

Cast Announced for New Brooklyn Theater's Site-Specific THE DEATH OF BESSIE SMITH, 1/9-19
by BWW News Desk - Jan 4, 2014


New Brooklyn Theater has announced casting today for its site-specific production of Edward Albee's The Death of Bessie Smith at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn. This rare revival will run for eight performances between January 9 and 19, 2014. Each performance will be followed by talkbacks or panel discussions with leaders in the arts, government, labor, and health. These discussions are intended to raise critical questions about health access, race, class, and the arts in New York.

BWW Special Report: PIPPIN's Motown Magic Returns to Broadway
by Kevin Winkler - Apr 3, 2013


As an undergraduate theater major in the early 1970s, I heard music everywhere. It seemed to pour out of every office and workspace around the department. (And in the LP era, if you wanted more than the radio, this meant schlepping a twenty pound record player and a dozen or so albums from your home to the campus, sometimes requiring back-and-forth trips from the car. If you go to that much trouble, you want to keep the music playing.) In the hushed costume shop with its quietly industrious all female staff, Broadway ruled, with Stephen Sondheim's recent Company and Follies in heavy rotation. It was 'men only' in the scene shop where I listened to male balladeers like James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot while unhappily working off assigned crew hours. Jazz classes (my favorites) in the dance department were conducted to the pre-disco sounds of Isaac Hayes and the Temptations. And late night cast parties were never complete without spins of Bette Midler's first two albums.

Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What productions of Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death have there been?
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death has had 5 productions including Broadway which opened in 1971, Broadway which opened in 1971, Off-Broadway which opened in 2004, Off-Broadway which opened in 2006 and Broadway which opened in 2023.
What Tony Awards has Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death been nominated for?
Best Musical , , Best Book of a Musical for Melvin Van Peebles, Best Book of a Musical for Melvin Van Peebles, Best Direction of a Musical for Gilbert Moses , Best Lighting Design for Martin Aronstein Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre for Melvin Van Peebles and Best Scenic Design for Kert Lundell .
What Tony Awards has Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death won?
Best Book of a Musical for Melvin Van Peebles Best Book of a Musical for Melvin Van Peebles, Best Direction of a Musical for Gilbert Moses , Best Lighting Design for Martin Aronstein , Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre for Melvin Van Peebles, Best Scenic Design for Kert Lundell , .
What awards has Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death been nominated for?
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death has been nominated for several awards. It was nominated for Scenic Design at The Hewes Awards for Kert F. Lundell. Additionally, Beatrice Winde received a nomination for Performance at the Theatre World Awards. These nominations recognize the outstanding work of the show's scenic designer and performer, respectively.
What awards has Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death won?
Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death has won awards for Scenic Design at The Hewes Awards, which was awarded to Kert F. Lundell. The show also received a Performance award at the Theatre World Awards, which was given to Beatrice Winde.

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