- Childress, Alice
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born Oct. 12, 1916, Charleston, S.C., U.S.died Aug. 14, 1994, New York, N.Y.U.S. playwright, novelist, and actress.She grew up in Harlem and studied drama with the American Negro Theatre, where she wrote, directed, and starred in her first play, Florence (produced 1949). Her other plays, some featuring music, include Trouble in Mind (produced 1955), String (1969), The African Garden (1971), and Gullah (1984). She was also a successful writer of children's books, including A Hero Ain't Nothing but a Sandwich (1973).
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▪ 1995U.S. playwright, novelist, and actress (b. Oct. 12, 1916, Charleston, S.C.—d. Aug. 14, 1994, New York, N.Y.), addressed racial issues frankly and honestly in works that drew on the African-American experience and featured sensitive portrayals and finely crafted characterizations. Childress, who was reared in Harlem, New York City, performed with the American Negro Theater in both Broadway and Off-Broadway venues during the 1940s. She wrote, directed, and starred in her first play, Florence (produced 1949), and enhanced her reputation with the play Trouble in Mind (produced 1955; revised and published 1971). The latter satiric play-within-a-play poked fun at white liberals and condemned racial stereotyping in the performing arts. Whereas Wedding Band (1966) focused on interracial love, String (1969) and Wine in the Wilderness (1969) dealt with other racial themes. Many of her plays featured music, including Just a Little Simple (produced 1950; based on Langston Hughes's Simple Speaks His Mind), Gold Through the Trees (produced 1952), The African Garden (produced 1971), Gullah (produced 1984; based on her 1977 play Sea Island Song), and Moms (produced 1986). Other novels were written for adolescents, notably A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich (1973), a story about a teenage drug addict, and Rainbow Jordan (1981), which explored the struggles of poor black urban youth. Two plays, When the Rattlesnake Sounds (1975) and Let's Hear It for the Queen (1976), were also written for juveniles. Childress' straightforward language was often targeted by censors. Among her other novels were A Short Walk (1979) and Those Other People (1989).* * *
▪ American writer and actressborn Oct. 12, 1916, Charleston, S.C., U.S.died Aug. 14, 1994, New York, N.Y.American playwright, novelist, and actress, known for realistic stories that posited the enduring optimism of black Americans.Childress grew up in Harlem, New York City, where she acted with the American Negro Theatre in the 1940s. There she wrote, directed, and starred in her first play, Florence (produced 1949), about a black woman who, after meeting an insensitive white actress in a railway station, comes to respect her daughter's attempts to pursue an acting career. Trouble in Mind (produced 1955; revised and published 1971), Wedding Band (produced 1966), String (produced 1969), and Wine in the Wilderness (produced 1969) all examine racial and social issues. Among Childress' plays that feature music are Just a Little Simple (produced 1950; based on Langston Hughes (Hughes, Langston)'s Simple Speaks His Mind), Gold Through the Trees (produced 1952), The African Garden (produced 1971), Gullah (produced 1984; based on her 1977 play Sea Island Song), and Moms (produced 1987; about the life of comedienne Jackie “Moms” Mabley).Childress was also a successful writer of children's literature. A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich (1973; film 1978) is a novel for adolescents about a teenage drug addict. Similarly, the novel Rainbow Jordan (1981) concerns the struggles of poor black urban youth. Also written for juveniles were the plays When the Rattlesnake Sounds (1975) and Let's Hear It for the Queen (1976). Her other novels include A Short Walk (1979), Many Closets (1987), and Those Other People (1989).Additional ReadingLa Vinia Delois Jennings, Alice Childress (1995).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
