The distinguished actor relates his childhood in Manhattan; his education and training in music, art, voice, and dance; and his experiences on the stages of New York, London, and Paris Read more Continue reading Read less FROM LIBRARY JOURNAL
This strongly written memoir is a welcome addition to the literature of a sad chapter in American arts. Heath, 1918-91, was a black, gay American actor. His deeply etched memories re-create a world of black New York in the 1920s and 1930s that is clear and passionate. Heath's family, friends, influences, ideas, tastes, and an awareness of self are fully drawn. The title comes from Heath's major success as an actor on Broadway: Elia Kazan's Deep Are the Roots. The production of Deep traveled to London in 1947, and Heath settled in Europe, whence he returned only occasionally. Talented black American actors, writers, and musicians all too often find no comfortable home in the U.S. arts. This memoir may help to explain why. For most theater and black study collections.
- Thomas E. Luddy, Salem State Coll., Mass.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. Read more Continue reading Read less
