The River Niger
| The River Niger | |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Written by | Joseph A. Walker |
| Subject | A black family in Harlem |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | Harlem, New York, present day |
| Premiere | |
| Date | December 5, 1972 |
| Place | Negro Ensemble Company St. Mark's Playhouse New York City |
The River Niger is a play by Joseph A. Walker, first performed by New York City's Negro Ensemble Company off-Broadway in 1972.[1][2] The production made its Broadway debut with a transfer to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on March 27, 1973, for a run of 162 performances.
Critically acclaimed, The River Niger won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1974, and was adapted into a film starring James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson in 1976.[1][2]
Characters
- Mattie Williams
- Johnny Williams
- Dr. Dudley Stanton
- Jeff Williams
- Ann Vanderguild
- Big Moe Hayes
- Al
- Chips
- Skeeter
- Gail
- Wilhelmina Brown
Adaptations
The play was adapted by Walker for film in 1976, directed by Krishna Shah starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones.
Awards and nominations
Awards
- 1973 Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Playwright – Joseph A. Walker
- 1973 Obie Award for Best American Play
- 1974 Tony Award for Best Play
Nominations
References
- 1 2 Nesmith, Nathaniel G. (February 26, 2021). "Douglas Turner Ward, 90, pioneer in Black theater". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Canby, Vincent (April 15, 1976). "'River Niger' a Screen Disappointment". The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
External links
- The River Niger at the Internet Broadway Database The River Niger play
- Original Off-Broadway Production
- The River Niger at the Internet Broadway Database Original Broadway Production
- The River Niger (1976 film) at IMDb