Dorothy Heyward facts for kids
Dorothy Heyward (born Dorothy Kuhns; June 6, 1890 – November 19, 1961) was an American playwright. Playwrights write plays for the theater.
She wrote many plays by herself. She also worked with her husband, DuBose Heyward, on the play Porgy (1927). This play was based on his novel. Their play later became the famous opera Porgy and Bess (1935), with music by George Gershwin.
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Early Life and Education
Dorothy Kuhns was born in Wooster, Ohio, on June 6, 1890. As a child, she lived in different places. These included New York, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC.
She loved reading and writing from a young age. She started writing plays early in her life. After high school, she went to Harvard University. There, she studied to become a playwright.
In 1922, Dorothy attended a place called MacDowell Colony. This is a special place where artists can go to work. She met DuBose Heyward there. They got married in September 1923, and she changed her name to Dorothy Heyward.
Career as a Playwright
In 1924, Dorothy Heyward wrote her first play. It was called The Dud. This play won an award from Harvard University. Later, The Dud was renamed Nancy Ann. It was shown on Broadway in 1924. The play ran for 40 performances.
Writing Porgy
While her husband, DuBose Heyward, was writing his novel Porgy, Dorothy saw something special. She thought the story would make a great play. She convinced him to work with her to adapt it for the stage.
They made an important decision for their play. They decided that only Black actors would perform in it. At that time, it was common for white actors to pretend to be Black characters. This choice was groundbreaking. The play was a big success. The 1927 Theatre Guild production ran for 367 performances.
Porgy and Bess Opera
Their play Porgy was later turned into a famous opera. This opera is called Porgy and Bess (1935). George Gershwin wrote the music for it. Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward wrote the lyrics. In 1959, the opera was also made into a film.
Other Works and Focus
Dorothy Heyward wrote many other plays during her career. Most of them were not as famous as Porgy. Some of her plays were shown on Broadway. These included Jonica (1930), South Pacific (1943), Cinderelative (1930), and Set My People Free (1948). However, these plays did not run for very long.
In 1939, she worked with her husband again. They wrote the play Mamba's Daughters. This play was also based on one of DuBose's novels.
Many of Dorothy Heyward's plays focused on African-American culture. She often wrote about important topics. These included the history of slavery and unfair treatment of people.
Besides plays, Heyward also wrote some novels. Her novels include Three-a-Day (1930) and The Pulitzer Prize Murders (1932).
Plays
- The Dud (later renamed Nancy Ann) (1924)
- Love in a Cupboard (1925)
- Porgy (1927), co-written with DuBose Heyward
- Jonica (1930), a musical co-written with Moss Hart
- Cinderelative (1930), co-written with Dorothy De Jagers
- Mamba's Daughter's (1939), co-written with DuBose Heyward
- South Pacific (1943), co-written with Howard Rigby (not the famous musical)
- Set My People Free (1948)
- Babar the elephant (1953), a children's opera based on the Babar stories
Novels
- Three-a-Day (1930)
- The Pulitzer Prize Murders (1932)
See also
In Spanish: Dorothy Heyward para niños
