Vy Higginsen facts for kids

Vy Higginsen is an American producer and writer for theater. She used to be a disc jockey and worked on radio and TV. She started and leads the Mama Foundation for the Arts. She also helped write the 1983 musical Mama, I Want to Sing!. This musical is the longest-running black off-Broadway show ever in American history. Off-Broadway shows are smaller than Broadway shows but still very popular.

Early Life and Education

Vy Higginsen grew up in the Bronx, a part of New York City. Her family loved music; her parents, sister, and grandmother all sang. Her father was a Pentecostal minister.

When her sister, Doris Troy, became a singer, Vy traveled with her. Doris won a talent show at the famous Apollo Theater. Vy Higginsen later studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Career Highlights

Vy Higginsen started her career in magazines. She was the first female advertising executive at Ebony magazine. Later, she wrote for Essence magazine. She also created and edited her own magazine called Unique NY.

After working in magazines, Vy spent ten years in radio. She hosted shows on popular stations like WBLS and WWRL. She also reported for TV channels such as WNBC-TV.

Mama, I Want to Sing!

In 1983, Vy Higginsen wrote and produced a musical. She worked with Ken Wydro, who later became her husband. The musical was called Mama, I Want to Sing!. It was based on the real life of her sister, Doris Troy.

The show first opened in Harlem in 1983. It played for eight years, becoming a huge success. It is known as the longest-running black off-Broadway musical ever. Vy Higginsen herself played the narrator in the musical. Her brother, Randy, and sister, Doris, also performed in the show. Later, Mama, I Want to Sing! was made into a movie. Vy and her daughter, Knoelle, appeared in the film.

Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro wrote two more musicals that continued the story. These were Sing, Mama 2 and Born to Sing: Mama 3. They also created another musical called Alive: 55+ and Kickin'. This show was even featured on the TV news show 60 Minutes in 2015.

Mama Foundation for the Arts

In 1999, Vy Higginsen started the Mama Foundation for the Arts. This is a non-profit group in Harlem that supports the arts. In 2006, she began a program called Gospel for Teens. This program offers free gospel music lessons to teenagers.

The Gospel for Teens program was also featured on 60 Minutes. This TV segment won two Emmy Awards in 2012. 60 Minutes had previously shown a story about Vy Higginsen's family history. She learned she was connected to a white cattle rancher from Missouri.

In 2012, Vy Higginsen also started her own record company, Harlem Records.

Awards and Recognition

Vy Higginsen has received several awards for her work:

• 1988 – Candace Award for Business
• 2012 – 'Shine A Light' recognition at the BET Awards
• 2012 – Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards