Name: When Hell Freezes Over, I'll Skate
Genre: Musical
Released: 1979-06-27
Duration: 1 h
Rating: 7.1
Cast: Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter, Brenda Braxton, Lynne Clifton-Allen

There is no real story here but vignettes of monologues regarding African American history filled with songs, dance, and plenty of heart. The cast includes the wonderful Lynne Thigpen, Cleavon Derricks, and Reginald Veljohnson (Family Matters) and others. It was directed by Dirty Dancing director, Emile Ardolino. At times, it is a funeral scene or the disco in Harlem. The cast is first rate and the writing is somewhat disconnected. At times, it can be somber and at others as glim and hopeful and full of joy. This Broadway Theater Archives production like many often have that staged feeling because it's done on stage but we do hear an audience reaction which is positive. The ensemble cast never has one character but they have many and it's hard not to notice their costumes and hairstyles of the seventies but I still recommend it because it can appeal to the wide audiences regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

The musical genre features stories that combine music, singing, dancing, acting, and often spoken dialogue to tell a story or convey a narrative. Musicals incorporate various elements of drama, music, and choreography to create a cohesive theatrical experience that engages audiences on multiple levels.

Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music (1965)

Vignettes of monologues regarding African American history.

When Hell Freezes Over, I'll Skate (1979)

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When Hell Freezes Over, I'll Skate

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