Lafayette Theatre and the Lafayette Players
The Lafayette Theatre, known as "the House Beautiful", was one the most famous theaters in Harlem. Located at 132nd Street and 7th Avenue, the 1500-seat two-story theater became the first major theater to desegregate. The Lafayette Players became a group of some of the most accomplished black performers of the era.
Black Actors of the Era
Members of the Lafayette Players included black stars such as Dooley Wilson, Abbie Mitchell, Edna Morton, Lawrence Chenault, and Evelyn Preer. They worked with Robert Levy as actors and writers for both theatre and film projects. These collaborations resulted in high quality productions that challenged the stereotypes by portraying blacks without prejudice and in dignified roles.
Reol Productions
Reol Productions, a race film company, was founded by Robert Levy in 1921. Reol was at the vanguard of black cinema, promoting an idea of high class black productions, starring some of the biggest black performers of the time, and adapting works of African American and white authors for the screen. Over the course of two years (1921 -1922), Reol produced eight silent features, two shorts; and two documentaries.