Mama, I Want to Sing: The Groundbreaking Black Musical
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Wesley Naylor
D'Atra Hicks as Doris Winter

D'Atra Hicks (Doris Winter) in a scene with the Halos (L-R) Fatima, Lynette Dupree, and Kim Edmond, circa 1984. Photo credit: Carol Rosegg.
Desiree Coleman, Randy Higginson and Doris Troy

Wesley Naylor shared his musical genius as music director for Mama and the sequels from 1985-2000. Photo, circa 1990.

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Mama, I Want to Sing CD
Mama, I Want to Sing—Part Two CD

A World of Music

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More about the show today

The Musical Talent

Doris Winter

Tisha Campbell 1983
Octavia Lambertis 1984
Desiree Coleman 1983-1985
Lynda McConnell 1985
D. K. Dyson 1985
D’Atra Hicks 1986-1990
Ramona Keller 1987
Noreen Clayton 1988-1990
Sharlene Nelson 1989
Stacy Francis 1992-1996
Ahmaya Knoelle 2004-present

Mama Winter

Queen Esther Marrow 1983-1984
Doris Troy 1984-2000
(In the role of her mother)
Dejahnee Richardson 1992-1993
Shirley Caesar 1994-1996
LeJuene Thompson 2004

Ahmaya Knoelle as Doris Winter

On the opening night for Mama, I Want to Sing, Vy’s doctor called to tell her that she was pregnant. In the 20th-anniversary performances in 2004, her daughter Ahmaya Knoelle performed as Doris Winter, the character based upon her aunt, Doris Troy. Photo credit: G. N. Miller.

Minister of Music

Steven Williams 1983-1985
Charles Stewart 1985-1990
Pierre Cook 1990-2000
Dejahnee Richardson 1998-2000
Darryl JoVan 2004
Curtain

(L-R) Desiree Coleman, Randy Higginson and Doris Troy in Mama, I Want to Sing at the Heckscher Theatre, circa 1984. Photo credit: Carol Rosegg.

Reverend Winter

Randy Higginson 1985-1988
(Vy and Doris's only brother,
in the role of his father)
Alexander Plummer 1988-1990
Ronald Grant 1989
Tyrone Flowers 1992-1996
Craig Wiggins 1995-2004

 Curtain

Deniece Williams played the role of Sister Carrie in Mama in London and Japan. Program cover from the Japanese production, circa 1996.
 

Sister Carrie

Carolyn Dennis 1983-1984
Trina Thomas 1985
Kellie Evans 1986
Kathleen Murphy-Jackson 1986-2004
Dejahnee Richardson 1993-1995
Chaka Khan 1995
Deniece Williams 1996

Kathleen Murphy-Jackson as Sister Carrie

Kathleen Murphy-Jackson (Sister Carrie) illustrates walking on the water in the song "Faith." Photo, circa 1995.
 

Photo credits, except where noted otherwise: Ken Wydro.
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