Jacket worn in the Broadway show A Chorus Line
name: label: wearer
content: Williams, Sammy
label: maker
content: Barbara Matera Ltd.
notes: label: Description
content: Jacket worn by Sammy Williams in the role of Paul in the original Broadway production of the musical A Chorus Line. Light brown, long sleeved satin jacket with brown and white beading on the back, collar, and at wrists. Six large, clear, white buttons on front, three on each side.
label: Description
content: In the show, Paul delivers a monologue about how performing helped him discover his identity as a gay man, climaxing in a tearful recounting of his parents' rejection and condemnation. This scene was a landmark in LGBTQ+ representation in American theater and inspired many audience members who faced similar challenges coming out to loved ones in the mid-late 20th century. Williams won a Tony Award as Best Supporting Actor for this role, which was inspired by writer Nicholas Dante's experiences growing up gay in New York City.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Musical Theater
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
label: See more items in
content: Popular Entertainment
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Joseph Papp
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1990.0580.03
label: accession number
content: 1990.0580
label: catalog number
content: 1990.0580.03
objectType: label: Object Name
content: jacket
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: satin (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (beads; buttons material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 20 1/2 in x 15 in; 52.07 cm x 38.1 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall, mounted: 60 in x 21 in x 9 in; 152.4 cm x 53.34 cm x 22.86 cm