Micki Grant (born Minnie Louise Perkins, June 30, 1929 – August 22, 2021) was an American singer (

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

), actress, writer, and composer. She performed in '' Having Our Say'' (as Sadie Delaney), '' Tambourines to Glory'' and '' Jericho-Jim Crow'' both co-written by

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...

, ''The Gingham Dog'', '' Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'', and received three

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations for her writing."Micki Grant"
The HistoryMakers.

Early life

Perkins was born in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, to Gussie and Oscar Perkins on June 30, 1929. Some sources also state that she was born in 1941; Grant was said to have lowered her age early for reasons related to her career. Her father was a self-taught pianist and master barber, and her mother worked for Stanley Products. She began studying music with double-bass lessons at her elementary school. Grant first took piano lessons at the age of eight, and the next year took acting lessons with Susan Porché. After high school, her cousin, film actress Jeni Le Gon took her under her wing when Grant moved to Los Angeles. Following graduation from Englewood High School in Chicago, Grant studied at the Chicago School of Music and attended the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

, which she left after three years to move to New York City. Years later she went back to school and graduated from

Lehman College Lehman College is a public college in New York City, United States. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, it became an independent college in 1967. The college is named after Herbert H. Lehman, a former New York governor, United ...

in 1994 with a degree in English and Theatre, ''summa cum laude''. In 2015, Lehman College awarded her the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, ''honoris causa''.

Career

Theater

While in Los Angeles, she was cast in ''Fly Blackbird'' by James V. Hatch and C. Bernard Jackson. The show was successful and it moved to New York City. She graduated

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...

from Lehman College. In the early 1960s, she appeared

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; ; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Th ...

's '' The Blacks'' (with

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, Jones is known for his extensive and acclaimed roles on stage and screen. Jones is one of the few perfor ...

and

Cicely Tyson Cecily Louise "Cicely" Tyson (; December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, she is known for her portrayals of complex and strong-willed African American women. She received sev ...

), and in ''Brecht on Brecht'', in which she sang " Pirate Jenny". In 1964, Grant appeared as Ella Hammer in Howard da Silva's off-Broadway revival of

Marc Blitzstein Marcus Samuel Blitzstein (March 2, 1905January 22, 1964), was an American composer, lyricist, and Libretto, librettist. He won national attention in 1937 when his pro-Trade union, union musical ''The Cradle Will Rock'', directed by Orson Welles, ...

's ''

The Cradle Will Rock ''The Cradle Will Rock'' is a 1937 Musical theater, play in music by Marc Blitzstein. Originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project, it was directed by Orson Welles and produced by John Houseman. Set in Steeltown, U.S.A., the Bertold Brecht, ...

'', opposite

Jerry Orbach Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor and singer, described at the time of his death as "one of the last'' bona fide'' leading men of the Broadway theatre, Broadway musical and global celebrity on te ...

and

Rita Gardner Rita Gardner ( Schier; October 23, 1934 – September 24, 2022) was an American actress and singer. Career Gardner made her stage debut Off-Broadway in Jerry Herman's musical review ''Nightcap'' (1958) before her breakout turn as Luisa in the ...

. Much of her early work was done with director Vinnette Carroll, the first African-American woman to direct on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

. They collaborated on ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'', in which Grant starred and for which she wrote the music, book and lyrics, and ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'', for which Grant wrote additional lyrics and music. Both enjoyed critical acclaim and long Broadway runs. She was a member of

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...

sorority.

Television

Barbara Rodell Micki Grant Another World 1968

In the first story line written for an African-American in a daytime soap opera, Grant portrayed attorney Peggy Nolan on '' Another World'' (1966–1973). She later appeared on ''

The Edge of Night ''The Edge of Night'' is an American mystery crime drama soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network for most of its ...

'' replacing

Billie Allen Billie Allen (January 13, 1925 – December 29, 2015) was an American actress, theater director, dancer and entertainer. Allen was one of the first black actors and performers to appear on television and stage in the United States, at a time when ...

as Ada Chandler and was in the cast of ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. ''Guiding Light'' aired on CBS for 57 years between June 30, 1952, and September 18, 2009, overlapping a 19-year broadcast on radio ...

'' (1982–1984). She also had a brief stint as host of ''Around the Corner'', a children's show on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

Radio

In her early days in New York City, Grant sought to supplement her income by working as a receptionist at a radio station. A meeting with a top executive at the station diverted her attention to working on the air. ''Readings and Writings'' featured Grant performing material that she compiled from research at a public library.

Personal life and death

Grant married television news film editor Ray McCutcheon in 1966. They were married for 12 years before divorcing in 1978. Grant died on August 22, 2021, at the age of 92 in Manhattan, New York City.

Recognition

Grant received a 1972

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

for Music and Lyrics for her work on ''Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope''.

Writing credits

* " Pink Shoe Laces" (1959), pop song, recorded by

Dodie Stevens Dodie Stevens (born Geraldine Ann Pasquale, February 17, 1946) is an American rock and traditional pop singer. She is best known for her 1959 song " Pink Shoe Laces." It debuted at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 when Stevens was one day sh ...

, reached number 3 on the U.S single charts. A Spanish-language version was number 1 in Mexico for 9 weeks. * '' Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope'' (1971), musical – music and lyrics, performer * ''Croesus and the Witch'' (1971), musical – music and lyrics * ''Step Lively, Boy'' (1973), musical – music and lyrics * ''The Prodigal Sister'' (1974), musical – music and lyrics * '' Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1976), musical – additional music and lyrics * ''The Ups and Downs of Theophilis Maitland'' (1976), musical – music and lyrics * ''I'm Laughing but I Ain't Tickled'' (1976), musical – music and lyrics * ''Alice'' (1978), musical – music and lyrics * '' Working'' (1978), musical – music and lyrics with

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written hit musicals such as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin (musical), Pippin'' (1972), and ...

, Craig Carnelia,

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...

Mary Rodgers Mary Rodgers (January 11, 1931 – June 26, 2014) was an American composer, screenwriter, and author. She wrote the novel ''Freaky Friday'', which served as the basis of a Freaky Friday (1976 film), 1976 film starring Jodie Foster, for which sh ...

and

Susan Birkenhead Susan Birkenhead is an American lyricist. Birkenhead made her Broadway debut as one of a team of songwriters contributing to '' Working'' (1978), for which she received her first Tony Award nomination. Her second was earned for ''Jelly's Last J ...

* '' Eubie!'' (1978), musical revue – additional lyrics * ''It's So Nice to Be Civilized'' (1980), musical – book, music and lyrics * ''Phillis'' (1986), musical – music and lyrics * ''Step into My World'' (1989), revue – music and lyrics * ''Carver (Don't Underestimate a Nut)'' (1996) – music, lyrics, and book"Micki Grant & Charlayne Woodard"
Dramatists Guild Foundation, 2016. YouTube video.

References

External links

* *
Listing from The History MakersMicki Grant Dies: Broadway's Trailblazing 'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' Creator Also Pioneered Daytime TV For Black Performers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grant, Micki 1929 births 2021 deaths Actresses from Chicago African-American composers African-American women composers American women composers American musical theatre composers American musical theatre lyricists American soap opera actresses American sopranos Women musical theatre composers Grammy Award winners Lehman College alumni Singers from Chicago Songwriters from Illinois African-American songwriters 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses