In 1936, 20 years old Orson Welles staged an all black production of Macbeth in Harlem, a groundbreaking endeavour for the time. The play, which became known as "Voodoo Macbeth" was so popular that the crowds on opening night stretched for more than five blocks. Welles called it his life's greatest achievement.
Before the production opened, the Harlem Communists tried to agitate the community against the project, wrongly believing that Welles had cast black actors in order to create a comic or burlesque version of Shakespeare. The theatre was picketed throughout rehearsals. One man attempted to slash Welles's face with a razor, but Canada Lee, a former boxer, stopped him.
According to Welles, the anger was suddenly replaced "for no reason at all" by widespread excitement and pride in the community as the opening night approached.
