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Vy Higginsen (Finding Aid)
Favorite Color: Sun Colors
Favorite Food: Curry Chicken
Favorite Time of Year: Spring
Favorite Vacation Spot: Esteban, Mexico
Interview Length: 124 minutes
Interview Date(s): May 16, 2001
Interview Location(s): New York, New York
Abstract
Stage playwright, Vy Higginsen setails her early life and family history. She discusses her life in the Bronx as one of 4 siblings and her mother's struggles to keep her family intact. Playwright Vy Higginsen details her sister's career as a singer and how she was mesmerized by it. Through her sister's travels, Higginsen tagged along and those adventures later came to influence her play, 'Mama, I Want to Sing'. Higginsen also recalls her stint at the Fashion Institute of Technology and uncanny luck in landing a position as the first woman DJ at WLIB radio. Playwright Vy Higginsen discusses her early taste of celebrity as New York City's first black female DJ on WBLS. She also details her courship with future husband, Ken Wydro and his encouragement to transfer her family story to the stage. Playwright Vy HIgginsen discusses the motivation behind her creation of the first hugely successful and long running musical, 'Mama, I Want to Sing'. She details her family's involvement in all aspects of the play, front and backstage. Higginsen also reflects on the other projects which flowed from the success of 'Mama' Playwright Vy Higginsen expresses deep concern about the negative influences on America's youth, black youth in particular. She also reflects upon her career and the influence her mother had upon her life's choices.
36 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)
- Slating of Vy Higginsen interview
- Vy Higginsen states her favorites
- Vy Higginsen talks about her father's family and the origins of her surname
- Vy Higginsen explains the changes she made with her surname
- Vy Higginsen talks about her mother's family origins
- Vy Higginsen talks briefly about her mother's upbringing as a child
- Vy Higginsen names her siblings
- Vy Higginsen remembers her childhood in the Bronx, New York
- Vy Higginsen recalls her childhood personality
- Vy Higginsen lists the schools she attended throughout her youth
- Vy Higginsen details the building development occurring in her neighborhood in Harlem
- Vy Higginsen talks about her experiences in high school
- Vy Higginsen recalls her religious upbringing and her spirituality today
- Vy Higginsen discusses her sister, Doris Troy, and what influenced her during her youth
- Vy Higginsen details how she changed her career aspirations from fashion to radio broadcasting
- Vy Higginsen describes how she ended up in radio broadcasting, Part 1
- Vy Higginsen describes how she ended up in radio broadcasting, Part 2
- Vy Higginsen details the effects of black radio in New York in the 1970s, Part 1
- Vy Higginsen details the impact of black radio in New York in the 1970s, Part 2
- Vy Higginsen recalls her first day broadcasting on WBLS-FM radio
- Vy Higginsen describes her first taste of celebrity
- Vy Higginsen talks about radio broadcasting and her foray into magazine publishing
- Vy Higginsen details her transition from radio to television broadcasting
- Vy Higginsen recalls her first encounter with her future husband
- Vy Higginsen recalls the creative process of her musical, 'Mama I Want to Sing'
- Vy Higginsen talks briefly about the growing interest in Harlem
- Vy Higginsen remembers the difficulty she encountered trying to stage, 'Mama I Want to Sing', Part 1
- Vy Higginsen remembers obstacles encountered in staging, 'Mama I Want to Sing', Part 2
- Vy Higginsen details how her family joined her in the theater business
- Vy Higginsen comments on her musical's imitators and her formula for success
- Vy Higginsen talks about public response to 'Mama I Want to Sing', and establishing the Mama Foundation
- Vy Higginsen comments on gospel music and the belief in prayer
- Vy Higginsen discusses the next phase of the Mama Foundation for the Arts
- Vy Higginsen posits on her mother's response to 'Mama I Want to Sing'
- Vy Higginsen expresses her fears the negative influences on black youth
- Vy Higginsen reflects on her achievements and hopes for black America