On the night of November 1, 1920, The Emperor Jones opened Off-Broadway for a short run at the 200-seatProvincetown Players' Playwright's Theatre on Macdougal Street, and it was an immediate and huge success. The first-night audience refused to leave even after repeated curtain calls, and early the next morning long lines formed at the box office. Because one had to be a "member" to see the company's productions, the group's subscription list doubled within days and the projected two-week run was extended. In part the play was a great novelty as it presented an integrated cast and a captivating black actor in the lead role, but an unusually powerful script and startling scenic effects for such a small theatre contributed greatly to the play's success. First-line theatre critics had been busy earlier in the week at Broadway openings and didn't see the play for three days, but when...