Abstract

The Introduction introduces readers to the musical contributions of Black women theatre artists, the transgressive potential of the Blackgirls who populate their musical works, and the importance of resistant readership. By centering Black women musical theatre artists and Black queer feminist spectators who draw pleasure from their works, the author considers how Black women’s artistry relates to broader critical concerns within the fields of musical theatre, Black girlhood studies, Black queer feminist criticism, and audience reception theories. The author concludes by situating Black women’s creative endeavors, Blackgirl activism, and Black queer feminist criticism as essential tools for the contemporary Black liberation struggle.