The later production received three nominations at the 51st Tony Awards including for lead performances for both Tonya Pinkins and André De Shields and for Best Orchestrations to Luther Henderson.

[3] The original production, conceived by director Sheldon Epps, premiered in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in September 1996.

To overcome the sexist barriers of the time against women songwriters, she disguises herself as a man, Vy-man.

She finds the Duke in tears over his loss of Lady Liv, Harlem's "queen of the blues".

Since Rev has a crush on Lady Liv, the performers persuade him that he should woo her by learning to swing and scat, giving up his old fashioned ballads.