Hope Clarke

Hope Clarke (March 23, 1941 – July 23, 2026) was an American actress, dancer, vocalist, choreographer, and opera director. In 1995, she became the first black director of a major U.S. opera production, when she staged Porgy and Bess at the Houston Grand Opera.

Early life and education Born in Washington, D.C. to Maurice Aloysius Clarke And Hope Aldridge, Clarke was raised with her sister, Barbara,

Clarke began studying dance with her sister at the Alma Davis Dance School in Washington, DC. In her senior year, she was a lead dancer with Doris W. Jones and her company.

She worked as a summer employee for the CIA.

Career West Side Story to Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope In 1959, Clarke landed a role in the original touring cast of West Side Story. In 1961, Clarke appeared in the interracial love story Kwamina starring Brock Peters and Robert Guillaume, and featuring the choreography of Agnes de Mille.

In 1967, she played a minor role and was part of the ensemble in Hallelujah, Baby!, which received five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

In 1968, she played Mamselle Tulip in The House of Flowers at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. In 1969, Clarke had a role in Douglas Turner Ward’s “The Reckoning” at the St. Mark’s Playhouse,

Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, and 5 Plus Clarke served as a principal dancer in the Katherine Dunham Company and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In the 1960s, she appeared in Louis Johnson's Lament, which is part of Ailey's permanent repertoire. In 1978, Clarke co-starred with James Truitte and Carmen de Lavallade in Alvin Ailey's 20th Anniversary reunion performance.

In addition to dancing with Dunham and Ailey, Clarke performed with companies directed by Tally Beatty

Clarke, Michael Blake, Carmen de Lavallade, Sheila Rohan, and other artists co-founded the 5 Plus Ensemble (New Beginnings Theater), a dance company that was created to showcase the work of dancers, choreographers, and musicians who are older than the age of 50.

Film and television After appearing on Broadway and around the world as a dancer, Clarke moved to Hollywood, California with the help of actor and friend Raymond St. Jacques. This production began a long-term Wolfe-Clarke theatrical collaboration; the pair directed and choreographed 10 plays and musicals together, the Off-Broadway play, Spunk,

In 1992, Clarke earned a Tony Award nomination for “Best Choreography” for her work in Jelly's Last Jam. The show grew from New York workshops and a Los Angeles production at the Mark Taper Forum to a Broadway show.

In November 2003, she started work on Caroline, or Change, a musical that features spirituals, blues, Motown, classical music, and Jewish Klezmer. Clarke was responsible for the choreography of the show that began as an Off-Broadway production, received a Broadway production of 126 performances in 2004, received six Tony Award nominations, and had a two-month run at the Lyttleton Theatre, National Theatre in London, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

More Broadway, Off Broadway, and Regional Theater In 1985, Clarke played “Ruby” in the musical Grind and worked with Lester Wilson.

In 2017, she choreographed, Fly, a play about the Tuskegee Airmen. The show was produced by the Lincoln Center Institute and toured to several venues, including Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Pasadena Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Ford's Theatre, Vineyard Playhouse, and Crossroads Theatre.

Porgy & Bess: The Opera In 1995, Clarke directed the Houston Grand Opera production of Porgy & Bess, the first African American to stage a major professional U.S. staging of “Porgy and Bess. Regarded as America’s greatest opera, the two million dollar Houston Grand production toured throughout the United States, as well as performances in France, Italy, and Japan.

Quotable “I want African Americans who come to see the opera to be proud that an African American is directing the production and to recognize the people on stage.” "As a director, I guess I bring in the female sensibilities. Since I'm also an actress, I've really tried to develop the characterizations so that the performers don't do a little singing here, and some acting there. And coming from a black perspective, I know how we think, how we feel, what we do. I understand the little things. That makes a difference." “In my production, everybody works. Everybody has some type of job. Just because you are poor doesn't mean you have to be slovenly or ignorant."

Death Clarke died in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on July 23, 2026, at the age of 85.

Honors and awards 2020 – Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, elected to a three-year term to the Board of Directors. 2018 – 3rd Annual Project1VOICE HONORS, “to celebrate and honor artists whose talents continue to shape and enrich American culture.” 2015–2018 – Broadway seasons, Tony Awards Nominating Committee. 2009–2012 – Broadway Seasons, Tony Awards Nominating Committee. 2004 – Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Choreographer, Caroline, Or Change 2001 – AUDELCO Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre (nomination), Choreographer, A Prophet Among Them 1998 – Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, elected to Board of Directors. 1993 – Tony Award (nomination), Best Choreography (with Gregory Hines and Ted Levy), Jelly's Last Jam 1993 – Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Choreography (with Gregory Hines and Ted Levy), Jelly’s Last Jam 1992 – Drama Desk Award (nomination), Outstanding Choreography (with Gregory Hines and Ted Levy), Jelly's Last Jam 1991 – NAACP Image Award, Best Choreography, Jelly's Last Jam

Credits Stage Year Title Type Venue Role 2025 Blues in the Night Musical Arizona Theatre Company Choreographer 2019 The In-Gathering Musical New Professional Theatre at the Duke Theater Choreographer 2018 A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas Musical, holiday Hartford Stage Choreographer 2017 FLY Play, drama Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Pasadena Playhouse, Florida Studio Theatre, St. Louis Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse, Ford's Theatre, Vineyard Playhouse, Crossroads Theatre Choreographer 2016 The Roads to Home Play, drama Primary Stages, Cherry Lane Theater Movement consultant 2014 A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas Musical, holiday Hartford Stage Choreographer 2013 A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas Musical, holiday Hartford Stage Choreographer 2011 Mr. Abbott Award Gala Benefit In honor of George C. Wolfe, New York Choreographer 2010–2011 A Free Man of Color Broadway play, original, drama Vivian Beaumont Theater Choreographer 2010 Agnes deMille: From Ballet to Broadway Revue St. Luke's TheatrePerformer 2010 Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel Musical Alliance Theatre Choreographer 2008 Resurrection Play Philadelphia Theatre Company, Hartford Stage Choreographer 2006–2007 Caroline, or Change Musical, tour The Lyttelton, at the National Theatre, London Choreographer 2005 The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue Play Hartford Stage Choreographer 2004 Caroline, or Change Broadway musical, original, drama Eugene O'Neill Theatre Choreographer 2004 Stormy Weather Musical New York Choreographer 2003 Caroline, or Change Off-Broadway musical, original, drama Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Newman Theater Choreographer 2000 A Christmas Carol, A Ghost Story of Christmas Musical, holiday Hartford Stage Choreographer 2000 A Prophet Among Them Play with music Blue Heron Arts Center Choreographer 1999 South Pacific Musical Pioneer Theatre Choreographer 1998 Porgy and Bess Ballet Dallas Black Dance Theatre Choreographer 1998 Cabaret Musical Cambridge Theatre Company Choreographer 1997 Armistad Opera Lyric Opera Choreographer 1997 Nobody Says Baby Like A Black Man Off-Broadway play American Place Theater Director 1996 One Touch of Venus Musical New York City Center/ Mainstage Choreographer 1993 Sweet & Hot: The Songs of Harold Arlen Musical La Jolla Playhouse (West Coast Premiere) Choreographer 1992–1993 Jelly's Last Jam Broadway musical, originalVirginia Theatre Choreographer (nominated for a Tony) 1991 Black Eagles Play New York City Center/ Stage II Choreographer 1990 Spunk: Three Tales by Zora Neale Hurston Off-Broadway play Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Martinson Hall Choreographer 1986 The Colored Museum Play Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Susan Stein Shiva Theater Choreographer 1972–1974 Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope Broadway musical, original, revue, all-Black cast Playhouse Theatre, Edison Theatre Performer 1972 Black Visions Off-Broadway play Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Annex Choreographer 1983 The New Odd Couple TV Series Beth St. Clair 1982 Hill Street Blues TV Series Mrs. Reese 1982 Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal TV Movie Chris 1981 Maggie TV Series Receptionist 1981 Body and Soul Film Choreographer 1971 Going Home Film Mother at prison 1969 Change of Mind Film Nancy1968N.Y.P.D. Ivy