Alderson gazebo, Alderson to Paris: the Life of Ada “Bricktop” Smith

The performance is entitled “Alderson to Paris: the Life of Ada ‘Bricktop’ Smith,” featuring Adrienne Belafonte Biesemeyer, Bricktop interpreter; Cathey Sawyer, script and vocals; Birch Graves, bandleader and saxophone; John Maddy, keys; Evan Olds, bass; and Tim Pyne, drums.

Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia “Bricktop” Smith (1894–1984) was an American dancer, jazz singer, vaudeville performer, and one of the most influential nightclub owners of the Jazz Age. Born in Alderson, West Virginia, she grew up in Chicago after her father’s death. Her trademark red hair and freckles earned her the nickname “Bricktop.” By age 16, she was performing on the TOBA and Pantages vaudeville circuits, eventually moving to Harlem, where she helped launch the careers of musicians including Duke Ellington. In 1924, Bricktop moved to Paris, becoming a central figure in Montmartre’s nightlife. She performed at and later ran Le Grand Duc, then opened her legendary club Chez Bricktop, attracting cultural icons such as Cole Porter, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Josephine Baker, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Known for her cigars, sharp wit, and warmth, she became the “doyenne of café society.”