just as the novel had been one of the first to regard african american culture seriously, "porgy" was the first authentic presentation of black culture on the broadway stage. the heywards insisted that an african american cast perform the play, providing much-needed employment for black actors and offering white audiences a mature view of african american life. dubose heyward credited the actors—many of whom had theatre experience going back generations—as collaborators whose contributions transformed the drama on the stage.