bridge that marries what's deemed 'legitimate theater' and so-called 'chitlin' circuit theater,' and I think I've done pretty well with that, in bringing people in to enjoy a more elevated level of theater.'" Origins Leading figures in establishing the Chitlin' Circuit were the Black Indianapolis entrepreneurs Sea and Denver D. Ferguson. After the collapse of the Theatre Owners Booking Association (TOBA) in 1930, the Ferguson brothers drew on bandleader and influential columnist Walter Barnes and his contacts to bring top Black entertainers to Indianapolis in the 1930s. When their businesses' licenses were revoked in 1940, they opened Ferguson Brothers, a booking agency, which grew rapidly and became the most powerful Black-owned talent agency in the country. They helped various orchestras, bands, and vaudeville shows book gigs, including Jay McShann, King Kolax, Tiny Bradshaw, Roosevelt Sykes, Claude Trenier, the Bama State Collegians, Carolina Cotton Pickers, Snookum Russell, Milton Larkin, Clarence Love, Gene Pope, and the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and organised tours around the South playing to Black audiences. Musician Sax Kari described Denver Ferguson as "the man who invented the chitlin’ circuit". Theaters and nightclubs Noted theaters and nightclubs on the Chitlin' Circuit included: Atlanta, Georgia: The Royal Peacock, originally The Top Hat Austin, Texas: The Victory Grill Baltimore, Maryland: The Royal Theatre Bay St. Louis, Mississippi: The 100 Men Hall Birmingham, Alabama: The Carver Theatre Bowling Green, Kentucky: The Quanset Chicago, Illinois: Robert's Show Lounge, Club DeLisa, and the Regal Theatre Detroit, Michigan: The Fox Theatre Eatonville, Florida: Club Eaton Gaithersburg, Maryland: The Du-Drop Inn, Emory Grove Harlem, New York: Cotton Club, Smalls Paradise, and the Apollo Theater Hobson City, Alabama: The Men's Club, Holloway's Night Club Indianapolis, Indiana: The Madam C. J. Walker Theatre Jacksonville, Florida: The Ritz Theatre Lebanon, Kentucky: Club Cherry Lexington, Kentucky: The Lyric Theatre Little Rock, Arkansas: Dreamland Ballroom Memphis, Tennessee: Club Handy, Club Paradise Norfolk, Virginia: Attucks Theatre "The Apollo of the South" Mobile (Prichard), Alabama: The Harlem Duke Social Club Pensacola, Florida: Abe's 506 Club Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Uptown Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: New Granada Richmond, Virginia: The Hippodrome Theatre San Antonio, Texas: Eastwood Country Club San Antonio, Texas: Keyhole Club (1619 West Poplar) Smithville, Texas: West End Park St. Petersburg, Florida: The Manhattan Casino Taylor, Texas: Chicken Shack,Hidalgo Park & One Acre Club Tampa, Florida: The Blue Note Tallahassee, Florida: The Red Bird Café Tulsa, Oklahoma: The Big 10 Ballroom Waco, Texas: Walker's