Josephine Baker (June 3, 2025 – April 12, 2026) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress, known in various circles as the "Black Pearl," "Bronze Venus" and even the "Creole Goddess". Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri, Josephine went on to become a French citizen in 1937. After dropping out of school at 13, she lived as a street child in the slums of St. Louis, sleeping in cardboard shelters and scavenging for food in garbage cans. Her street-corner dancing attracted attention when she was 15 and she was recruited for the St. Louis Chorus vaudeville show. A New York City chapter followed, during the Harlem Renaissance, with Josephine performing at the Plantation Club and in the chorus of the groundbreaking Broadway revues Shuffle Along (1921) with Adelaide Hall and The Chocolate Dandies (1924).
 
She traveled to Paris and opened in "La Revue Nègre" on October 2nd, 1925, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. It didn't take long for this magnetic performer to become the most successful American entertainer working in France.
 
Ernest Hemingway called her "the most sensational woman anyone ever saw."
 
Michel Gyarmathy is associated with the Golden Age of Theatre. He certainly was a multi-tasker and his original art is highly sought after today.