Born into a wealthy family in 1910 in Fort-de-France, Jenny Alpha had always dreamed of the theater. She arrived in France on the eve of the Second World War to continue her studies in history and geography at the Sorbonne to become a teacher, as her parents had hoped, but her preference was for the stage.
With a diploma in physical culture in her pocket, she started as a dancer and then a singer in cabarets, which allowed her to meet Duke Ellington and Joséphine Baker. In 1939, she made her theatrical debut in a West Indian folk show.
During the war, she joined the Resistance. After the war, she finally applied to the Conservatoire but was told, “There are no roles for you”. In fact, at the time, the French theater industry didn't offer roles to black actors. Jenny had a hard time with this exclusion: “There were hard, sad, difficult times not being able to do theater in France in interesting roles...”
Music being her other passion, Jenny Alpha became a cabaret and music-hall star from 1945 to 1950, then a bandleader from 1950 to 1966, with songs in Creole, French, Cuban, and English, always with a touch of theater thrown in. She toured France and several European countries, from Finland to Morocco, via Holland, Italy and Switzerland. Noticed in 1947 by the engraver Lemagny at the cabaret “La Canne à Sucre”, she posed as a model for the stamp representing Martinique.
It was with the Griots troupe, created and directed by Robert Liensol, Toto Bissainthe, and Thimotée Bassari, that Jenny finally returned to the theater. 1958 marked her real theatrical birth, with her role as Neige in Jean Genet's “Les Nègres”, directed by Roger Blin.
For 50 years, she traveled the world, from the United States to Greece, via the West Indies, performing in plays by authors of all origins, from every continent.
She died in Paris in September 2010, aged 100, making her the oldest French actress.
