Eliza Virginia Capers was born on September 22, 1925, in South Carolina. She attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., and later studied voice at Juilliard in Manhattan.
Virginia began her career on the Yiddish stage in 1950, eventually transitioning to Broadway with roles in "Jamaica" (1957) and "Saratoga" (1959). She took over the role of Grandma Obeah in the "Jamaica" production, playing an older character than her actual age of 34.
In the 1960s, Virginia moved to television and occasional film roles, appearing in shows such as "Have Gun, Will Travel," "General Electric Theatre," "The Untouchables," and "Marcus Welby." She also had minor roles in films like "House of Women" (1962),"The Ride to Hangman's Tree" (1967),and "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972),starring Diana Ross.
Virginia's career reached its peak on Broadway in 1974, when she played the role of matriarch Lena Younger in "Raisin," earning a Tony Award for "lead actress." She continued to work in television and film, often playing professional roles such as judges, nurses, and mothers.
Despite being typecast, Virginia remained active in the entertainment industry, appearing in TV shows like "The Waltons," "Quincy," "Dynasty," and "Murder, She Wrote." She also had recurring roles on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990) and "The Hughleys" (1998).
In addition to her acting career, Virginia founded the Lafayette Players West in 1984, a performing arts repertory troupe that provided stage work for primarily black actors. She received several awards, including the National Black Theatre Festival Living Legend Award, the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award, and the NAACP's Image Award for theatre excellence.
Virginia Capers passed away on May 6, 2004, at the age of 78, due to complications from pneumonia. She was survived by her son and brother. At the time of her death, she was in rehearsal for a tribute to Oscar-nominated character actress Juanita Moore.
