Purlie
| Purlie | |
|---|---|
fringe festival 2005 Encores! |
Purlie is a musical with a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, lyrics by Udell and music by Gary Geld. It is based on Davis's 1961 play Purlie Victorious.
Plot
Purlie is set in an era when
Production notes
Although Davis did not participate actively in the creation of the musical, so much of his original script was included in the final project that Peter Udell and Philip Rose felt he should share credit for the book.
After 28 previews, the
The first edition of the
A U.S. national tour, leading up to the Broadway revival, ran from November 20, 1971 to December 2, 1972. It featured Guillaume as Purlie, Patti Jo as Lutiebelle, Sherman Hemsley as Gitlow, Helen Martin as Idella, Tommy Breslin as Charlie and Art Wallace as Ol' Cap'n.[3]
After two previews, a Broadway revival directed by Philip Rose and choreographed by Johnson opened on December 27, 1972, at the Billy Rose Theatre, where it ran for 14 performances. Guillame and Hemsley reprised their original roles, with Art Wallace as Cotchipee, Patti Jo as Lutiebelle, and Douglas Norwick as Charlie.
A 1981
The first London production was a fringe theatre staging at the Bridewell Theatre in 2004. The cast included Tee Jaye as Purlie, John Lyons as Cotchipee, Victoria Wilson-James as Missy Judson, and Joanna Francis as Lutiebelle.[4][5]
In 2005, Sheldon Epps directed a US national tour co-produced by the Pasadena Playhouse and the Goodman Theatre. His New York City Center Encores! staging that same year featured Blair Underwood, Anika Noni Rose, Lillias White, and John Cullum.[6]
Historical casting
| Character | 1970 Broadway cast | 1972 Broadway revival cast | 1972 1st National Tour cast | 1981 Television Film | 2005 Encores cast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purlie Victorious Judson | Cleavon Little | Robert Guillaume | Blair Underwood | |||
| Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins | Melba Moore | Patti Jo | Melba Moore | Anika Noni Rose | ||
| Charley Cotchipee | C. David Colson | Douglas Norwick | Tommy Breslin | Don Scardino | Christopher Duva | |
| Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee | John Heffernan | Art Wallace | Brandon Maggart | John Cullum | ||
| Gitlow Judson | Sherman Hemsley | Doug E. Doug | ||||
| Missy Judson | Novella Nelson | Laura Cooper | Carol Jean Lewis | Rhetta Hughes | Lillias White | |
| Idella Landy | Helen Martin | Clarice Taylor | Lynda Gravatt | |||
Musical numbers
|
|
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Tony Award
|
Best Musical | Nominated | |
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
|
Cleavon Little | Won | ||
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
|
Melba Moore | Won | ||
| Best Direction of a Musical | Philip Rose | Nominated | ||
| Best Choreography | Louis Johnson | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Performance | Cleavon Little | Won | |
| Melba Moore | Won | |||
| Theatre World Award | Won | |||
References
- ^ Kourlas, Gia (10 April 2020). "Louis Johnson, 90, Genre-Crossing Dancer and Choreographer, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Discogs
- ^ Purlie. Tour. Internet Broadway Database. 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021
- ^ British Theatre Guide
- ^ Purlie is Victorious at The Bridewell. Indie London UK. Retrieved June 21, 2017
- ^ Brantley, Ben (April 2, 2005). "Playing With Fire Out on the Plantation". The New York Times.
External links
- Purlie at the Internet Broadway Database
- Purlie at IMDb(1981 TV production)
