About This Show

Encores! presents Purlie, featuring music by Gary Geld and lyrics Peter Udell. Book by Peter Udell, Ossie Davis, and Philip Rose.

Purlie won both Tony and Grammy awards when it debuted on Broadway in 1970. In the musical based on Ossie Davis’ 1961 play, Purlie Victorious, Purlie tells the story of Cap’n Cothcipee who owned everyone in town where slavery and racism were rife. A young idealistic preacher named Purlie Victorious decides to bring freedom to the townsfolk by inventing an elaborate, ingenious and hilarious scheme to reclaim the people’s rights. the musical includes such popular songs as “I Got Love,” “Walk Him Up The Stairs” and “Down Home.”

Show Details

Dates: Opening Night: March 31, 2005 Final Performance: April 3, 2005

Theatermania Review

| | April 1, 2005
Michael Portantiere reviews the Encores! presentation of this problematic musical based on a problematic play by Ossie Davis.

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