Theatr Weekly | "Purlie Victorious" Is Back—And More Timeless Than Ever
Including closing shows, snippets from Theatr Writers Circle, and Theatr product updates
For the first time in 60 years, Ossie Davis’s play Purlie Victorious is on Broadway, starring Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young.
The play takes place in the segregated South and follows Purlie Victorious Judson, played by Odom, Jr., trying to claim a $500 inheritance from plantation owner Cap’n Cotchipee by bringing in Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, played by Young, to pretend to be his deceased Cousin Bee.
And, while the play is set on a 1940s plantation, Davis’s use of satirical comedy to expose racism, Kenny Leon’s direction, and spectacular and hilarious performances from the entire cast, make it so that the play is still relevant today.
As our Theatr Writer, Maggie, writes in a reflection of the show, “the goal of Leon’s direction was to bring a communion of Americans, like-minded or opposing, to laugh, maybe cry, and feel the story of Purlie Victorious Judson. Led by the phenomenal Kara Young and Leslie Odom, Jr., this was a complete success.”
💨 Closing Soon
These shows are closing in the next two weeks. Catch them before they leave!
Dance Die Crucify | Brick Theater | Closing on 9/23
Relapse: A New Musical | Theatre Row | Closing on 9/23
Bioadapted | The Plaxall Gallery | Closing on 9/24
alt-Hamlet | Players Theatre | Closing on 9/24
Irregulars | Hudson Guild Theatre | Closing on 9/24
Doppelganger | Park Avenue Armory | Closing on 9/28
Baudelaire’s Passion | Cullum Theatre | Closing on 9/30
9 Kinds of Silence | 122 Community Center | Closing on 9/30
Kinderkrankenhaus | Brick Theater | Closing on 9/30
Friends with Amenities | 59E59 Theaters | Closing on 9/30
Death, Let Me Do My Show | Lucille Lortel Theatre | Closing on 9/30
Pay The Writer | The Pershing Square Signature Center | Closing on 9/30
Lighthouse: An Immersive Drinking Musical | Closing on 9/30
Communion | the cell | Closing on 10/1
Ulysses | Fisher Center at Bard | Closing on 10/1
Prometheus Firebringer | Polonsky Shakespeare Center | Closing on 10/1
📝 Reflections from Theatr Writers Circle
Our team of diverse and passionate theatre insiders attends shows every week and shares their insights on the latest productions. Want to be in the know for the hottest shows in the city? Follow our writers on Theatr and join the conversation!
Purlie Victorious
Maggie Creasman / @maggiecreasman / Lover of live performance in any form! Writer, Watcher, Strong Mover
Leslie Odom Jr. brings every ounce of star power you want from a lead. His embodiment of the reverend is first class, from the stunning vibrato that sneaks into his tone in every sermon, to the commanding prayers that unite the cast and the audience. He is so deserving of first billing, but I was ecstatic that he shares the final bows with the incredible Kara Young. Her arc through the hour and forty five minutes runtime as Lutibelle, masquerading as Cousin B, is a tour de force. She is rowdy, hysterical, yet utterly grounded. Read more
The Creeps
Michael Kelleher / @michaelkelleher / Eat. Sleep. Flap Ball-Change. Recent Transplant to the city- 3 Bucks, 2 Bags, 1 BFA. I love and appreciate the unexpected, experimental, and absurd. Always on the look out for Queer centric stories.
Of course, the center of this piece is Catherine Waller’s impressive writing and performance. Her character work goes beyond imagination and the technical design seamlessly marries her transitions into each character- catching her audience by surprise. She’s constantly mesmerizing and able to navigate audience response in a way that made me think those were people on stage, not characters. When buying tickets, challenge yourself to sit front row and fully experience Waller’s performance on her level. You will certainly not be overlooked. Read more
Relapse: A New Musical
Michael Kelleher / @michaelkelleher / Eat. Sleep. Flap Ball-Change. Recent Transplant to the city- 3 Bucks, 2 Bags, 1 BFA. I love and appreciate the unexpected, experimental, and absurd. Always on the look out for Queer centric stories.
What this show has done beautifully is marry its subject matter and musical style to support its themes and create really interesting dynamics with its characters. An edgy, pop-rock score and lots of impressive belts bring you right onto a dramatic cliff of where our four recovering patients are mentally and physically. Read more
💡 Product Updates
Something’s Coming…
Don’t worry, product updates haven’t gone away. We’ve been cooking up something special for the past few weeks that we can’t wait to share with you!
🤔 What else would you like us to build?
Join us on Slack! There you can request features, tell us about any bugs you experience on the app, hear announcements before everyone else, and chat with our community of theatre lovers.
Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? Come hang with us!
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