The first ever Broadway revival of Ossie Davis’s wonderful comedy is finally here on the Broadway stage! Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton Patch is the modern comedy we all need right now – you can’t miss it! As Purlie declared, “Let us, therefore, stifle the rifle of conflict, shatter the scatter of discord, smuggle the struggle, tickle the pickle and grapple the apple of peace!”
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton Patch is currently running at the Music Box Theatre in New York. The show will run until the 4th of February, 2024. This is a Broadway comedy for the ages! Witness the production behind the critics’ rave reviews. With a show starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Kara Young, you just know that it’s going to be awesome! Grab your tickets to Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton Patch today! Tickets may sell out soon so be quick. Click ‘GET TICKETS’ right now!
Purlie Victorious Tickets:
“Flat-out hilarious and stacked with topflight performances led by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Kara Young” – New York Theatre Guide
“Fast, fierce, and big-hearted… at 62 years old, feels wittier, braver, less careful, and more caring than much contemporary writing” – Vulture
“the funniest show now performing on Broadway” – The Wrap
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch is a rollicking three-act stage play penned by American playwright Ossie Davis. In this tale, audiences follow the charismatic Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson, a spirited itinerant preacher on a mission to rescue his small hometown church in rural Georgia. First gracing the Broadway stage in 1961, with Ossie Davis himself taking the lead as Purlie. The production enjoyed an impressive 261-performance run.
Fast forward to 2023, and Purlie Victorious has made its triumphant return to Broadway at the Music Box Theatre, skillfully directed by Kenny Leon. This revival marks a significant milestone, as it’s the first major New York production of the play since its original 1962 run. Renowned Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. takes center stage in Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch. This uproarious comedic gem weaves a tale of a determined Black preacher’s witty stratagems to regain his rightful inheritance and reclaim his cherished church. The production tackles themes of segregation, racial terror and the unjustness of sharecropping – and they’re no laughing matter. However, the way the play is turned into a lighthearted comedy makes it one of the best shows on Broadway, a comedic classic with a deeper meaning.
“A knockout show, as hilarious as it is cutting and as emotionally warmhearted as it is politically potent” – The Chicago Tribune
“Outstanding… with uniformly splendid performances by the entire cast” – Talkin’ Broadway
“A joyous affair, broad in comedy and in spirit” – Time Out New York
The star of the revival, Leslie Odom Jr. shared in a statement, “Ossie Davis gave the American theater an American hero in Purlie Judson. I have loved this piece and its author, Mr. Davis, for well over half my life. His writing and acting, his integrity, the commitment he and his brilliant wife made to nurturing young talent, and the example of citizenship have meant so much to me! I am thrilled beyond measure to be part of this revival company. Mr. Davis’s pages are full of joy and rhythm, laughter and hope. We will endeavor to live up to the demands of a challenging text and the legacy of a great American.” This show also marks Odom’s first return on Broadway following his Tony Award-winning role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.
Joining the cast is Kara Young as Idella Landy, Billy Eugene Jones (Fat Ham) as Gitlow Judson, Noah Pyzik as Deputy, Noah Robbins (To Kill a Mockingbird) as Charlie Cotchipee, Jay O. Sanders as Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee, Heather Alicia Simms as Missy Judson, Bill Timoney as Sheriff, and 2023 Tony Award nominee Kara Young (Cost of Living) as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins.
Directed by the renowned Kenny Leon, this show is sure to be a success. The creative team includes scenic designer Derek McLane; costume designer Emilio Sosa; lighting designer Adam Honoré; and sound designer Peter Fitzgerald. It is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Hunter Arnold, Irene Gandy, Willette and Manny Klausner, Kayla Greenspan, and Odom, the latter in his Broadway producing debut.
“Purlie is victorious indeed; but anyone who gets to see [Kara] Young in her comic glory is a winner.” – Observer
Deadline wrote a review on their experience at the production’s preview night. They had nothing but good things to say about the cast, creative team, and the show itself. The review stated, “As for Odom, he’s no less splendid here than he was in his career-making performance in Hamilton, generously allowing his castmates to take the spotlight when called for and grabbing it back when necessary. An example of the latter is Purlie’s raise-the-rafters sermon near the play’s conclusion, as rousing a performance as can currently be seen on any Broadway stage. This tale of equity, debts owed and reparations demanded, is a clarion call made loud and clear by Purlie and everyone on the Music Box stage, none more so than the late, great Ossie Davis himself.”
“A comic riot! The funniest show on Broadway!” – The Wrap
“Black laughs and love on Broadway!” – Amsterdam News
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through The Cotton Patch is definitely a must-watch for anyone looking for a great time on Broadway. Whether you’re a resident of New York or a traveler, you must make time to see this show! It’s still running at the Music Box Theatre and will remain live until February 2024. Don’t miss out on this show! Grab your tickets while they are still available.