PURLIE VICTORIOUS Previews

Can I get an "amen"?!

Tony winner Leslie Odom, Jr. returns to Broadway for the first time since Hamilton in a revival of Ossie Davis’s Purlie Victorious, which begins previews tomorrow night (September 7) before a September 27 official opening at the Music Box Theatre. The principal cast also features Vanessa Bell Calloway, Billy Eugene Jones, Noah Pyzik, Noah Robbins, Jay O. Sanders, Heather Alicia Simms, Bill Timoney, and Kara Young. Purlie Victorious is directed by Kenny Leon; it will play a limited run through January 7.

“A charismatic preacher aims to take back what’s his and free his people from a diabolical overseer. But if there’s one person who can win — and have a good time doing it — it’s the man with the last name Victorious. This hilariously funny play spins the tallest of tales that will keep you laughing from its opening moments to its inspiring end.”

Who’s heading to the church?

Updated On: 9/6/23 at 12:00 AM

bwayphreak234 said: "Just looking at the seating map for tomorrow night's first preview, and the mezzanine appears to be 90% unsold. Not a great start."

and the weekend looks worse

I wanna go into the city on Sunday and try to see the matinee. I am neutral on LOJ as a performer but I am always interested in seeing a Black play from before 1980 put on stage. Since it's not selling well hoping I can grab it at TKTS.

BoringBoredBoard40 said: "

My only only note is Kara Young while very good in this seems to only have one level of performance in her, and that is yelling every line in everything she is in.

see this production, see it see it see it"

This enthusiasm is welcome, I am planning on seeing it this weekend. Surprised at your Kara Young comment though- while I wasnt enamored as others were with her two Tony-nominated performances, in neither piece did she yell the whole time, and in Cost of Living she didnt yell at all?

But...if this production is good, that means that all the preening negativity in the other thread was smug miserablism?

I don't know who Meghan Fahy is. Most don't, tbh.

And it was much more than concern about the advertising and the usual hand-wringing about money in that thread. There was a LOT of hate that seemed directed entirely towards Leslie Odom Jr. for having the audacity to appear as the lead in a non-musical and Kenny Leon for directing it.

But if you hear "smug miserablism" and immediately think of yourself, maybe I'm not the problem?

verywellthensigh said: "I don't know who Meghan Fahy is. Most don't, tbh.

And it was much more than concern about the advertising and the usual hand-wringing about money in that thread. There was a LOT of hate that seemed directed entirely towards Leslie Odom Jr. for having the audacity to appear as the lead in a non-musical and Kenny Leon for directing it.

But if you hear "smug miserablism" and immediately think of yourself, maybe I'm not the problem?"

You are actually referencing maybe a few people in a thread in which many participated but phrased it as if it was everybody in that thread that was saying these things. The fact remains that the marketing has been terrible and there is confusion over Odom, most known for his singing, appearing in a play that very famously has a better known musical adaptation (I can’t even count the number of people I’ve spoken to who have said, “Wait, it’s not the musical?&rdquo.

I’m glad the production seems to be good but there is absolutely no denying it is starting extremely behind. It’s not conjecture- we can see the houses via Telecharge. We can see that what little marketing there is is vague and not compelling. This is simply bad producing and questioning and discussing it is valid.

Sutton Ross said: "I don't know who Meghan Fahy is. Most don't, tbh.

I love that because you don't know who she is, you've decided most people don't either. And you still can't spell her name right. Lolz.

This is such a good play, truly. But the lack of advertising and confusion of play or musical isn't helping. I'm happy to hear these reports though and can't wait to catch this this weekend."

To be fair, most people probably don’t know who Meghann Fahy is!

verywellthensigh said: "I don't know who Meghan Fahy is. Most don't, tbh.

And it was much more than concern about the advertising and the usual hand-wringing about money in that thread. There was a LOT of hate that seemed directed entirely towards Leslie Odom Jr. for having the audacity to appear as the lead in a non-musical and Kenny Leon for directing it.

But if you hear "smug miserablism" and immediately think of yourself, maybe I'm not the problem?"

To be fair, no one judged the show - as it hadn’t started - but did judge his ability to sell a show which is still in question.

I enjoyed this production very much but producers should take note that there were two audience members near me who had seen PURLIE in the 70s and believed that they were at a revival of the musical before it started. It's a tough show to market, but the materials have not been good. They kind of rely on you knowing what the name means, and yet many who do know the name Purlie will mistake which show it is.

It seems to me that they should lean into communicating the charismatic and unique qualities of these comedic characters. Show us who Purlie and Lutiebell are. The racial satire is a lot sharper and more thoughtful than a lot of recent plays, but the tone of the marketing does not set it apart from many of those commercial failures that have a ~perception~ of being boring and preachy.

What was nice was that the crowd there actually was very diverse for a Broadway house.

Scarywarhol said: "I enjoyed this production very much but producers should take note that there were two audience members near me who had seen PURLIE in the 70s and believed that they were at a revival of the musical before it started. It's a tough show to market, but the materials have not been good. They kind of rely on you knowing what the name means, and yet many who do know the name Purlie will mistake which show it is.

It seems to me that they should lean into communicating the charismatic and unique qualities of these comedic characters. Show us who Purlie and Lutiebell are. The racial satire is a lot sharper and more thoughtful than a lot of recent plays, but the tone of the marketing does not set it apart from many of those commercial failures that have a ~perception~ of being boring and preachy.

What was nice was that the crowd there actually was very diverse for a Broadway house."



That's funny as our friends also thought it was a revival of the musical starring Leslie Odom.

Purlie the musical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOn3Vpksk0w