Premieres Friday, May 24, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / PBS App + Encore Sunday, May 26 at 2 p.m. on KPBS 2
This comedic play starring Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. tells the story of a Black preacher’s scheme to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner. Written by Kennedy Center honoree Ossie Davis with direction by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon (“A Raisin in the Sun”), "Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch" was recorded live at the Music Box Theatre on January 24-26, 2024.
"Purlie Victorious" originally opened on Broadway in 1961 and featured Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Alan Alda, Godfrey Cambridge, Sorrell Booke and Beah Richards. The play mirrors playwright Ossie Davis’ personal journey, growing up in racially segregated Georgia, and challenging oppressive white authority in the South and beyond.
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For more than 50 years on PBS, GREAT PERFORMANCES has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming. Showcasing a diverse range of artists from around the world, the series has earned 67 Emmy Awards and six Peabody Awards.
