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Purlie
Musical
Comedy
Original
Broadway
Opening Date
Mar 15, 1970
Closing Date
Nov 06, 1971
Previews
28
Performances
688
Musical
Comedy
Original
Broadway
External Links
Shop
Open Date: Mar 15, 1970
Close Date: Nov 06, 1971
Closed Flag: n
Is Final Week:
ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION
Theatres
Broadway Theatre
(Mar 15, 1970 - Dec 15, 1970)
Winter Garden Theatre
(Dec 16, 1970 - Mar 13, 1971)
ANTA Playhouse
(Mar 15, 1971 - Nov 06, 1971)
Setting
South Georgia. Not too long ago.
People
Production Staff
Opening Night Cast
Replacements
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization
Produced by
Philip Rose
Music by
Gary Geld
; Lyrics by
Peter Udell
; Book by
Ossie Davis
,
Peter Udell
and
Philip Rose
; Based on "Purlie Victorious" by
Ossie Davis
; Music orchestrated by
Garry Sherman
and
Luther Henderson
; Choral arrangements by
Luther Henderson
and
Garry Sherman
; Dance arrangements by
Luther Henderson
; Additional arrangements by
Ray Wright
Directed by
Philip Rose
; Choreographed by
Louis Johnson
Scenic Design by
Ben Edwards
; Lighting Design by
Thomas Skelton
; Costume Design by
Ann Roth
; Hair Design by
Ernest Adler
; Assistant to Ann Roth:
Robert Pusilo
; Assistant to Thomas Skelton:
Shirley Prendergast
; Sound Design by
Robert Liftin
General Manager:
Helen Stern Richards
Production Stage Manager:
Leonard Auerbach
; Stage Manager:
Mortimer Halpern
; Assistant Stage Mgr:
Charles Briggs
Musical Supervisor:
Garry Sherman
; Conducted by
Joyce Brown
; Music Contractor:
Gary Chester
; Rehearsal Pianist:
Patty Brown
Press Representative:
Merle Debuskey
and
Faith Geer
; Dance Captain:
Harold Pierson
; Asst. to the Choreographer:
Mabel Robinson
; Casting:
Lynda Watson
; Advertising:
Blaine-Thompson
and
Ingram Ash
John Heffernan
Ol' Cap'n
Cleavon Little
Purlie
Melba Moore
Lutiebelle
C. David Colson
Charlie
Sherman Hemsley
Gitlow
Linda Hopkins
Church Soloist
Helen Martin
Idella
Novella Nelson
Missy
Loretta Abbott
Dancer
Carolyn Byrd
Singer
Barbara Christopher
Singer
Hope Clark
Dancer
Peter Colly
Singer
Morris Donaldson
Dancer
Denise Elliott
Singer
George Faison
Dancer
Judy Gibson
Dancer
Milt Grayson
Singer
Lavinia Hamilton
Dancer
Synthia Jackson
Singer
Mildred Lane
Singer
Tony Middleton
Singer
Al Perryman
Dancer
Harold Pierson
Dancer
Ray Pollard
Singer
Mildred Pratcher
Singer
Arlene Rowlant
Dancer
William Taylor
Dancer
Ella Thompson
Dancer
Larry Vickers
Dancer
Alyce Webb
Singer
Myrna White
Dancer
Understudies:
Ted Goodridge
(Swing Dancer),
Linda Hopkins
(Missy),
Robert Jackson
(Purlie),
Synthia Jackson
(Lutiebelle),
Mildred Lane
(Church Soloist),
Ted Ross
(Gitlow),
Alyce Webb
(Missy, Idella) and
Curt Williams
(Ol' Cap'n, Charlie)
Broadway Theatre
(Mar 15, 1970 - Dec 15, 1970)
Assistant Stage Mgr:
Jerry Laws
Cast
Deborah Allen
Broadway debut
Dancer
Vera Moore
Singer
Understudy:
Morgan Freeman
(Purlie)
Winter Garden Theatre
(Dec 16, 1970 - Mar 13, 1971)
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization
ANTA Playhouse
(Mar 15, 1971 - Nov 06, 1971)
Theatre Owned / Operated by
ANTA (Alfred de Liagre Jr: executive producer; Jean Dalrymple: executive director)
Cast
Robert Guillaume
Purlie
Patti Jo
Lutiebelle
Carol Jean Lewis
Missy
Songs
music by
Gary Geld
; lyrics by
Peter Udell
Act 1
Sung By
Walk Him Up the Stairs
Company
New Fangled Preacher Man
Purlie
Skinnin' a Cat
Gitlow and Field Hands
Purlie
Lutiebelle
The Harder They Fall
Purlie and Lutiebelle
Charlie's Songs: The Barrels of War/The Unborn Love
Charlie
Big Fish, Little Fish
Ol' Cap'n and Charlie
I Got Love
Lutiebelle
Great White Father
Cotton Pickers
Skinnin' a Cat
Gitlow and Charlie
Down Home
Purlie and Missy
Act 2
Sung By
First Thing Monday Mornin'
Cotton Pickers
He Can Do It
Missy and Lutiebelle
The Harder They Fall
(Reprise)
Gitlow, Lutiebelle and Missy
The World Is Comin' to a Start
Charlie and Company
Walk Him Up the Stairs
(Reprise)
Company
Awards
Tony Award®
Best Musical
1970 Nominee
Book by
Ossie Davis
,
Peter Udell
and
Philip Rose
Lyrics by
Peter Udell
Produced by
Philip Rose
Music by
Gary Geld
Best Actor in a Musical
1970 Winner
Cleavon Little
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
1970 Winner
Melba Moore
Best Choreography
1970 Nominee
Choreographed by
Louis Johnson
Best Direction of a Musical
1970 Nominee
Directed by
Philip Rose
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Performance
1970 Winner
Cleavon Little
and
Melba Moore
Theatre World
Award
1970 Recipient
Melba Moore
People
Songs
Awards
Production Staff
Opening Night Cast
Replacements
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization
Produced by
Philip Rose
Music by
Gary Geld
; Lyrics by
Peter Udell
; Book by
Ossie Davis
,
Peter Udell
and
Philip Rose
; Based on "Purlie Victorious" by
Ossie Davis
; Music orchestrated by
Garry Sherman
and
Luther Henderson
; Choral arrangements by
Luther Henderson
and
Garry Sherman
; Dance arrangements by
Luther Henderson
; Additional arrangements by
Ray Wright
Directed by
Philip Rose
; Choreographed by
Louis Johnson
Scenic Design by
Ben Edwards
; Lighting Design by
Thomas Skelton
; Costume Design by
Ann Roth
; Hair Design by
Ernest Adler
; Assistant to Ann Roth:
Robert Pusilo
; Assistant to Thomas Skelton:
Shirley Prendergast
; Sound Design by
Robert Liftin
General Manager:
Helen Stern Richards
Production Stage Manager:
Leonard Auerbach
; Stage Manager:
Mortimer Halpern
; Assistant Stage Mgr:
Charles Briggs
Musical Supervisor:
Garry Sherman
; Conducted by
Joyce Brown
; Music Contractor:
Gary Chester
; Rehearsal Pianist:
Patty Brown
Press Representative:
Merle Debuskey
and
Faith Geer
; Dance Captain:
Harold Pierson
; Asst. to the Choreographer:
Mabel Robinson
; Casting:
Lynda Watson
; Advertising:
Blaine-Thompson
and
Ingram Ash
John Heffernan
Ol' Cap'n
Cleavon Little
Purlie
Melba Moore
Lutiebelle
C. David Colson
Charlie
Sherman Hemsley
Gitlow
Linda Hopkins
Church Soloist
Helen Martin
Idella
Novella Nelson
Missy
Loretta Abbott
Dancer
Carolyn Byrd
Singer
Barbara Christopher
Singer
Hope Clark
Dancer
Peter Colly
Singer
Morris Donaldson
Dancer
Denise Elliott
Singer
George Faison
Dancer
Judy Gibson
Dancer
Milt Grayson
Singer
Lavinia Hamilton
Dancer
Synthia Jackson
Singer
Mildred Lane
Singer
Tony Middleton
Singer
Al Perryman
Dancer
Harold Pierson
Dancer
Ray Pollard
Singer
Mildred Pratcher
Singer
Arlene Rowlant
Dancer
William Taylor
Dancer
Ella Thompson
Dancer
Larry Vickers
Dancer
Alyce Webb
Singer
Myrna White
Dancer
Understudies:
Ted Goodridge
(Swing Dancer),
Linda Hopkins
(Missy),
Robert Jackson
(Purlie),
Synthia Jackson
(Lutiebelle),
Mildred Lane
(Church Soloist),
Ted Ross
(Gitlow),
Alyce Webb
(Missy, Idella) and
Curt Williams
(Ol' Cap'n, Charlie)
Broadway Theatre
(Mar 15, 1970 - Dec 15, 1970)
Assistant Stage Mgr:
Jerry Laws
Cast
Deborah Allen
Broadway debut
Dancer
Vera Moore
Singer
Understudy:
Morgan Freeman
(Purlie)
Winter Garden Theatre
(Dec 16, 1970 - Mar 13, 1971)
Theatre Owned / Operated by
The Shubert Organization
ANTA Playhouse
(Mar 15, 1971 - Nov 06, 1971)
Theatre Owned / Operated by
ANTA (Alfred de Liagre Jr: executive producer; Jean Dalrymple: executive director)
Cast
Robert Guillaume
Purlie
Patti Jo
Lutiebelle
Carol Jean Lewis
Missy
music by
Gary Geld
; lyrics by
Peter Udell
Act 1
Sung By
Walk Him Up the Stairs
Company
New Fangled Preacher Man
Purlie
Skinnin' a Cat
Gitlow and Field Hands
Purlie
Lutiebelle
The Harder They Fall
Purlie and Lutiebelle
Charlie's Songs: The Barrels of War/The Unborn Love
Charlie
Big Fish, Little Fish
Ol' Cap'n and Charlie
I Got Love
Lutiebelle
Great White Father
Cotton Pickers
Skinnin' a Cat
Gitlow and Charlie
Down Home
Purlie and Missy
Act 2
Sung By
First Thing Monday Mornin'
Cotton Pickers
He Can Do It
Missy and Lutiebelle
The Harder They Fall
(Reprise)
Gitlow, Lutiebelle and Missy
The World Is Comin' to a Start
Charlie and Company
Walk Him Up the Stairs
(Reprise)
Company
Tony Award®
Best Musical
1970 Nominee
Book by
Ossie Davis
,
Peter Udell
and
Philip Rose
Lyrics by
Peter Udell
Produced by
Philip Rose
Music by
Gary Geld
Best Actor in a Musical
1970 Winner
Cleavon Little
Best Featured Actress in a Musical
1970 Winner
Melba Moore
Best Choreography
1970 Nominee
Choreographed by
Louis Johnson
Best Direction of a Musical
1970 Nominee
Directed by
Philip Rose
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Performance
1970 Winner
Cleavon Little
and
Melba Moore
Theatre World
Award
1970 Recipient
Melba Moore
PRODUCTIONS
More Productions by Opening Date
Harvey
Feb 24, 1970
May 02, 1970
Georgy
Feb 26, 1970
Feb 28, 1970
The Chinese
Mar 10, 1970
Mar 21, 1970
Operation Sidewinder
Mar 12, 1970
Apr 25, 1970
Purlie
Mar 15, 1970
Nov 06, 1971
Company
Apr 26, 1970
Jan 01, 1972
The Cherry Orchard
May 06, 1970
May 09, 1970
Beggar on Horseback
May 14, 1970
Jun 27, 1970
The Engagement Baby
May 21, 1970
May 23, 1970
Wilson in the Promise Land
May 26, 1970
May 30, 1970
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