The North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NC Black Rep) announces its upcoming production of Purlie Victorious, the spirited comedy by celebrated playwright, actor, and activist Ossie Davis, from October 3 to 19, 2025, at Hanesbrands Theatre in Winston-Salem.
Set in the Jim Crow South, the satirical play follows Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson as he returns home to rural Georgia with a mission to reclaim his inheritance and liberate his community from Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee’s grip. Along the way, Purlie encounters a colorful cast of characters, navigating comedic twists and turns that highlight both the humor and resilience in his fight for justice.
Purlie Victorious premiered on Broadway in 1961 and has remained a touchstone of American theatre, praised for its biting wit and bold call for freedom and dignity. Returning to the stage more than sixty years after its premiere, the play speaks as urgently now as it did in 1961.
Directed by Jackie Alexander, Producing Artistic Director of NC Black Rep, he shares:
“Purlie Victorious is a laugh-out-loud comedy that shines a light on social injustice; it’s a play that both entertains and challenges audiences.”
The cast for Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious will be headlined by Beethoven Oden, in the role of Purlie Victorious Judson, originally portrayed by Ossie Davis in the 1961 premiere and most recently by Leslie Odom Jr. in the 2023 Broadway revival.
Joining Oden in the cast will be Nonye Obichere (Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins), Vanecia J. Boone (Missy Judson), Tyler Madden (Gitlow Judson), Elliot Lerner (Charlie Cotchipee), Lashon Hill (Idella Landy), Carroll “Chip” Johnson (Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee), Philip Powell (The Sheriff), and Isaac Hampton (The Deputy).
The design team for Purlie Victorious features: Scenic Design by Isabel and Moriah Curley-Clay, Lighting Design by Jennifer O’Kelly, Costume Design by Frenchie Slade, Sound Design by Lee Martinez Cruz, Technical Direction by Arthur Reese, and Stage Management by Kevin Hampton.
Tickets for Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious are on sale now. Visit ncblackrep.org for more showtimes and ticket information.
Photography: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. “Ossie Davis with Purlie Victorious cast” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1961.