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Purlie Victorious AI simulator
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Purlie Victorious AI simulator
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Purlie Victorious
Purlie Victorious (A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch) is a three-act comedic stage play written by American actor Ossie Davis. It tells the fictional story of Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson, a dynamic traveling preacher returning to rural Georgia to save his small hometown church. The play—starring Davis himself in the title role—premiered on Broadway in 1961 and ran for 261 performances.
The play was revived on Broadway in 2023 at the Music Box Theatre directed by Kenny Leon, its first major New York production since the original production closed in 1962.
The 2023 revival performs the show without intermission.
Act I
Purlie Victorious Judson returns to his small hometown in Georgia, with Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins and a plan to win back his family inheritance from Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee, the plantation owner. Purlie’s dream is to buy back Big Bethel, the community’s church, so that he can preach freedom to the cotton pickers. Purlie shares his plan with his brother Gitlow and sister-in-law Missy, who despite their initial skepticism agree to help. Later that afternoon, in the back office of the village commissary, Idella is tending to Charlie, Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee’s son, who got a black eye in a barroom brawl the previous night over his support of racial integration. Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee does not share or respect his son’s progressive values and arrives to punish Charlie. Charlie distracts his father by delivering the cotton and commissary reports. Every negro family is in debt, and Charlie challenges his father’s “cheating” ways. Ol’ Cap’n becomes agitated, and Charlie holds his ground; Gitlow comes into the commisary and gives evasive answers when Ol' Cap'n asks him whether or not he joins Charlie in supporting racial integration. Ol’ Cap’n runs him off and then collapses due to the stress; Gitlow tries to comfort him by singing old spirituals.
Act II
It is time for Purlie’s plan. Gitlow lets Purlie and Lutiebelle into the back door of the commissary. Lutiebelle is dressed up as Purlie’s deceased Cousin Bee, whom she will pretend to be to win back the family inheritance. Purlie and Lutiebelle rehearse one last time before Ol’ Cap’n arrives. All does not go according to plan, but Purlie jumps in and wins Ol’ Cap’n over with flattery. Ol' Cap'n agrees to give the money, but when he asks Lutiebelle to sign a receipt, Lutiebelle accidentally signs her real name, rather than signing as Cousin Bee. This exposes their ruse, and a fight ensues. The sheriff is called, but Purlie and Lutiebelle escape.
Two days later, Purlie returns to Missy and Gitlow’s shack. Idella is there looking for Charlie, who is missing. Missy thanks her for getting Ol’ Cap’n to drop the charges against Purlie and encourages Purlie to ask Lutiebelle to marry him. He is determined to get his Church back. Gitlow returns bragging that he has secured the $500 inheritance from Ol’ Cap’n, in exchange for Lutiebelle working at the house. Purlie fumes. Lutiebelle enters in a disheveled state. Ol’ Cap’n has cornered her in the pantry. Furious, Purlie heads up to the house to confront Ol’ Cap’n.
Purlie Victorious
Purlie Victorious (A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch) is a three-act comedic stage play written by American actor Ossie Davis. It tells the fictional story of Reverend Purlie Victorious Judson, a dynamic traveling preacher returning to rural Georgia to save his small hometown church. The play—starring Davis himself in the title role—premiered on Broadway in 1961 and ran for 261 performances.
The play was revived on Broadway in 2023 at the Music Box Theatre directed by Kenny Leon, its first major New York production since the original production closed in 1962.
The 2023 revival performs the show without intermission.
Act I
Purlie Victorious Judson returns to his small hometown in Georgia, with Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins and a plan to win back his family inheritance from Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee, the plantation owner. Purlie’s dream is to buy back Big Bethel, the community’s church, so that he can preach freedom to the cotton pickers. Purlie shares his plan with his brother Gitlow and sister-in-law Missy, who despite their initial skepticism agree to help. Later that afternoon, in the back office of the village commissary, Idella is tending to Charlie, Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee’s son, who got a black eye in a barroom brawl the previous night over his support of racial integration. Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee does not share or respect his son’s progressive values and arrives to punish Charlie. Charlie distracts his father by delivering the cotton and commissary reports. Every negro family is in debt, and Charlie challenges his father’s “cheating” ways. Ol’ Cap’n becomes agitated, and Charlie holds his ground; Gitlow comes into the commisary and gives evasive answers when Ol' Cap'n asks him whether or not he joins Charlie in supporting racial integration. Ol’ Cap’n runs him off and then collapses due to the stress; Gitlow tries to comfort him by singing old spirituals.
Act II
It is time for Purlie’s plan. Gitlow lets Purlie and Lutiebelle into the back door of the commissary. Lutiebelle is dressed up as Purlie’s deceased Cousin Bee, whom she will pretend to be to win back the family inheritance. Purlie and Lutiebelle rehearse one last time before Ol’ Cap’n arrives. All does not go according to plan, but Purlie jumps in and wins Ol’ Cap’n over with flattery. Ol' Cap'n agrees to give the money, but when he asks Lutiebelle to sign a receipt, Lutiebelle accidentally signs her real name, rather than signing as Cousin Bee. This exposes their ruse, and a fight ensues. The sheriff is called, but Purlie and Lutiebelle escape.
Two days later, Purlie returns to Missy and Gitlow’s shack. Idella is there looking for Charlie, who is missing. Missy thanks her for getting Ol’ Cap’n to drop the charges against Purlie and encourages Purlie to ask Lutiebelle to marry him. He is determined to get his Church back. Gitlow returns bragging that he has secured the $500 inheritance from Ol’ Cap’n, in exchange for Lutiebelle working at the house. Purlie fumes. Lutiebelle enters in a disheveled state. Ol’ Cap’n has cornered her in the pantry. Furious, Purlie heads up to the house to confront Ol’ Cap’n.