He will be supported by three Tony winners: Caroline, or Change's Anika Noni Rose, The Life's Lillias White and Shenandoah and On the Twentieth Century's John Cullum. No official casting announcement has been made by Encores!
Purlie is based on the late Ossie Davis' "Purlie Victorious." With a book by Davis, Philip Rose and Peter Udell, Purlie features music by Gary Geld and lyrics by Peter Udell. Directed by Philip Rose, the original 1970 production was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical; its co-stars, Cleavon Little and Melba Moore, both won Tonys for their performances. Davis died on Feb. 3.
