American Theater Group Announces Cast and Creative Team for Purlie

Kenny Ingram (Triple Threat, Emojiland) will direct American Theater Group’s (ATG) production of the Tony Award-winning musical Purlie, running March 6-23 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway, New Jersey.

Based on Ossie Davis’s comedic play Purlie Victorious, Purlie features a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, with music by Gary Geld and lyrics by Udell. It tells the story of a traveling preacher who returns to his hometown in Georgia and concocts a scheme to reclaim his church.

Timothy Ware-Hill (Kinky Boots) will lead the cast as Purlie, joined by newcomer Aeja Barrows as Lutiebelle. The cast also includes Tyson Jennette (The Book of Mormon) as Gitlow, Tom Souhrada (Mary Poppins) as Ol’ Cap’n, Ryan Bronston as Charlie, Nicole Powell (Ragtime) as Missy, and Virginia Woodruff (Leap of Faith) as Idella. Kayla Ceaser, Berlin Lee Charles, Lilliannie Arie Urgent, Maya Mays, Lathan Roberts, Joshua Shepard, Shaquile Hester, and LJ Brodie will round out the ensemble. A local choir will also appear in the opening and closing numbers.

The creative team also includes musical director Gary Mitchell Jr., lighting designer Jose Luis Santiago Jr, costume designer Saawan Tiwari, set designer Seth Howard, sound designer Travis Joseph Wright, props designer Alison Merrick, and hair and wigs designer Sara Norton.