Playbill for Purlie: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A playbill from a production of Purlie at The Kennedy Center. The front cover has a full-page color photograph of Martha Graham and Tennessee Williams; both wear rainbow-colored Kennedy Center Honors ribbons around their necks. The top edge of the program is red with the Kennedy Center building depicted in white and there is a rainbow in the upper right corner with [20 years / THE KENNEDY / CENTER HONORS] in white text. At bottom left is [AUGUST 1998 STAGEBILL]. There are 28 numbered interior pages, printed in both black and color inks on white paper, with articles and advertisements in addition to the program information which includes the cast listing, synopses of scenes and musical numbers, cast biographies, and production information. The production stars Dorian Harewood, Viola Bradford, Ebony Jo-Ann, Stephanie Mills, Reginald Vel Johnson, Jim Stanek, Larry Storch, and Clarice Taylor. The back cover has a full-page gin advertisement.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1998
• Subject of: Philip Rose, 1921 - 2011
• Subject of: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, American, founded 1971
• Subject of: Ossie Davis, American, 1917 - 2005
• Subject of: Peter Udell, American, born 1929
• Subject of: Stephanie Mills, American, born 1957
• Subject of: Clarice Taylor, American, 1917 - 2011
• Subject of: Dorian Harewood, American, born 1950
• Subject of: Reginald VelJohnson, American, born 1952
• Type: playbills
• Medium: ink on paper with metal
• Dimensions: H x W (closed): 8 1/2 × 4 3/16 in. (21.6 × 10.7 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (open): 8 1/2 × 10 9/16 in. (21.6 × 26.8 cm)
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Musical Theatre
• Topic: Television
• Topic: Theatre
• Object number: 2013.188.39
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of William and James Thomas and family in memory of Clarice Taylor
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © 1998 Stagebill, Inc Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.