Something remarkable happened on 45th Street this past Wednesday evening. And it wasn’t just the incisive revival of Ossie Davis’ Purlie Victorious that the New York Times is calling “blazing,” “scathingly funny,” and downright “miraculous.”
Enter Kenny Leon from stage left, one of Broadway’s most powerful yet often underestimated forces in recent memory.
“We want to get our young people, our young students in here so they can learn about their history, know their history…and come laugh and feel good about being human,” Leon said during his curtain speech on opening night. “I think the play allows us to do that.”
In partnership with the Department of Education and Situation Project, Leon and the entire Purlie team have created an education initiative to bring as many high school students as possible to the show’s performances. The potential for impact on New York’s young people cannot be understated.
While he may be known more for his work as a director, Leon’s influence on audience development and education is nothing short of incredible. And Purlie is only one of many examples of this kind of powerful work.
Just a few months ago, the highly acclaimed Tony Award-winning revival Topdog/Underdog, which Kenny directed, welcomed over 4,000 NYC students to see the production, free of charge. This was made possible by a team of driven producers who understood the importance of advocating for students, not just as spectators, but as active participants in the show’s process. On any given matinee full of students, there was a good chance you would see Kenny in the audience engaging with the kids. His passion inspired others' passion, as even the stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins would spend time with students and teachers after performances. The students were engaging deeply with the play and the team who brought it to life.
At Situation Project, we are very excited about introducing students to Purlie Victorious because we know it will ultimately deliver unparalleled inspiration for the public school students who need it most. We are excited to work with an amazing human like Kenny Leon who doesn’t just talk a big game on audience development but is actually doing something about it by creating and advocating for work that can have a profound impact on people’s lives. Our young people need it, especially in a post-pandemic world. A report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021 revealed that schools that faced budget constraints due to economic challenges caused by the pandemic often had to cut or significantly reduce their arts programs. Unfortunately, these cuts disproportionately affected Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic students, taking a toll on their mental health.
As we stood in the audience of the star-studded opening night with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, Al Sharpton (among many others), Kenny’s final curtain speech put a magical button on a magical night. It reminded us all that, as we enjoy the success of Purlie Victorious, the arts are not a luxury. Rather, they are a vital part of education and personal development. In a city as diverse and dynamic as New York, it’s key that our cultural landscape reflects this richness.
Leon walks that walk, opening the doors of Broadway to the next generation.
