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The Purists

by Dan McCabe | Directed by Billy Porter
EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND | Aug. 30 – Oct. 6, 2019
Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont St.

Seating at select performances of The Purists is limited, but seats are released every day for sale. Please call Ticketing Services at 617 266 0800 to learn about our Advanced Wait List and be upgraded to a seat automatically when it becomes available.

A thrilling world premiere by an exciting new voice, The Purists brings Tony Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, “Pose” on FX) to the Huntington to direct this soaring new play by Dan McCabe. A former rapper, a DJ, and a showtunes-loving telesales director have become an unlikely group who hang out and spar about music on a stoop in Queens. But when an impromptu rap battle erupts between two younger female emcees, everything gets questioned. With raw emotion and uproarious humor, The Purists asks, what is friendship? How can we embrace new ideas? And what does it mean to be wholly yourself?

Approximate run time: The Purists plays in approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, with one ten-minute intermission. Please note: This production includes flashing light effects, the smoking of cocoa shell cigarettes (100% nicotine free), and derogatory language. Read more on the content warnings for this production.




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Jump to: Photos

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Articles

  • ‘Pose’ star Billy Porter is savoring a breakthrough he wasn’t sure would ever happen

    He may be on top of the world right now, but for years, Billy Porter wondered if his time would ever come. A time when he could play the kinds of characters that were as big and complex as his own larger-than-life personality and reflect his own unique experiences.

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  • Billy Porter directs Huntington Theatre Company’s The Purists

    Billy Porter is having a big year. The multi-talented actor, singer, director, composer and playwright is up for his first Primetime Emmy Award as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series – the first openly gay black man nominated in that category – for his starring role in “Pose” on FX.

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  • For The Purists At The Huntington, Billy Porter Puts On His Directing Hat

    It’s two weeks before the world premiere of The Purists, and Billy Porter wants the cameras to stop clicking. The Tony and Grammy Award-winning artist sits in front of a small group of actors, watching intently as they rehearse their lines. Two characters, Mr. Bugz (played by J. Bernard Calloway) and Lamont (played by Morocco Omari) are yelling at each other. Their voices echo off the walls and can be heard down the hallway. The scene, close to the end of the play, is a sensitive one. 

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  • An Interview with Playwright Dan McCabe

    Playwright Dan McCabe’s work as an actor has been seen on stage, film, and television. Now, he makes his Huntington debut as a playwright. Before rehearsals began, McCabe spoke with Director of New Work Charles Haugland about his writing process and why this play has been a perfect collaboration.

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  • A Director's Vision: Billy Porter in Conversation

    Billy Porter, a Tony and Grammy award-winning performer, returns to the Huntington as a director following his acclaimed productions of George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum and Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog. In the following interview, Porter speaks about how he embraced his own identity as an artist and how he approaches directing this new play.

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Press Reviews

Jump to: Audience Buzz
"A MUST SEE! Really fantastic, very entertaining, and hilarious." — WGBH's Jared Bowen
"OUTSTANDING! Electric and funny! Theatrical fire." — The Boston Globe
"I recommend it to everyone. The Purists is entertaining, funny as hell, with a killer cast." — Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce's Choices
"A LOT OF LAUGHS! A superb quintet of actors. I dare you not to enjoy them." — WBUR
"The Purists packs a powerful punch." — The Patriot Ledger
"Laughs aplenty, the audience is won over by the sheer force of the performances and detailed direction by Billy Porter." — South Shore Critic
"A thrilling world premiere by an exciting new voice. Fun and funny!" — Boston and Beyond
More Reviews

Audience Buzz

"Thought-provoking, entertaining, and loads of laughs!" — Deanie T. (Facebook)
"What an incredible show! I LOVED EVERY MINUTE! A must-see!" — Jennifer A. (Facebook)
"Just the right amount of humor sprinkled into a story that should make everyone dig deep inside themselves." — Carla L. (Facebook)
"Fantastic show, funny, thoughtful, and moving. We loved it!" — Peter R. (Facebook)
"Anyone in Boston needs to go see The Purists. Best play I’ve seen in years!" — @kripster16 (Twitter)
"What a great evening of theatre in Boston! Bravo @theebillyporter for your magnificent directing of @danmccabeplays brilliant and thought provoking, new work! Go see this play, people!" — @davidraleigh (Twitter)

Artists

Prices & Seating

Section
Performance Day Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
PEAK: Friday & Saturday evening;
Sunday matinee 		$95-$125 $65-$85 $25
OFF PEAK: Sunday - Thursday evening;
Saturday matinee 		$85-$105 $55-$75 $25
FIRST LOOK: First Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Tuesday evening; Wednesday matinee $75-$95 $49-$69 $25
PEAK: Friday & Saturday evening;
Sunday matinee
Section
Price
Zone 1
$95-$125
Zone 2
$65-$85
Zone 3
$25
OFF PEAK: Sunday - Thursday evening;
Saturday matinee
Section
Price
Zone 1
$85-$105
Zone 2
$55-$75
Zone 3
$25
FIRST LOOK: First Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Tuesday evening; Wednesday matinee
Section
Price
Zone 1
$75-$95
Zone 2
$49-$69
Zone 3
$25

Discount Ticket Prices

  Prices
Active Military and Veterans and Immediate Families
 $20 with promo code MILITARY
Student (25 years and younger)
(No AA)		 $20
Section D (Huntington Avenue Theatre);
Last Row (Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA)
Additional discounts may not be applied to section D seats at the Huntington Avenue Theatre and last row seats at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.		 $25
35 Below (35 years and younger)
(No AA or Zone 1)
Learn more about our 35 Below program		 $30

Learn more about our Discount Ticket Programs

Discount Ticket Prices

  Prices
Active Military and Veterans and Immediate Families
 $20 with promo code MILITARY
Student (25 years and younger)
(No AA)		 $20
Section D (Huntington Avenue Theatre);
Last Row (Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA)
Additional discounts may not be applied to section D seats at the Huntington Avenue Theatre and last row seats at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.		 $25
35 Below (35 years and younger)
(No AA or Zone 1)
Learn more about our 35 Below program		 $30

Learn more about our Discount Ticket Programs

Seatmap

Avenue of the Arts / Huntington Avenue Theatre: 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston MA 02115
South End / Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA: 527 Tremont Street, Boston MA 02116
Main: 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston MA 02115 | 617 266 7900 |
TICKETING SERVICES 617 266 0800

Best of Boston 2019

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