One of Wilmington’s longest-serving and most historically important theater companies returns to the boards this weekend.
After not putting on a play since before the pandemic in 2019, Wilmington’s Willis Richardson Players will perform the Ossie Davis comedy “Purlie Victorious” Jan. 16-18 in Thalian Hall’s studio theater downtown.
Formed in Wilmington in 1974 by Peter Smith, Gloria Ramos, Jim Johnson and others, and named for the Wilmington native who is the first Black playwright to have work produced on the Broadway stage (“The Chip Woman’s Fortune” in 1923), the Willis Richardson Players was the first theater troupe in the Port City to regularly produce plays by Black authors and with predominantly Black casts.
After the death in 2023 of Lela Thompson, who was in the Players’ first show and who ran the company with her late husband, Melvin Thompson, for well over 20 years, the troupe could have disappeared. But thanks to the work of people like Angel Major, a granddaughter of one of the troupe’s founders, and Fracaswell Hyman, who’s directing “Purlie Victorious,” the Players have returned to action and hope to produce a second show later this year.
With just three performances this weekend, tickets will likely be scarce.
Now, let’s see what else is going on in Wilmington’s cultural scene.
Weekend weather outlook
The weekend will start on a chilly note, with highs in the mid-40s Friday before warming up into the mid-60s for what should be a nice and sunny Saturday. Cold again Sunday with highs in the 40s, rainy and a slight chance of a few snowflakes.
Go | See | Do
It’s shaping up to be an epic weekend in the Wilmington area, with a legendary Wilmington-shot film screening for its 40th anniversary and an area historic site hosting a day’s worth of activities. Plus, we’ve got live music of various types, visual art, comedy and more. Link to full list below.
The Dish with Port City Foodies
A longtime Calabash-style seafood restaurant in Wilmington has a new look, and food writer Allison Ballard has the story. Plus, an iconic ice cream brand is coming to the Mayfaire shopping center, and a prominent Wilmington chef has a new restaurant in the works for downtown.
Getting to know Wilmington history
For most of Wilmington’s history there was a Mulberry Street downtown, but that changed in the late 19th century. Find out why, link below.
News you can use
After a slow 2025, Wilmington’s film industry could be facing a challenging 2026 as well. We talked to industry insiders to get an outlook for the year. Plus, an upcoming Wilmington-shot network series releases a new trailer, and an iconic singer-songwriter is coming to town for a concert.
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