Plays in bold also Feature Ossie Davis | * Broadway Production

Acting

On Strivers Row (American Negro Theatre, 1940) – Cobina
Natural Man (American Negro Theatre, 1941) – Polly Ann
Starlight (American Negro Theatre, 1942) – Starlight
Three’s a Family (American Negro Theatre, 1943) – Kitty
* South Pacific (Court Theater, 1943) (Cort Theatre, 1943) – Native
Walk Hard (American Negro Theatre, 1944) – Ruth
* Jeb (Martin Beck Theatre, 1946) – Libby George
* Anna Lucasta (Mansfield Theatre and Touring Company, 1946-47) –
Anna (replaced Hilda Simms)
Arsenic and Old Lace (McKinley Square Theatre, 1946) – Elaine Harper
* A Long Way from Home (Maxine Elliott’s Theatre, 1948) – Marcy
The Washington Years (American Negro Theatre, 1948) – Ellen McClellan
The Fisherman (American Negro Theatre, 1948) – role unknown
* The Smile of the World (Lyceum Theatre, 1949) – Evelyn
(Ossie and Ruby were married while in rehearsals on Dec. 9, 1948)
Alice in Wonder (Harlem Theatre, 1952) – Alice
The World of Sholom Aleichem (Barbizon Plaza Theatre, 1953) – Defending Angel
* A Raisin in the Sun (Belasco Theatre, 1959) – Ruth Younger
* Purlie Victorious (Cort Theatre, 1961) – Lutiebelle
The Taming of the Shrew (American Shakespeare Festival, 1965) – Katherina
King Lear (American Shakespeare Festival, 1965) – Cordelia
The Birds (Ypsilanti Greek Theatre, 1966) – Iris
The Oresteia (Ypsilanti Greek Theatre, 1966) – Cassandra
Boesman and Lena (Circle in the Square Theatre, 1970) – Lena
The Imaginary Invalid (Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 1971) – Beline
Wedding Band (New York Shakespeare Festival, 1972) – Julia Augustine
Hamlet (New York Shakespeare Festival, 1975) – Gertrude
Take It from the Top! (New Federal Theatre, 1979) – Angel Angeline
Book and Lyrics by Ruby Dee; Music by Guy Davis; Directed by Ossie Davis
Bus Stop (Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago, 1979) – Grace Hoylard
* Zora Is My Name (Howard University, 1983)
* Checkmates (46th Street Theatre, 1988) – Mattie Cooper
The Glass Menagerie (Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1989) – Amanda Wingfield
The Ohio State Murders (Great Lakes Theatre Festival, 1992) – Suzanne Alexander
The Disappearance (Crossroads Repertory Theatre, 1993) – Narrator
Flyin’ West (Kennedy Center, 1994) – Miss Leah
Two Hah Hahs and a Homeboy (Crossroads Repertory Theatre, 1995)
My One Good Nerve (A Contemporary Theatre, 1996) – Ruby Dee
A Last Dance for Sybil (New Federal Theatre, 2002) – Sybil Ben Compson
St. Lucy’s Eyes (Women’s Theatre Project, 2003) – Old Woman

Writing and Adaptations

Take It from the Top!, 1979
Zora is My Name, 1983
John Boscoe and the Devil, 1981
Aunt Zurletha, 1985
The Disappearance, 1993
Two Hah Hahs and a Homeboy, 1995
My One Good Nerve, 1996