Celie is a young black girl growing up in the South in the 1930’s who endures terrible obstacles to overcome her upbringing and realize her potential, to gain faith in herself and love for who she is, like a flower bud in bloom that finally reaches maturity. Her inspiring story from a book by Alice Walker, “The Color Purple,” is now a musical gracing the stage of the Ivoryton Playhouse until Sunday, October 15. Run to see this beautiful tale of self-love and redemption.
With music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, “The Color Purple,” with book by Marsha Norman, introduces us to Celie, brought beautifully to life by Andrea Fleming, who is raised to believe herself ugly, thanks to the abusive attention she receives from her step father Alfonso who rapes her when she is barely a teenager and then takes the babies she births and sells them. Later he trades Celie away in marriage, throwing a cow in for a dowry, to a mean spirited neighbor man, Christian McQueen’s Mister, who regularly beats her and makes her a servant for his children and himself. For Celie, parting with her younger sister Nettie, a lovely Mairys Joaquin, is a sacrifice to help her achieve her dream of being a teacher. Soon after Nettie is forced to flee their abusive stepfather herself and seek refuge with Celie. Mister, who really wanted to marry Nettie himself, takes the opportunity to force himself on her, causing her to run away to save herself. She promises to write to Celie but Mister, in his anger, never gives Celie her letters.
Caught in an intolerable situation, Celie seeks the friendship of Sheniqua Trotman’s Sofia who marries Mister’s son Harpo, Cedrick Ekra, and envies how his father keeps Celie in line. When he tries beating Sofia, he learns to his regret that will not work. The dramatic arrival of Renee Jackson’s Shug Avery, a singer with a reputation for sleeping around, allows Celie to, for the first time, experience real affection and to see herself as a beautiful person of value. A chorus of chatter chicks sing out how Celie triumphs over Mister and grows into the magical creature she was meant to be is worthy of your attention.
Songs such as “Big Dog,” “Lily of the Field,” “Brown Betty,” “Shug Avery Comin’ To Town,” “Push Da Button,” "I’m Here,” and “The Color Purple,” covering the genres of blues, jazz, gospel, ragtime and African tunes, propel the action with musical direction by Nygel D. Robinson and direction and choreography by Todd L. Underwood, scenic design by Cully Long and costumes and wigs by Elizabeth A. Taylor.
For tickets ($60, senior $55, student $25), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at info@ivorytonplayhouse.org. Performances are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Come cheer on Celie in her glorious triumph of four decades over adversities, with the healing power of love, as she soars to become all she was destined to be.
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