When I entered the William Saroyan Theatre on Dec. 7, I had absolutely no idea what The Color Purple was even about. But, as I experienced the musical, presented by Fresno Lexus and Broadway in Fresno from Dec. 7-8, I was blown away by the depth and musical caliber of the play.
The performance began with two young African-American sisters playing a hand-clapping game underneath a tree near their childhood home. They are then called to church by their harsh father’s (Mark Hall) voice in the distance.
When they arrive at the traditional Southern gospel church, the audience learns that the eldest daughter, Celie (Dayna Jarae Dantzler), is pregnant with her father’s child. As a result, the whole church is abuzz with gossip about the family.
After giving birth to a little boy named Adam (Julius C. Carter), Celie’s father steals the child away to give him to another family.
The scene then changes to show Celie and her sister Nettie (Traci Allen) in their father’s store, a few months in the future. The young sisters are talking about Nettie’s future dreams of being a teacher and Celie’s aspirations to become a good housewife. But, despite these dreams, Nettie and Celie are separated when Celie is forced into an abusive marriage with Mister (Edward C. Smith).
It is in this household where she meets Sofia (Pam Trotter), who tells her she needs to stand up for herself by telling her husband, “Hell no.” She also meets the infamous showgirl, Shug Avery (Taprena Augustine), who becomes Celie’s love interest. In addition, Shug informs Celie of letters that Nettie has been writing to her which Mister had been hiding.
Through these letters, Celie finds out that her sister has become a missionary in Africa with the family that had adopted Celie’s children.
After finding these lost letters, Celie leaves her home with Mister and starts a new life with Shug. While living with Shug, Celie receives a phone call telling her that her father has passed on and that she has inherited her childhood home and family business.
Celie then returns home and becomes an entrepreneur of a new pants-making business. This profession helps to mend relationships that have been broken in Celie’s past by making her come in contact with them in the business world.
The musical ends with a beautiful prayer that mirrors the invocation muttered by Celie at the opening of the show, displaying the power of prayer that was emphasized by all characters throughout the performance.
The Color Purple truly exceeded my expectations. I was blown away by the presentation of this moving story, as the actors portrayed the characters perfectly.
Strong leading actors paved the way for the whole of the story. Without these powerful players, the lines would not have been hard-hitting, and the plot would have just hung limply instead of living and breathing as it seemed to do.
Every singer — from the minor characters, such as the church ladies, to Celie and Nettie — had a voice that carried from the very back of the stage to the highest balcony seats. The voices were dynamic and fit the characters’ personalities to perfection.
The one thing that disappointed me was the poor portrayal of the 40 years that allegedly span the story. The only indication of the passing eras was the costume changes.
Though the sets were one-dimensional, the actors utilized the space by creating levels through their movement. The performers made use of the entire depth of the stage instead of just the width that is normally used.
I was blown away by the overall emotional effect that the story portrayed. I never believed that this play would touch my heart, but when it was over, I reflected on my life and wanted to go home and hug my sister. The Color Purple successfully presented a moving story with exceptional acting and singing; it is definitely a musical worth seeing.
For more information on The Color Purple and its touring schedule, visit the show’s website.
Upcoming performances at the Saroyan Theatre include Legally Blonde — The Musical, Feb. 1-2, and Monty Python’s Spamalot, March 2-3. For more information on tickets and showtimes, visit SaroyanTheater.TheSeats.com, or call the theater at 800.745.3000.
For more drama reviews, read the Dec. 8 article, ‘Wonderful Life’ heralds holiday season.
