The Color Purple, adapted from the 1982 book by Alice Walker, has a lot of ground to cover in very little time but manages to do so with entertaining grace and a lot of the passion that drove the novel.

Gary Griffin directs this powerful story of Celie, a woman mistreated by every man in her life who finds her inner strength over a span of forty years of social and sexual awakening. LaChanze, an elegant woman that has toned down her beauty for this stage, is perfect for the role of Celie. While her character has been beaten down at every stage of her life, sexually abused by both her father and husband, LaChanze captures her character’s inner dignity that struggles to break free.

Another gem is Elisabeth Withers-Mendes in the role of Shug Avery, sometime mistress of Celie’s abusive husband and a hedonistic saloon entertainer. Her sympathetic yet stark portrayal of a rather self-absorbed, beautiful woman who uses men-and women-for her own ends allows the audience to appreciate Shug’s humanity despite her devious ways.

There is ugliness in this story as well as indescribable beauty. Racial violence, rape and domestic abuse are integral and necessary parts of this story of a woman’s journey toward self knowledge and emotional independence as well as triumph over the tragedies of life in an era of racial prejudice and unreasoning hatred. It is a story as much about the women who help awaken Celie to her true potential as it is about Celie. It is from her adventurous sister Nettie, her stepdaughter-in-law Sofia and Shug that Celie learns that she is so much more than someone’s abused daughter or despised wife.

The sets of this production are lush, realistic and believable. The songs fit seamlessly into the story and the choreography is electrifyingly energetic. The Color Purple tickets are available at Yaytickets.com, as is the performance schedule.

The Color Purple Tickets
Broadway Theatre, New York, New York
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