The Color Purple Tickets

About the Show:

Based on Alice Walker's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel and Steven Spielberg's moving film of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, The Color Purple is a deeply moving musical. It tells the story of a woman who struggles to find strength despite a terribly unfortunate set of circumstances, and celebrates the power of love to lift the spirits and bring people together. The score, infused with jazz, ragtime, gospel, and blues, truly highlights the story's emotional impact and moves audiences both to tears and to their feet. Nominated for eleven Tony Awards, The Color Purple has been recognized for its artistic beauty and provocative story. Check out the schedule today and get your The Color Purple tickets for a true emotional journey (you might want to bring a box of tissues).

Plot Synopsis:

The story starts on a Sunday morning in an African-American neighborhood in 1909 rural Georgia. 14 year-old Celie is pregnant for the second time. As she, her sister, Nettie, and their Pa are sitting in church, she goes into labor. When she has given birth, her Pa takes the baby and says he is going to get rid of it like he did with the last one, and he warns her not to tell anybody what has happened. Celie prays and asks God for guidance in her hard life.

Several years later, a farmer, Mister, comes around looking for a new wife since the mother of his children has died. He has his eyes set on the beautiful Nettie, but Pa says she is too young and has ambitions of being a school teacher. Mister reluctantly takes the homely Celie instead, since she "works like a man." Celie and Nettie are torn apart, but vow to be with each other always. Unfortunately, Mister puts Celie immediately to work in his household, taking care of his children and constantly doing manual labor. He doesn't allow her to leave the house or even get the mail.

Mister's son, Harpo, grows up under Celie's care and soon brings home the formidable Sofia, and they are married. Once he tires of being bossed around by his proud wife, he takes Mister's and Celie's advice and attempts to beat her to make her listen. But Sofia will not be dominated, and she beats Harpo instead and takes her children and leaves him, confronting Celie on her way out and advising her to escape her abusive marriage. Celie, however, can't find the strength to leave.

Once Sofia is gone, Harpo fulfills his dream of building a juke joint, and Mister's old girlfriend, the sexy singer Shug Avery, comes to town to perform. When she arrives, she is sick, so Mister orders Celie to nurse her back to health. In the process, Celie begins to feel loving feelings for the first time and the women form an intimate bond. When Shug finds letters from Nettie that Mister has been hiding, Celie finally finds comfort in knowing she is still alive, but she is still stuck in Mister's cruel grasp. Will Celie be able to find the self-confidence and courage to break free? Get your Color Purple tickets today and join her on her journey.

Run Time:

2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission

Advisory:

Appropriate for teens and older (sexuality, violence)

Awards:

• 2006 Tony Awards: 11 nominations, 1 win
• 2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards: 5 nominations

Creative Team:

Original Author	Alice Walker
Book	Marsha Norman
Music/Lyrics	Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray
Director	Gary Griffin
Choreographer	Donald Byrd
Set Design	John Lee Beatty
Costume Design	Paul Tazewell
Sound Design	Craig Cassidy

Cast:

US Tour
Celie	Dayna Jarae Dantzler
Sofia	Pam Trotter
Shug Avery	Taprena Augustine
Mister	Edward C. Smith
Harpo	Cameron J. Ross
Nettie	Traci Allen
Squeak	Allison Semmes

The Color Purple News:

February 24, 2008	The Color Purple's run on Broadway has officially ended, but it's still on tour! See it in a city near you!
December 1, 2005	The Color Purple opened on Broadway!