“The big, bountiful musical colored your life into purple”

Color purple is a musical which can take your breath away. It’s based upon the novel “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker. The world premiere of the musical was showcasted in the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta. With music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, Color purple contained 19 amazing songs. A national tour of "The Color Purple" began on the 17th of April, 2007 and starting at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The result of it was that the proceeds were $ 1 million per week for the first half of the engagement. After that this magnificent show has been showcasted in San Francisco, California.

Greensboro - Fantasia Barrino will appear this season on the scene in a touring production of the hit musical Color Purple. Theater-goers will be able to see American Idol Season 3 winner replay her starring role of Celie at The Arie Crown Theater for one week only, September 2 - 6, 2009. Barrino takes part the leading role of Celie in the musical play. She made her Broadway debut in that role in 2007.

Could you believe that nobody heard about Oprah Winfrey in 1985? Do you know that she was paid a reported $35,000 to play Sofia, a strong-willed woman who marries Celie's stepson and leaves after he mistreats her. After that the musical brought to the 32-year-old Winfrey an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. This was the beging of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and she began to act (“Native Son”), do TV gigs (“Saturday Night Live”) and produce movies (“The Women of Brewster Place”).

The Broadway production of musical has been nominated for 11 Tony awards in 2006. The musical was so successful that it has grossed over $ 103 million to date. In 2006 Elisabeth Withers-Mendes and Felicia P. Fields were nominated for Theatre World Award. But these are not the only reward that were taken by the musical. It was nominated for “The Best Musical Album”. There was excellent feedback for the physical production: for the sets (John Lee Beatty), lights (Brian MacDevitt) and costumes which were in vivid urban spices (Paul Tazewell).

With a striking ability the leading part of Celie has been played by Jeannette Bayardelle, Kenita R. Miller,and from April 2007 to January 2008 Fantasia Barrino. The original Broadway production starred LaChanze as Celie, Brandon Victor Dixon as Harpo, Felicia P. Fields as Sofia, Renée Elise Goldsberry as Nettie, Kingsley Leggs as Mister, Krisha Marcano as Squeak, and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes as Shug Avery.

"Purple" stage adaptor Marsha Norman said that the key to successfully turning every part of pop culture into another form is not to re-create the original, but to relate your own story, to create something new, something unique. He claimed that this Broadway musical can make people feel better than when they arrived.

I promise you that if you watch this Musical you will never forget it.