Finally Saw The Color Purple...

On Wednesday I got Rush Tickets for The Color Purple. Five of my friends and I ended up getting front row seats and I had such an amazing experience. Fantasia was nothing short of a revelation. I had no idea that not only she could tear the roof off the place vocally like that, but her acting was incredible. I would have never have believed this was her Broadway debut.

The overall show was really good. The entire cast did a spectacular job. The highlights definitely included Natasha Yvette Williams who played Sophia and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes who is the original Shug Avery. But everyone held their own. The story is beautiful with great music.

We also caught the evening performance of The Drowsy Chaperone, but that show was kind of dull, especially compared to The Color Purple.

Just out of curiosity, what time did you get to the box office that morning?

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I got to the box office at around 7:30 and me and my friends were like the 8th or 9th people in line.

I think the music to THE COLOR PURPLE is gorgeous, but most of the lyrics are horrendous. The fact that the actors have such fantastic voices makes the listening experience less painful. I love this show. I've seen it six times, and it's never gotten old. The only time I would say it was slow was the one performance I went to when Elisabeth Withers-Mendes was out. She has been the heart and soul of that production from the beginning and I'm so thrilled that she is still in it.

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"There's no comparison between Drowsy and TCP."

I agree with you, TCP is way overwritten and therefore much too long. They could have cut at least 45 minutes from that show. I have no desire to ever see it again.

I think that Matthew Murray said it best in his review:

"But a certain cluelessness pervades almost every aspect of the show. The first big number, "Mysterious Ways," needs more revival-meeting fervor if it's to jump-start the show with energy instead of plot. (It prominently features a trio of gossipy biddies, apparently on loan from the "Pick-a-Little" chorus of a colorblind mounting of The Music Man.) Elisabeth Withers-Mendes isn't charismatic enough for the crucial role of Shug Avery, the open-hearted singer who alters the course of Celie's love life. The first act ends with one of the least surprising surprises in musical theatre history; the second act begins with an endless and frustrating African sequence that does nothing but add 20 minutes to an already bloated evening.

These are neophytes' mistakes, somewhat understandable given the songwriters' nonexistent musical theatre experience. Like Joseph Brooks, whose In My Life still limps along at the Music Box, they're pop songwriters, though Brooks's musical voice generates songs of more unique distinction than anything here. Most seem at best fragmented and unfinished, as though ripped apart and reassembled in the wrong order, with only one jaunty number (the second act's "Miss Celie's Pants") narratively satisfying. Norman, with plenty of theatre experience and awards to her credit, does better with her book, though it's little more than barely connected wisps of dialogue that lend little theatricality to a production constantly craving it.

Griffin doesn't help in that regard - he's directed a number of notable Encores! concerts in which he made entertaining somethings out of nothings, here he makes nothing from Walker's quite imposing something. The show has a look, but that's the work of the ever-reliable John Lee Beatty, whose sets are drenched in rich hues and apparently inspired by woodcuts and period postcards, and Paul Tazewell, whose provides fine period costumes. But the lights (Brian MacDevitt), orchestrations (Jonathan Tunick), musical direction (Kevin Stites), and choreography (Donald Byrd) blithely suggest the waning days of disco, with Griffin hardly dissuading them."

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Updated On: 8/25/07 at 10:13 PM

Actually I think the exact opposite. Before Fantasia was in it - it was so boring. They actually picked up the pace in the the 2nd act dance scene. And Fantasia is getting all the laughs - she is very funny.

If you haven't seen it with Fantasia in it you havent really seen it. It moves at a nice pace now.

jay I completely agree with you about Drowsy Chaperone being dull compared to The Color Purple. I really need to see Fantasia. I love Elisabeth too.

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Please do yourself a favor and see Fantasia. Plus Fantasia and Elisabeth have such great chemistry.

I will admit that I thought the 2nd act did drag at a few parts, but all in all, it is a great show.

Where are you now and how long will you be away? Any other shows you recommend, Obsessed?

What's happened to DROWSY?

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Wow- thats funny - I much prefer Elizabeth to Angela. In fact -Angela turned me off. She played the part much too vulgar - where as with Elizabeth and Fantasia you see a real friendship. Its much more chemistry and heartwarming with them. But like you said - to each his own.

Adriane Lenox was shug?

yeah, I just read about Adriane doing the show in that Broadway.com interview- I wouldve loved to see her do it
The one time I did see THE COLOR PURPLE was with Angela, and I really liked her, I thought she was very pretty, had a strong voice, and did a nice job with the acting scenes
But I need to wait until I see Elisabeth to really judge, but for someone only having seen Angela in the role, I thought she was marvelous.

But yeah, I definitely need to try and see it with Fantasia this fall.

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She acutally didn't choose to leave "The Color Purple". Out of all the principles the producers wanted to go a different direction for the roles of Shug and Nettie. Nettie was orginally performed by Saycon Sengbloh(Wicked,Rent, Aida). Ms. Lenox was pretty good in the role but Elisabeth gave it more life and sex appeal. But it ended up being a good move cause she got a Tony Award.