I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
#1I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 9:02am
Has there been a more joyous lyric or line of dialogue than the above this entire season?
I went back to The Color Purple last night to see Heather Headley, who is giving a knockout performance, and found myself in tears once again because of Erivo's performance. I have rarely seen an audience collectively so root for a character to succeed and find some happiness in life. The Easter dinner scene feels like a dam bursting on stage, with the water rushing over the audience in jubilant relief. Doyle has staged that scene so well with Celie standing on that chair upstage, towering over Albert and the other guests. Then we are treated to the bright colors of Miss Celie's Pants and Erivo flashes that big old smile at the audience and you can feel the tremors start shaking as we build to Shug and Celie's confrontation and I'm Here. It was my third time seeing the show and all three times there was a standing ovation after I'm Here.
The Tonys will probably be remembered this year for Hamilton's big sweep, but for me it will all be about watching Erivo win for one of my favorite performances I've EVER seen.
#2I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 9:05am
I am heading back to see it on June 5th. Amazing considering I didn't particularly like the original production. I was so choked up by the end that I had trouble speaking to one of my friend's in the cast after the show when I saw it in January (he was very sweet). The power of Cynthia's performance!! What a gift.
#3I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 9:17am
I'm glad you're going back and will get to see Headley. What Doyle did for this production is truly a revelation and it's a shame that this came in the same year as Hamilton or he would be picking up another Tony for direction.
I couldn't help but get choked up again last night too.
Also, it must be noted that Danielle Brooks is killing it as Sofia. Her entrance during Miss Celie's Pants gets one of the biggest hands of the night.
Broadway Forever2
Leading Actor Joined: 3/7/16
#4I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 9:22am
Cynthia's performance deserves all the accolades. She better win!!! i remember going to the show for Jennfier hudson and leaving in awe of Cynthia.
#5I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 10:37am
Thanks for the update.
I'm so glad this show just goes from strength to strength!
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#6I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 10:47am
It's a fantastic show. Erivo is giving one of the most beautiful and astonishing performances I've ever seen. Brooks is an absolute treasure.
If you haven't seen it yet, DO IT!
#7I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 10:53am
I'm going back in a few weeks to see Heather. But Good God, I hate this show. From the first preview in 2006, I've known it's a bad show. But it's also a WEIRD show, since a great performer can elevate the material and make you forget about the insane number of flaws that it has. I've said many times I consider the film to be one of the finest American films ever made and the book one of the greatest ever published. But so so so so so so so much of what makes those great is abandoned in this musical or adjusted until it no longer resembles what it "should" feel like.
But again, it's a musical where the performances can make you totally forget you're watching a DEEPLY flawed show.
#8I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:01am
Jordan Catalano said: "I'm going back in a few weeks to see Heather. But Good God, I hate this show. From the first preview in 2006, I've known it's a bad show. But it's also a WEIRD show, since a great performer can elevate the material and make you forget about the insane number of flaws that it has. I've said many times I consider the film to be one of the finest American films ever made and the book one of the greatest ever published. But so so so so so so so much of what makes those great is abandoned in this musical or adjusted until it no longer resembles what it "should" feel like.
But again, it's a musical where the performances can make you totally forget you're watching a DEEPLY flawed show."
Can you expand upon the flaws you're talking about? While I don't think it's a perfect show by any means, I think this revival is truly remarkable! I'd love to hear your criticisms as it's hard for me to find many...
#9I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:01am
Jordan Catalano said: "I'm going back in a few weeks to see Heather. But Good God, I hate this show. From the first preview in 2006, I've known it's a bad show. But it's also a WEIRD show, since a great performer can elevate the material and make you forget about the insane number of flaws that it has. I've said many times I consider the film to be one of the finest American films ever made and the book one of the greatest ever published. But so so so so so so so much of what makes those great is abandoned in this musical or adjusted until it no longer resembles what it "should" feel like.
But again, it's a musical where the performances can make you totally forget you're watching a DEEPLY flawed show."
Can you expand upon the flaws you're talking about? While I don't think it's a perfect show by any means, I think this revival is truly remarkable! I'd love to hear your criticisms as it's hard for me to find many...
#10I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:06am
Hey, Whizzer, where were you seated last night?
#11I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:10am
I've seen it twice. I'm sure I'll go back again.
#12I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:18am
I kind of agree with Jordan Catalano on the show's flaws, but the performances do elevate the material and they are what keeps me going back, will be going for the fourth time soon!
#13I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:26am
Little Sally, I went with TDF and was in the rear orchestra.
#14I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:39am
WhizzerMarvin said: "Little Sally, I went with TDF and was in the rear orchestra."
Thanks for the info Whizzer! I'm seeing the show tonight - for the first time, can't wait! - through TDF and hoping to have comparable seats.
#15I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 11:43am
I saw it from the rear mezz the first two times and enjoyed the stage pictures from up there a lot, but it was nice to have a different perspective last night in the orchestra. I hope you enjoy the show tonight!
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#16I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 1:51pm
LOOOOVED it, and am deeply considering catching Heather! (I did really like the original, too.)
#17I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 1:56pm
Very much agreed, Jordan. The skeleton of the story is basically indestructable, which is what the performers are bringing out in this production, but what a terribly weak adaptation.
indytallguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/08
#18I may be poor. I may be black. I may be ugly. But I'm Here!
Posted: 5/13/16 at 5:27pm
Damn you Whizzer for making me release a flood of tears on the train just reading your post and thinking back on the nuanced body language shifts in Erivo's performance and they communicated so much joy. Let alone that incredibly soaring voice. And I immediately could recall the burst of laughter at "Let's just be friends" near the end of the second act.
I think ScaryWarhol is right that the skeleton is indestructible. Doyle has done amazing work getting down to those bones and then letting an amazing cast soar with them.
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