THE COLOR PURPLE Previews- Page 10

[Broadwaystar2]

Posted: 11/24/15 at 1:37am

Saw this again tonight with a full house. A few changes have been made. I think for the better. New changes in the Shug Avery number. Jennifer Hudson is really finding her place now I feel. Cynthia Erivo received a standing ovation mid show after singing "I'm Here". The audience was very invested in what was going on. Barely a dry eye in the house by the end. I also think they fixed the sound issue. It sounds less tinny as it did before. I can't wait to see it once it finally opens. I think its in a very good place considering it's still in previews. I think John Doyle has done an excellent job with questionable material.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 6:50am

Just posting after a brief trip to NY where I was fortunate enough to have tickets to last Friday's performance.  I had been blown away by the production at the Menier and very interested to see how this had taken up a new life on Broadway, particularly having read everyone's comments on the Board.

 

Firstly, the set.  The Menier was, as here, stripped wood and chairs on pegs.  However, the audience was seated on three sides.  This made for a real intimacy (but one drawback being the inability to hide your tears from those sitting opposite) and I was keen to see how that would translate to a bigger house.  I felt that Doyle managed this perfectly and what it lost in intimacy, the height of the set added something very special to the production.  The more functional/practical aspects of the chairs at the Menier were maintained, but I felt they also worked on a very different level here.  Reaching up to the heavens, they spoke of the ages, ancestors, family, memory and the passing of time; generations of Celies have sat on those chairs and lived and worked and struggled and now, here she is - the representation of all those who had gone before her.

 

This production represents Doyle at his best - everything created and suggested before us.  Sheets, baskets and chairs taking on different lives; everything else stripped away to leave these characters telling their story.   Nettie, present at key moments keeps the focus on sisterhood, memory and connection which then, of course, makes the final moments of the show overwhelming.

 

Regarding the performances, this is truly a company show.  Doyle gives everyone their moment; every single member of the cast makes their impression - and the vocals were wonderful.  I really liked Hudson; for a Broadway debut, this is an excellent vehicle.  She makes an impact without having the responsibility of carrying the show.  Whilst not a great actress, her throwaway delivery served the character well and she is given the opportunity to show off that voice whilst maintaining great control.  This cast must give her great confidence; she is given a very safe place to fall and I really think she will learn and grow.  I was moved by Danielle Brooks; excellent timing and a real honesty to her performance. She was genuinely overcome by the audience reaction at the curtain.  

 

However, the evening really belongs to Erivo.  She gives a sensational central performance taking everyone on her incredibly emotional journey. I found her performance literally overwhelming.  Honest, raw, layered and with a true ability to connect with and hold an audience.  There were moments when the audence held our collective breath.  Vocally she is sensational - I have never heard a reaction mid-song like that to the simple line, 'I'm beautiful'.  The wall of sound that went up at that point let her know she was just that - and the tears flowed.  This is a peformance that has to be seen and treasured.  To have seen her at the Menier was a joy; to have seen her on Broadway - a privilege.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 10:12am

[Brick]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 1:52pm

I'm so pleased to see the numbers for this have started strong, because I don't think I can get over to see it for a couple months. And this production sounds stunning. Even their performances on talk shows have moved me - and how often does THAT happen?

[indytallguy]

Posted: 11/25/15 at 1:58pm

pattifan2 said: "I found her performance literally overwhelming.  Honest, raw, layered and with a true ability to connect with and hold an audience.  There were moments when the audience held our collective breath.  Vocally she is sensational - I have never heard a reaction mid-song like that to the simple line, 'I'm beautiful'.  The wall of sound that went up at that point let her know she was just that - and the tears flowed.  This is a performance that has to be seen and treasured.  To have seen her at the Menier was a joy; to have seen her on Broadway - a privilege.

"

Agree with this about Erivo 100%. She is simply embodying Celie within an inch of her life. Stupendous performance.

[teddy1996]

Posted: 11/26/15 at 12:27am

I would love to see this. It looks great!!!

[prosec34]

Posted: 11/26/15 at 6:13pm

I saw it yesterday. I was blown away. Erivo's performance was stunning. Hudson can sing the phone book.

We'd seen the original show twice on tour, and this version was better. The minimalist set focuses you on the characters and story.

BTW, I rushed for a Wednesday show. Arrived about 8:30 and there were maybe a dozen people ahead. I asked for box seats, and they gave me a pair. If you get the seats up against the rail, there's minimal being blocked out. The seats right behind that, it's a worse problem. Otherwise you're sitting right on top of talent that will blow you away.

 

 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 2:02am

I was looking through my Spotify and found an album of Ervio singing Scot Alan Song's (They must have been written for her? One says "the purple lights of Broadway" ...?) And she sings with some man who is both beautiful and beautifully voiced. I have to say, vocally, she's got a gorgeous voice but it's unique enough to stand on its own. However, in performance she's breathtaking. I think that's a great quality. That you need the whole package to truly understand how great her work is.

[edcrum]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 9:56am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_I698n2O_Q

Here is a link to her singing one of her own songs.  Beautiful.

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 11/27/15 at 10:25am

The final reprise of the song "the color purple" does Celie still sing the lead solo of the song or did they turn  it into a duet with Shug Avery? I am only asking because all of the promotional performances I have seen the two ladies are both singing the song as a duet.  

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 6:18pm

Not sure if this is true, but one of the shills near TKTS said they were shooting promotional B-Roll at tonight's show... FYI

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 9:50pm

Saw the evening performance last Saturday.

 

The whole show is already pretty tight.  They do their best with what amounts in some scenes to a very, very weak book.  That's not to say the message of the show or the performances are bad.  Hudson was given a bright spot for 'Push The Button' and ended things on a nice high belt.  It's clear they've worked with her on turning the song into a real showstopper, but she's still finding footing in being the sex symbol that Shug is characterized to be.  Other than that, she blends into the cast well.  Not standing out in an odd way and easily standing back to give Ervio the show.

 

Ervio is a gifted actress and a fantastic singer, but there was something off about the lead up to her big number.  I suppose I'm remembering LaChanze, who made such different choices with Celie.  Ervio sings her songs beautifully, but I wasn't as emotionally devastated as I remember feeling with LaChanze, Jeannette Bayardelle (Chicago company) or even Fantasia.  

 

Brooks was sensational as Sophia.  She landed the lines, she played the drama well and she sounded great.  It was a natural performance from a very gifted actress.  

 

Orchestra sounded great.  On a center aisle, about 5 rows back.  Nothing sounded piped in.  Rich and complex.  The simple set was perfect, as focusing on anything but the story and music would be a shame.

 

 

 

 

[Up In One]

Posted: 11/30/15 at 11:53pm

Saw The Color Purple Friday night, great performances all around especially from the actresses playing Celie and Sophia. Jennifer Hudson still has some work to do but her voice is magnificent. 

On one hand the show is amazingly restrained, the songs support or move forward the plot and no musical number becomes a show stopper just to stop the show. On the other hand you wished for more variety and a show stopper every once in a while. There is a sameness throughout. The book especially in the first act covers years of action. Sometimes years pass within a scene between a spoken line of dialogue. It's as if it's assumed we've read a more fleshed out version so we are in on the brevity and quickness that drives the show. That said it all seems to pay off at the end of the second act and the audience reacts as if they are fulfilled.

i enjoyed the night, sobbed a bit towards the end and cheered for the cast. I just wished there was more to the show.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 10:32pm

Lovely performance of The Color Purple on Good Morning America in case folks missed it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/1/15 at 10:58pm

 

That just makes me weep all over again.

 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:58am

See, I thought Brooks was the weakest link. Everything she did seemed the obvious choice. Her "marching" after Celie told Mister to "beat her" seemed so obvious and Acting 101 that I found it laughable compared the other natural performances happening around her. I actually thought her and Mister were the worst of the night. I felt nothing for them. 

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:55am

Just a quick question with regard to seating... What is the front row of the center orchestra for this production (and) is the stage high for this? Thanks! :)

[Broadwaystar2]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:36am

RippedMan said: "See, I thought Brooks was the weakest link. Everything she did seemed the obvious choice. Her "marching" after Celie told Mister to "beat her" seemed so obvious and Acting 101 that I found it laughable compared the other natural performances happening around her. I actually thought her and Mister were the worst of the night. I felt nothing for them. 

 

"You obviously haven't seen the show recently to say anything about anyone marching. Because there is no such marching. And I'm not sure what show you saw to say either of those 2 actors are the weakst link. You didn't say that 30 post ago. And now a sudden change? When's the last time you saw this? 

 

[Broadwaystar2]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 3:43am

RippedMan said: "Just back from this and I'm over the moon! 

 

First off, for those rushing, the box seats offer a fantastic view. It's a minimal set and minimal staging, so you really don't miss a ton. You might miss the depth of the stage - like when the ensemble stands along the back wall, but all in all it's a great seat at that price. 

 

I've never seen The Color Purple before. Never read the book, never seen the movie. And I was pretty intrigued by the whole thing. On one hand it did feel a little white-washed and clean for such a raw story, but at the same time to quote Whizzer "Celie just keeps her head down and plows through all the horrible abuse and injustices that befall" which is kind of what the show does? It just puts its head down and mentions it but doesn't dwell, which is why the catharsis at the end is so great. 

 

The standout is Cynthia hands down. She just nailed the whole damn thing. Her voice is just so strong and beautiful, and while she can riff with the best of them, she just has such a pure beautiful voice that suits the music. And her acting was insane. I kind of wish I could have seen her in Sister Act instead of Patina. While there is some stiff Tony competition, I'm pretty sure she nailed it. 

 

Hudson was interesting. Mind you it's only been a week of previews, but I think she'll get there. She needs to come up in like a blaze of glory and own the damn stage. She's got the presence and the audience is on her side. However, she never really lets loose and belts to the rafters like we know she can. She's controlled. Which is maybe her way of figuring out what she can do 8x a week. But her big solos, while beautifully sung, weren't the standouts. My friend commented that he wishes at the end during the curtain call she would just wail and sing, but it's not Shug's show. It's Celie's. So it's a weird balance. You want Hudson to own the show, but it's tough cause her numbers aren't really set up like that. Her duet with Celie is gorgeous, and her Push The Button is fine, but the show as directed here can't really sustain a production number. I mean, the fifteenth time we see someone swing a chair around it's like okay... 

 

Brooks was fine. She was giving me Orange is the New Black. Her "Hell No" was super shaky and made me nervous, but as the show went on she owned the part. 

 

I kind of love and kind of hate Doyle's direction. I found the same thing with The Visit. There's just moments of pure bliss - I loved how he made Nellie the mailbox at the beginning - but then some just super stagnant moments like Mister's Act 2 solo. I was waiting for the chairs to really pay off, and while I get the concept - they're all the memories of her past - they just weren't used as well as I thought they could have been. What if they had been hung closer together and people could have climbed them or sat on them, etc. And I don't get why Doyle doesn't use lighting at all? Everything is just a wash of white. You have these beautiful floorboards that could have light shining through them, etc. But he doesn't seem to want any theatrical magic at all. I was waiting for pretty stage pictures, but nothing. Hm. 

 

And whoever said the score was weak is entirely wrong. I loved pretty much every song, and there were so many weird and interesting harmonies. The lyrics aren't brilliant, but the characters aren't exactly Harvard educated. So it works. 

 

Overall I was really impressed and loved it and will probably go back later in the run.

 

 

 

"

Interesting you say Brooke's was the weakest link today. But here you say she "owned the part". You are laughable sir! 

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 8:39am

PalJoey said: " That just makes me weep all over again."

 

Me too, Pal Joey. Their voices are just glorious.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 1:19pm

This may be a stupid question, but do all the rush tickets go right when the box office opens? I thought I read on here that people were lined up relatively early...

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 2:01pm

I walked past the theater one day last week around 8:45-9:00 and there was a line of about 20 or so people.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 9:22pm

Nice NYT feature article on Hudson.  Apparently she said yes to being involved in the show without knowing which role.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/2/15 at 10:13pm

She is just wonderful. Lovely article. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/3/15 at 1:16am

Of the three leads, I think she's the weakest, yes. I'm not changing my mind, I just was on a high after seeing the show when I wrote the initial review. 

Right after Celie tells Harpo that he needs to beat his wife, Brooks does this like diagonal march towards her. It was very basic Acting 101. She was emoting instead of just being. I was just surprised since she went to Julliard. She does the same thing on Orange is the New Black, but people lover her, so whatever. I thought by the end of the show she did a commendable job. Her Act 2 duet is a lot of fun.