Uh, Fantasia in "The Color Purple"

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:23am

Yesterday I went to go see the touring production of "The Color Purple" in Los Angeles. My expectations were fairly high, since I had seen the Broadway production in previews and loved it...then I saw the poster of Fantasia. Her hair is bleached and she looks really excited in a very fake way and about ready to take a dump. I've read "The Color Purple" several times, treasure the movie and enjoyed the show...and that image never crossed my mind when I thought of Celie. I was suddenly more than a little worried.

When she appeared onstage (without the bleach job, thank God) she received a huge ovation from the audience (of course) and was fine for the first act...nothing spectacular but nothing horrible either.

But then, when the second act was winding down, something phenomenal happened...something I have never seen in a musical before. When the time came for her to sing the show's penultimate song, "I'm Here," a ballad meant to show Celie's full acceptance of herself and that she doesn't need anyone to complete her, she created one of, if not the, most unforgettable moment I've ever experienced in theatre. I've seen probably fifty Broadway musicals and countless community and off-Broadway shows, but I have never seen a performer be so emotionally raw onstage before.

For those three-and-change minutes, you could not take your eyes off Fantasia. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, her voice shook with emotion and she had to stop herself briefly more than once to collect herself before moving on. It was almost as if, and hopefully you'll pardon me for being melodramatic for a moment, she invested every ounce of her being into bringing that melody to life...and she did it in a way that left me in awe. As she held the final note of the song, the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation and I almost thought she was about to faint. She rushed offstage quickly and returned in the next scene with a kleenex in her hand.

It was startling, heartbreaking, beautiful and oh-so-haunting at the same time.

The song itself isn't the best in the show, but what Fantasia did with was unforgettable. I have NEVER seen an actor invest himself or herself so much into a performance...a moment...a song before. I will never forget those few precious moments onstage where I was no longer looking at a performer regurgitating well-reheased songs, but a person tapping into something raw and beautiful.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:39am

Fantasia needs to copy this and make her agent put it on every poster and in ever playbill for this show.

I haven't seen the show but now I kinda want to.

[rjjn]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:45am

I felt the same way! I saw the tour back when it was at the Kennedy Center (when she joined the cast), and I'm sure she's improved a lot since then as well!

[Sean2]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 4:13am

Thank you so much for sharing that -- what an amazing thing to experience, and I'm grateful you're able to share it so beautifully.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 11:28am

I love those moments and the fact that you never know where you'll have one.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 11:30am

I really hated this musical when I saw it the first time, but heard such good things about 'Tasia that I went back when she went in and actually really loved it. Turns out that a truly great performance can compensate for an absolutely dreadful show.

[californiasnow]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 12:25pm

I was there on Sunday as well, and I completely agree. There was something very elemental (is that even a word?) about Fantasia's performance. She inhabited that character rather than acted it. She was totally believable as a 14 year old girl, all the way to the 60 year old woman she is at the end of the show. After seeing her in the show, I have no desire to see anyone else do the role. It was that definitive of a performance. I also loved Felicia P. Fields as Sofia. Of course, the role does not require anywhere near the depth required for Celie, but I really found her to be fantastic in the role, and a great comedienne. The show isn't perfect, but I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 12:35pm

"Yesterday I went to go see the touring production of "The Color Purple" in Los Angeles."

On a Monday? The show closed on Sunday.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:07pm

"She inhabited that character rather than acted it."

Therein lies the dilemma. With no formal training or years of theatrical experience she has almost no ability to conserve, maintain and ration herself in a way that allows her to complete her contract or guarantee she can complete an entire run. It's the same reason "Dancer In The Dark" made Bjork lose her mind and have a break down because she was unskilled in acting and "became" Selma.

Kenita Miller on the other hand delivered the good as Celie on every level from child to woman with a stunning voice and primal emotion. To me, that is more satisfying than a shot in the dark.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:22pm

Check the time zones. It wasn't midnight in LA when I posted it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:27pm

"Posted On:3/2/10 at 01:23"

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 1:28pm

Which is 10:23 p.m. in L.A. Still March 1. Still a Monday. Updated On: 3/2/10 at 01:28 PM

[broadwayboy987]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 8:03pm

I saw it twice in LA (both with no U/S' 2/10 and 2/27) and I definitely agree that the way she does that song is so emotional and just so amazing. I love the entire show, and thought that Fantasia was fantastic throughout the whole thing but I guess that is just my opinion.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 8:11pm

Kenita Miller's performance was sleep-inducing. I absolutely agree with those in this thread- 'Tasia was magnificent. I went in to the show expecting to hate her, but she blew me away.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 8:23pm

Apparently Tasia's performance is sleep-inducing too. After she performs it for 6 shows, she needs to sleep through the next 3 or 4.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 8:52pm

Great post, Robert Taylor. Thanks for sharing it.

[vlegra]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 9:19pm

I Agree 100% with Bettyboy72... Kenita Miller was just great as Celie and she was able to maintain her self on stage. The song is about acceptance of your self and not crying all on stage about your life. I think Kenita Miller did just that and I loved seeing her on stage When she came down to Miami

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/2/10 at 9:47pm

"Which is 10:23 p.m. in L.A. Still March 1. Still a Monday."

Like, I do math?!

You are asking a lot from me.