It’s easy to see what attracted Aurora Theatre to the musical “The Color Purple.” A splashy, crowd-pleasing production, it’s also Georgia-based, and Aurora Producing Artistic Director Ann-Carol Pence said the show utilizes entirely local actors. Directed by Candy McLellan-Davison, this version — opening the company’s 29th season — may not be vintage Aurora Theatre, but it’s certainly a sturdy, well-crafted start.
Written by Alice Walker, “The Color Purple” is the story of Celie (Amitria Fanae’), who lives with her husband, Mister (Adam Washington), in early 20th century rural Georgia. Mister abuses Celie and eventually runs off her sister, Nettie (Jasmine Renee Ellis). Years later, Celie finds love with singer Shug Avery (Tiffany Denise Hobbs), as well as the determination to stand on her own. She also realizes that Nettie is still alive. “The Color Purple” is very much about the strength of women overcoming adversity, including Sofia (Shena Renee), whose independence is initially taken away after she is arrested due to a confrontation with the mayor’s wife.
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Few projects have roots in Georgia the way “The Color Purple” does. Walker’s 1982 novel takes place here and begot Steven Spielberg’s 1986 film, which was a box office hit and received 11 Oscar nominations. Yet, the film was denounced by some for being too pretty and for minimizing the love story between Celie and Shug. In 2004, “The Color Purple” became a stage musical, having its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in 2004 before making its Broadway bow a year later with LaChanze repeating the role of Celie and winning a Tony Award. A Broadway revival was mounted in 2015. Then came another film version last year, directed by Blitz Bazawule and based on the musical version, which was generally well-received but a box-office disappointment. It netted Georgia native Danielle Brooks an Oscar nomination as Sofia.
One of the challenges of staging “The Color Purple” is, while it’s a musical most everyone likes, it’s also material that most people have seen in some manner over the years, leaving indelible images. It may be impossible, for instance, to top Whoopi Goldberg’s definitive take on the character of Celie, yet there’s no disputing that LaChanze and later Fantasia (on Broadway and in the 2023 film) have dug out their own takes.
This is a very personal project for McLellan-Davison, one of my favorite local performers making her main-stage directorial debut. The first act has some uneven moments, but, by the final hour, it’s largely clicking into place. Overall, the show takes time to warm up and find its groove. Sometimes, too, what’s happening onstage is too busy, overwhelming its central focus where a simpler touch might have been more effective.
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
It’s when Hobbs’ Shug enters the picture that the production starts finding alignment and McLellan-Davison’s musical numbers better register. The director has been adamant in not backing away from the love story between Celie and Shug at the heart of the musical, and there’s poignancy as Celie goes through the ups and down of that relationship, her first true love.
The second act feels much more assured, opening with Nettie and Celie’s razor-sharp, continent-sprawling “African Homeland” after Celie has learned the truth about her sister and children.
The best performance in the large ensemble is that of Hobbs as Shug. She has a boisterous “Push Da Button” and also excels in quieter moments with Celie, such as their lovely duet in “What About Love?”
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Photo by Casey Gardner Ford
As Celie, Fanae’ seems — maybe intentionally — a bit too passive, but as the character ages literally before our eyes she becomes more of a presence. Not surprisingly, her finest moment is in her closing number, “I’m Here,” which is about the character’s self-acceptance and acknowledgment that she has persevered and gotten through so much. It’s a jarring theatrical experience, and Fanae’ owns it.
Besides amplifying the relationship between Celie and Shug, the musical tries, not as successfully, to humanize Mister, who is pretty one-dimensional in Spielberg’s film but here has more redeeming characteristics.
Few Atlanta theater companies stage musicals with the flair and passion that Aurora does. As always, the staging is first rate on a technical level. Costumes by Dr. L. Nyrobi N. Moss are sumptuous, and the choreography by Pytron Parker at times is distinctive and playful, as is the music direction by Pence.
While this new version of “The Color Purple” may not rise to the heights of other classic Aurora productions, it eventually does Alice Walker — and the musical’s superb score — proud.
THEATER REVIEW
“The Color Purple”
Through Sept. 15 at Aurora Theatre. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. $16-$89. Lawrenceville Arts Center, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222, auroratheatre.com
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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