Alice Walker’s hometown celebrates production of ‘The Color Purple’

“Bringing ‘The Color Purple’ to Eatonton was a process that involved significant community engagement and vision,” said the musical’s director Rashawd Ford.

“For many years, Eatonton may not have had the resources or infrastructure to host large-scale productions, but with the growth of The Plaza Arts Center and the shift toward more community-driven initiatives, this gap was finally bridged.”

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

Susan Usry, the Center’s executive director, said the long process of bringing “The Color Purple” to Eatonton began with the center’s intensive summer youth training program. She said many of its participants enjoyed the program so much they wanted to extend their participation beyond the program’s allotted period of time.

“Each year, we’ve had to bump the age one more year because they don’t want to leave,” Usry said in an interview, adding that many students were specifically interested in directing.

The Plaza developed the Young Director Series as a solution for coming-of-age artists who wanted to continue their work without necessarily leaving Eatonton. Ford happened to be one of the students who eventually found himself in the directors’ program.

“The Plaza Arts Center provided the perfect platform for me to hone my craft, and it remains an essential part of my development as a director and artist,” Ford said. “It’s a place that allowed me to nurture my love for the theatre, and, more importantly, to give back to the community by fostering opportunities for local talent.”

Ford credits The Plaza for helping him develop his artistry and for moving forward with his idea to produce “The Color Purple.”

He also spearheaded the idea of producing “The Color Purple.”

“As an Eatonton native, I felt a deep connection to the themes of the ‘The Color Purple,’ especially considering the significance of its setting,” Ford said.

“I was able to honor my roots and contribute to the cultural growth of my hometown. It was an opportunity to bring a story with such strong ties to African American culture, history and literature to a community that could deeply benefit from its messages of strength, love and survival.”

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

Usry said it was critical that the Young Director series’ pilot production be something that connected to and with the people of Eatonton.

“What we wanted to do was bring some diversity into The Plaza. We wanted it to be something that had meaning to this community,” Usry explained.

“We worked for it to be an outstanding production, but you don’t know what you get until you have opening night.”

“The Color Purple” opened Feb. 20 to a bustling auditorium that once served as a segregated grammar school for white children.

Today, well over a century old, the building now welcomes integrated audiences for diverse storytelling.

Before the musical began, a previously filmed video of Walker was screened for the audience. The author praised the Eatonton cast and crew for “making sure community means something.”

“I think it will be very good medicine for the people,” she said.

Melissa Swindell, the executive director of the Georgia Writers Museum, said the energy of opening night was a necessary delight for the community.

“For the community to be able to start breaking barriers like this, and for The Plaza to be as welcoming as they were, and for the community to embrace everything that they did across the color line, I think it’s just phenomenal,” Swindell added.

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

Credit: Courtesy of The Plaza Arts Center (Eatonton, Ga.)

“It’s been incredible to see a diverse audience come together at The Plaza Arts Center to experience ‘The Color Purple.’ Many people who wouldn’t normally attend shows have been drawn to this production,” Ford said.

Ford, who got to collaborate with Walker during his directorial debut, said he enjoyed working with the author because of her immense “passion for themes of liberation, self-discovery and love.”

“I hope that in the aftermath of this production, there’s a lasting interest in live theatre in our community,” he said.

“Additionally, I hope that it empowers people to see theatre as a tool for reflection, connection and transformation, fostering an appreciation for the arts long after the curtain falls.”

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