NCT's The Color Purple Is Infectious and Unforgettable

The North Carolina Theatre will present The Color Purple, choreographed by Christopher Betts and starring Brené "Bre"
Jackson as Celie, Nicole Henry as Shug Avery, Frenchie Davis as Sofia, and Akron Watson as Mister, on April 22, 23, and
25-30 in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh

Alice Walker's 1982 novel, The Color Purple, first made its mark on the world as a book that won the 1983 National Book Award and the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Three years later, in 1985, it was made into a critically acclaimed film. And, 20 years after that, it opened as a Broadway musical, with a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

This story has lived many lives, and yet it still has the power to touch audiences, a fact that's more than evident from the North Carolina Theatre's current production of The Color Purple, onstage now through Sunday, April 30th, in the intimate A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.

Sharaé Moultrie (left) and Bré Jackson star as Nettie and Celie (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

The NCT production, directed and choreographed by Christopher Betts and co-choreographed by Mya King, spans more than 30 years in the life of the story's heroine, Celie (played by Brené "Bre" Jackson), and plays out against a simple but sturdy rustic wooden set. That set is a nice metaphor for Celie herself. She is a character who has faced many hardships, weathered each one, and somehow, against all odds, manages to stand strong.

Of course, as anyone familiar with the story knows, that strength is hard-won. In fact, the play's first act is a sorrowful one, though Celie's indefatigable kindness and hopeful spirit, as well as the script's gentle humor, helps take the edge off. Viewers watch as Celie is abused, first by her stepfather (Moses T. Alexander Greene) and then by her husband, Mister (Akron Watson). Soon after, she is separated from her sister Nettie, played to sweet perfection by a gentle-faced Sharaé Moultrie. And, though Celie's sad plight continues, she still manages to hold onto her dreams and even find a little love along the way.

That love encompasses the indomitable Sofia, played with great humor and aplomb by Frenchie Davis; Celie's stepson Harpo, charmingly portrayed by Matt Manuel; and the sultry, sensual Shug Avery (Nicole Henry). As these characters move in and out of Celie's life, she learns and grows through observation, through touch, and through her own relentless quest for self-love and identity.

Nicole Henry stars as Mister's former flame, Shug (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

Bre Jackson handles this emotionally charged role with ease, creating a perfect Celie that viewers root for, feel for, and cry for. From delivering Celie's mournful prayers to making her character stand straight, strong, and proud, she never loses touch with the dreams and determination that drive and define this unforgettable character. Indeed, her second act performance of "I'm Here" brought the audience to their feet at Saturday's opening-night performance, and rightfully so. Bre Jackson knows how to pack power and genuine feeling into every word and has a voice that rings loud, clear, and true.

Speaking of that second act, it offers up a total shift in mood and tone. While the first half is somber, the second positively bursts with joy, color, and a pervasive sense of motion, life, and energy. This is largely due to Christopher Betts' pristine staging. In his hands, these characters don't just move around the stage -- they own and dominate it. This same masterful sense of movement is also evident in his colorful, innovative choreography. So many musical numbers stand out in new ways thanks to his smooth choreo.

Crowd favorites include Shug Avery's "chair dance" and the fun, flashy moves that make up the "Miss Celie's Pants" number. And, when viewers aren't dazzled by dance, CJ Barnwell's tender, effective lighting touches add visual appeal, especially when they highlight Celie's face in "Too Beautiful for Words," delivered by an angel-voiced Nicole Henry. There's also gorgeous live music throughout, adding emotion in all the right places.

As the story reaches its promising, emotional ending, viewers will feel transformed by the beauty of the story, the production, and their surroundings. The A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater is small and cozy enough to provide an intimate, immersive experience. It's also heartwarming to look around and see the diverse crowd in attendance ... and the fact that everyone, regardless of age, color, gender, or anything else, is impacted by this production. It's obvious that an incredible amount of heart, spirit, and joy has gone into this show, making it an infectious, unforgettable night of theater that will live in viewers' hearts and heads long after the curtains close.

The Color Purple at NCT stars Akron Watson as Mister (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray, and Marsha Norman's THE COLOR PURPLE (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 25-30), based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker, directed and choreographed for NCT by Christopher Betts and co-choreographed by Mya King, with musical direction by Kailey Rockwell, and starring Brené "Bre" Jackson as Celie, Nicole Henry as Shug Avery, Frenchie Davis as Sofia, and Akron Watson as Mister (North Carolina Theatre in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh). DIGITAL PLAYBILL: https://issuu.com/northcarolinatheatre/docs/2023_tcp_01. VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/user/nctheatre. NCT NEWS RELEASE: https://issuu.com/northcarolinatheatre/docs/announcing_cast_and_creative_team_for_the_north_ca. 2022-23 SEASON: https://nctheatre.com/show-season/202021-season. THE PRESENTER: https://nctheatre.com/, https://www.facebook.com/nctheatre, https://www.instagram.com/nctheatre/, https://twitter.com/nctheatre, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Theatre, and https://www.youtube.com/user/nctheatre. THE VENUE: https://www.martinmariettacenter.com/venues, https://www.facebook.com/MMCRaleigh, https://www.instagram.com/mmcraleighnc/, https://twitter.com/MMCRaleigh, and https://www.youtube.com/@MMCRaleighNC. DIRECTIONS/PARKING: https://www.martinmariettacenter.com/getting-martin-marietta-center. ACCESSIBILITY: https://www.martinmariettacenter.com/accessibility-martin-marietta-center. KNOW-BEFORE-YOU-GO INFORMATION: https://www.martinmariettacenter.com/know-before-you-go-information. THE COLOR PURPLE (1982 novel and winner of the 1983 National Book Award and the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction): https://alicewalkersgarden.com/books/book-the-color-purple/, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/the-color-purple/, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Color-Purple, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_Purple. THE NOVEL (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. ALICE WALKER (Eatonton, GA-born writer, nee Alice Malsenior Walker): https://alicewalkersgarden.com/, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/alice-walker-b-1944/, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907504/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/alice-walker-398542, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alice-Walker, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Walker. THE COLOR PURPLE (1985 movie): https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/71239/the-color-purple#overview, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088939/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_Purple_(1985_film). THE COLOR PURPLE (2005 Broadway Musical): https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/the-color-purple/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/the-color-purple-398534, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_Purple_(musical). THE COLOR PURPLE (2023 movie musical): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1200263/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Color_Purple_(2023_film). NOTE: Arts Access, Inc. of Raleigh will audio-describe the show's 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29th, performance. WARNING: NCT cautions, "This show contains strong language, sexual and physical violence, adult themes, and will use theatrical haze. [It is n]ot recommended for children under 12 years of age. Children under 6 years of age are not admitted. Parental discretion is advised." TICKETS: $40 and up, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. GROUP RATES (10+ tickets): 919-831-6941 or groups@nctheatre.com. INFORMATION: 919-831-6941 or boxoffice@nctheatre.com. DONATE TO: North Carolina Theatre. Robert O'Connell's Triangle Review Review Permalink. Susie Potter's Triangle Arts Review Review.

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