The Color Purple at the N.C. Theatre Is
the Best Thing That I've Seen All Year

The Color Purple at NCT stars Bré Jackson (front) as Celie (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

The North Carolina Theatre's current production of The Color Purple is, quite simply, the best stage performance that I have seen all season. It covers 40 years of triumph over tragedy, sisterhood, and the healing power of love.

Sunday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending an epic performance of The Color Purple in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. I could not have been more impressed or entertained. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker's 1982 novel won the 1983 National Book Award and the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was previously made into a 1985 film, directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for 11 Academy Awards®; and the subsequent Broadway musical earned ten 2006 Tony Award® nominations, including a nomination for Best Musical.

The book for the 2005 Broadway musical was written by 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner Marsha Norman ('night, Mother); and the music and lyrics were created by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. Russell, Willis, and Bray have written some monster hits for several well-known performers. What I like best is how well the lyrics further this story and the tone of the play.

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

Christopher Betts does double-duty for NCT as director and choreographer, with an assist from co-choreographer Mya King. The musical staging was handled deftly and seamlessly. The simple set of chairs and wooden platforms worked perfectly for the performers' movements.

The period costumes (by tour costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and NCT costumer Kishara McKnight) set the mood in earth tones until the tone of the story asked for more color. Kailey Rockwell led the outstanding orchestra, which juggled an amazing mix of jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music, and blues.

The singing was first rate. The show opens with a rousing ensemble medley called "Huckleberry Pie," a church-inspired gospel number. Many of the songs were duets, trios, and ensembles, with the performers adding many incredible cadenzas at the end of their parts. NCT producing artistic director Eric Woodall's casting stood out as well.

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

Brené "Bre" Jackson brought the house down as Celie, the put-upon central character. She covered 40 years of abuse from naïveté through strength. Nicole Henry (Shug Avery), and Frenchie Davis (Sofia) were also remarkable as strong and confident women.

Matt Manuel (Harpo) showed great range as well. Akron Watson may have had the hardest job, depicting the brutal and despicable Mister Johnson.

The remainder of the players were excellent as well, including Sharaé Moultrie (Nettie), Rayven Bailey (Squeak), and Ensemble players Moses T. Alexander Greene, Jarrett Bennett, Deanna Richards, Jameson Clanton, Tavis Kordell Cunningham, Chanda Branch, Sydney E. Hughes, and Okisha Renee Wells.

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

It is hard to imagine a story rife with abuse of people of color, abuse of women, abuse of children, and abuse of sexual orientation could be uplifting; but this was very much so. It was evident by the audience's reactions, which included a surprising amount of laughter. The ovations at the end were lengthy and heartfelt. While I personally did not agree with some of the theological themes of this story, I do know that every adult in America should experience this look into a segment of our history. A story that has won or been nominated for nearly every possible award in every form in which it has appeared, needs to be shared.

Sunday afternoon, the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater was nearly full, which is a nice change from the last few years of COVID. I understand that there are only a few tickets left. It will absolutely be worth your effort to try to get in on this short-run show, which ends on Sunday, April 30th. Leave kids under 14 at home as there are some heavy themes in this story.

Bré Jackson stars as Celie in NCT's production of The Color Purple (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.

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