–Adriana Doria (‘19)

“Take a deep breath, hold your head up and put your shoulders back” because The Color Purple: The Musical is taking the United States by storm. The Color Purple is a tony award winning broadway musical that is now touring throughout the U.S.

On November 18, 2017, I had the opportunity to visit the Fisher Theater in Detroit, Michigan to see this compelling musical. The Color Purple is based off the novel by Alice Walker that takes place in rural Georgia over the course of 40 years. When Celie (Adrianna Hicks) is forced by her abusive father to marry a cruel farmer, called “Mister” (Gavin Gregory), she is separated from all that she loves, especially her sister, Nettie (N’jameh Camara). Ultimately, Celie conquers the odds to find her voice and her strength, coming into her own. With powerful music written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, Celie meets meets Shug Avery (Carla R. Stewart) and Sophia (Carrie Compere) along her rough journey.  These women teach Celie how to be strong and stand up for herself.  

After seeing this musical, I left the theater feeling empowered.  This is a musical that will make you laugh and cry all in the two-and-a-half hours. Songs such as “I’m here” and “The Color Purple” gave me chills and taught me many lessons of women empowerment. I highly recommend this thought-provoking show to everyone! The Color Purple is a must-see musical about love, sacrifice and faith. It it is a timeless classic that appeals to all audiences.