December 10 marks the anniversary of the Tony-winning Broadway revival of The Color Purple, which opened at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in 2015. Directed by John Doyle, the production played 33 previews and 450 performances before closing January 8, 2017. The revival earned four Tony Award nominations, winning two including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Cynthia Erivo’s performance as Celie.
Adapted from Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller and Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film, The Color Purple follows the inspirational Celie as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope, to discover the power of love and life.
In addition to Erivo, the production starred Jennifer Hudson as Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Isaiah Johnson as Mister, Kyle Scatliffe as Harpo, and Joaquina Kalukango as Nettie with ensemble members Dwayne Clark, Lawrence Clayton, Carrie Compere, Patrice Covington, Bree Jackson, Grasan Kingsberry, Kevyn Morrow, Antoine L. Smith, Carla R. Stewart, Akron Watson, and Rema Webb. Roudning out the company were Phoenix Best, Adrianna Hicks, and Ken Robinson as swings.
The production featured scenic design by Doyle, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting design by Jane Cox, and sound design by Gregory Clarke with stage management by Matt DiCarlo, Sharika Niles, and Phoenix Best. For the complete cast and creative team, visit PlaybillVault.com/TheColorPurple.
