THE COLOR PURPLE: THE COLOR GREEN! Between Envy and Box Office, This Is The Color Of The Season!

(DAVID, DAVID and LEE)

My Brother David, My Best Friend David and David's Good Friend Lee all gathered together to in-joy an evening on Broadway. The most talked about musical to take Broadway in years opened to much aplomb.

Mega-mogul icon Oprah Winfrey's name above the title and strong, solid cast assembled, THE COLOR PURPLE, the 2nd most popular movie according to BET (behind MALCOLM X, but we'll discuss THAT INJUSTICE at another date), unfolds in its third incarnation, first as book, then Oscar-nominated movie and now onstage.

We entered the Broadway on Broadway and the stars are out, even before we get to our seats. By the time we get to Row X, we've already encountered the exquisitely fine Charles Mann and Art Monk of the Legendary Redskins (DC TIL I DIE!) and my David Jackson has assaulted magician David Copperfield, who was in his way and had to be put in his place! Then, on to our seats.From the first scene, the musical is stellar.

The Church Ladies, a trio of sangin' heffas, who are reminiscent of the trio from The Little Shop of Horrors, which gave us TISHA CAMPBELL, TISCHINA ARNOLD and MICHELLE WEEKS. This time, its KIMBERLY HARRIS, VIRGINIA WOODRUFF and MAIA WILSON who get to sang their natural behinds off! This is going to be a fun and glorious night!






They bring us into the story that is already well-known to most. Celie, Nettie, Mister, Harpo, Sophia and the gang are all there and they are wonderfully potrayed. LaChanze is wonderful as Celie and Brandon Victor Dixon is so sexy as Harpo that you forget he's supposed to be an oaf. In Brandon's hands, he's a young son whose just trying to find himself and who definitely loves his woman, Sophia. Felicia Fields is a revelation as Sophia and her "you told Harpo to beat me" song HELL NO! is so HOT that it's not only THE song of the musical, it's got its own T-SHIRT!

I am not going to even attempt to write a review, because I get way too detailed when I do those AND you know the story. So let me talk about the CAST!




LaChanze: Pipes like Melba Moore! Innocent and strong as Celie! She was delightful and sweet and vocally dynamic onstage. She is exceptional, beautiful, talented and sweet.



Renee Goldsberry: Tender and sweet as the underseen, but poignant Nettie.









Brandon Vincent Dixon:

Wonderful as Harpo! He and Sophia have a song in the 2nd Act that makes you understand and appreciate that this Slim Sexy Southern Boy loves his woman Full, Feisty and Fierce and he's got the Hots for Sophia that don't get examined in the movie! He's sexy and sincere, and very WONDERFUL outside afterwards, especially to my Brother David.



Elisabeth Withers-Mendes is SO sexy as Shug Avery and the lesbian relationship that was inferred in the movie is not only fully realized on stage, it has its own song and "WHAT ABOUT LOVE" is not only ready for radio, when it arrives Miss Patti LaBelle and Miss Jill Scott will be singing the parts! HELLO! But back to Elisabeth! She is Divine! Her "Push Da Button" is sizzling and she's elegant and regal in her own skin and doesn't really need the fabulous wardrobe that they supply her with, but its wonderful nonetheless!



Kingsley Leggs is strong and assertive as MISTER, but has the opportunity for redemption in the musical and its a wonderful thing to see. The movie only suggested "Albert" and his change of heart, but in the musical, he's brought back to the table and there is closure and some sense of peace in his social and personal redemption.

The biggest surprise of the evening was MR. LOUIS MYERS, of A DIFFERENT WORLD fame, as MISTER'S FATHER! He get it and quit, but his short time on the stage STILL brought GREAT APPLAUSE! He was wonderful at the stage door and commented on how "WONDERFUL IT IS TO ALWAYS SEE BROTHERS COME TO THE THEATRE!" Our Black Male Clan all shared a sweet moment with him.













As far as staging goes, two scenes warrant notice in particular! The bevy of male dancers have a scene called THE BIG DOGS, where they warn Miss Celie of her impending life with Mister. "You think you have been through some pain. But you are about to Roll With The Big Dog!" The song wasn't that stellar, but the Chorus Line of Beautiful Black Sweaty Menz was glorious to see! It was so hot to see the brothers on-stage and equally as amusing to hear the women wincing all around the theatre! I could even hear Patti LaBelle, who slipped in right before the lights went down, Living It Up from her seat down front.







The second is in The Second Act, which opens with AFRICA! The Dancing. The Costumes. The Energy of it were just spectacular! YOU MUST SEE THIS SHOW! I know that tickets are expensive, but SEARCH and you might find a great place for tickets at a not-so-weighty price (try ONLINESEATS.COM). This show is glorious.

Afterwards, we waited in the cold at the BackStage Door and it was worth the wait. We were greeted by and took pictures with LaChanze, Elisabeth, Renee, Brandon and a few of the cast stopped even though they clearly weren't yet used to being asked for autographs. Virginia and Kimberly were really shocked, but very sweet! MAIA...you got away from us, making our CHURCH LADIES TRIFECTA incomplete! NEXT TIME!

We waited and waited because although we had seen MUCH of the cast, we were NOT leaving without getting Miss Felicia Fields autograph! SHE TORE THE BUILDING DOWN WITH "HELL NO!" and she needed to get our HELL YES! in response!



We waited and some 20 minutes later, she appeared and she was VANGLORIOUS! Resplendent in black fur and a cold-melting smile, she was shocked that we waited. She hugged and kissed each of us and took individual pictures, signed our books and even apologized. She was waiting because, as is the case in NYC, she was able to walk home AND she didn't think there would be people waiting! Well, Kevin, Lee and the Davids waited and we are SO glad we did. Not only for Felicia, but for the chance to get tickets.

THE COLOR PURPLE is a wonderful night of theatre at the highest level. Its entertaining, moves well and has a BRILLIANT cast! SEE it and get the soundtrack when it comes at the end of January!

IF YOU DON'T SEE THIS, YOU'LL BE THE COLOR GREEN come the night of the Tonys! Remember we said it...FELICIA FIELDS!

Love and Joy!