Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at Village Theatre

Dear Readers, when discussing the musical of Alice Walker’s classic novel “The Color Purple”, you must acknowledge the production’s own journey from the tepidly received original 2005 Broadway production to the enthusiastically received 2015 Broadway revival which launched the career of the incredible Cynthia Erivo.   We can discuss them in a bit but to start I will say that the current production at Village Theatre is certainly in the 2015 camp, with its streamlined production and roof shaking performances.

Based on Walker’s novel we follow Celie (Mariah Lyttle), a young black woman in a rural Georgia community in the early 1900’s.  We follow her tragic journey going from the home of an abusive father to and even more abusive husband.  But Celie manages to stay strong with the help of her friends Sofia (Shermona Mitchell) and Shug Avery (Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako) and the memory of her long-lost sister Nettie (Brandi Birdsong), eventually coming out the other side having left the horrifying men in her life a distant memory.

It's a beautiful story of perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity.  And the same could be said for the path of the show itself.  I managed to see the original 2005 production and was underwhelmed.  As much as I love the story (and of course the 1985 film adaptation) the original production left me wanting.  With songs that felt out of sync with the era, and a book that raced through and glossed over plot points with lightning speed, many walked out of that show disappointed.  Myself so much that when the 2015 revival came around on Broadway, I missed it and missed seeing Erivo’s Tony winning turn.  I’ve since, of course, seen tours of that production to see how they brought back the tone of the era and heart of the story to glorious effect. 

I only mention this newer production to point out the similarities from it and this production at Village with a sleek, bare bones set from Carey Wong, that leaves the open space to be filled with the story and not with fluff, only accented by some chairs, drapes, and a lovely lighting design from Sherrice Mojgani.  And of course, kudos must be given to Director Timothy McCuen Piggee, Music Supervisor Sheilah V Walker, Conductor Tim Symons, and Choreographer Nikki Long.  The music from Walker and Symons is bold, rich and fits perfectly in the time, and the choreography from Long fills the stage with energy and joy.  But it’s Piggee who once again shows himself a consummate storyteller.  I recall him from his performing days and was always impressed, but now that he’s taken a more directorial bend to his career he truly shines and shows just how incredible he is show after show.  If you saw his “Hello Dolly!” or “Fat Ham” to name but a few, you know what I mean.

But we must discuss this outstanding cast which is a necessity to make this difficult show work.  It’s certainly, and unsurprisingly, a show designed to show off the talents of the ladies, but I do want to call out a few wonderful performances from the boys.  Jahmaul Bakare as Celie’s horrible husband Mister manages a stunning arc and vocals throughout the piece.  He makes you loathe him for most of the show only to elicit just a touch of sympathy by the end.  And Jesimiel R. Jenkins as his son Harpo brings in a polar opposite of his father, portraying a sweet and loving young man who’s been raised by a tyrant but still manages to break the cycle of abuse, mostly due to his wife not having any of that.

But as I said, this is a show for the ladies, and they do shine in big and small ways.  Firstly, the ensemble, both men and women, are top notch, bringing in lush harmonies and making the most of seemingly small characters.  The trio of Church Ladies (Melany Bell, Crystal Hairston, and Kataka J. Mackenzie) kept sweeping into the scene to hilarious effect as a kind of gossiping Greek chorus and nailed each and every moment.  Birdsong as Nettie may mostly be a memory but brought power and heart to every scene.  And Anteia DeLaney as the aptly named Squeak was an absolute delight.

But the trio of strength, power, and soul came from the leads Mariah Lyttle, Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako, and Shermona Mitchell.  Mitchell showed off a stunning turn as the iron-willed Sofia with some insane vocals.  And her eventual downfall was heartbreaking only to make her comeback all the more rousing.  Nako as the chanteuse Shug, as well as the object of Celie’s affection, didn’t play the character, she became her with a confidence and swagger that was only more stunning with a tragic underlying ache.  And she sent all her songs into the rafters.  And then there was Lyttle.  Her bio mentions that she’s played the role before in the national tour to no surprise.  She brings a heartbreaking woe to this wonderful character that makes the audience not just root for her but become totally invested.  And with her killer pipes, she blew the roof off the house especially in her 11 o’clock barn burner “I’m Here”. 

When Village hits one out of the park, they do it hard, and they certainly did here.  And so, with my three-letter rating system, I give Village Theatre’s production of “The Color Purple” an “am I really surprised by this” YAY+.  It’s one you won’t want to miss. 

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Need more Seattle Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...