The Color Purple
The Color Purple
In 1909 Celie a black American girl is given away in marriage by her abusive father to a local farmer Albert who treats her cruelly. Celie is God fearing and deliverance comes in the form of jazz singer who takes her away to another city far away from her misery. She now gets her long due happiness.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 2, 2025
The powerhouse performances take center stage in this wonderfully cinematic adaptation of the theatrical production. Fantasia Barrino is awe inspiring in the leading role, but Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks each take turns completely stealing scenes. The song and dance numbers are radiant, featuring the aforementioned vocal talents and bolstered by the finely crafted choreography and production. Our packed crowd applauded after almost every song. The story, which spans decades, is efficiently paced. It never drags or lulls, but never feels like we’re zipping past anything of importance either. There are a lot of characters to manage, but impressively, I don’t think any of them got short-changed. By the heart-rending conclusion, nearly every character has earned a meaningful arc, making for some immensely satisfying food for the soul. The Color Purple is a triumph.