THE COLOR PURPLE A Musical in 2 Acts. Based on the novel by Alice Walker and the motion picture. Book by Marsha Norman. Music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Premiered at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia. Opened at the Broadway Theatre, New York - 1 December, 2005. Closed 24 February, 2008, ( 30 previews; 910 perfs) SYNOPSIS "Celle is the kind of hero we all have a chance to be whatever happens to us in this life. She bears her own suffering with grace, and reaches out to others to provide fo their needs and spare them harm. Our love for Celle grows as she makes her way through a perilous journey, as she prays without ceasing for some assurance that God sees her." — Marsha Norman STORY ACT ONE As the story begins, it is Sunday morning in rural Georgia, 1909. "Po chile' Celie, 14 years old and pregnant for the second time, is playing a clapping game with her beloved sister, Nettie. When she comes to church with her sister and their Pa, Celie goes into labour before the service ends. Later, Pa takes Celie's baby from her arms saying he is going to get rid of it, "same as the last one," and that she better not tell anybody except God what happened. Celie asks God for a sign, something that will let her know what ís happening to her. A few years later, when a local farmer, Mister, needs a wife to take care of his children, Pa says Nettie is too young, but offers him Celie instead, and throws a cow into the bargain. Although the girls vow never to be parted, Celia goes with Mister to save Nettie's dreams of becoming a teacher. As the local Church Ladies cluck their disapproval. Mister's field-hands introduce Celia to her life of hard work at Mister's. Nettie arrives one day, fleeing from Pa's lecherous attentions, and asks if she can stay. Mister agrees, but then attacks Nettie on her way to school. When she fights back, he throws her off his property, swearing that the girls will never see each other again. Nettie has promised to write, so Celia tries to check the mailbox, but years go by, and Mister won't even let her open it. Mister's son, Harpo, grows up and brings home Sofia, a strong-willed woman whom he loves and marries. But eventually, Harpo can't take being bossed around by Sofia. Mister tells him he has to beat Sofia if he wants her to mind. Even Celia agrees this is the only way to make a woman "jump when he says to." But Sofia gives as good as she gets. Not long after that, Sofia's sisters arrive to take her away. Sofia tries to convince Celia to come with her, but she can't. Left alone, Harpo turns their house into a jukejoint, and hires a new waitress, Squeak, to work there. Squeak soon moves in with Harpo. The whole town prepares for the arrival of Shug Avery, a sexy singer who is Mister's longtime lover. But when Shug arrives, she is in such bad shape that in spite of local disapproval, Mister brings her home where Celie nurses her back to health. As Celie takes care of Shug, she begins to experience feelings of affection and tenderness for the first time, as Shug befriends her. When Shug sings at Harpo's Juke Joint Sofia returns with her new boyfriend and gets into a fight with Squeak. In Mister's house, Shug and Celle explore their newfound love for each other. Shug gives Celia a letter she has found from "someone in Africa, goin' by the stamps." Celie recognises Nettie's handwriting and knows instantly that her beloved sister is alive.
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