Show guide
The Color Purple
The Color Purple is a 2005 Broadway musical based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, tracing Celie's journey from abuse and silence toward self worth and love.
- Broadway premiere
- 2005
- Music by
- Russell, Willis & Bray
- Genre
- Drama
- Setting
- 1910s
The Color Purple: quick answers
What is The Color Purple about?
- The Color Purple follows Celie, a poor Black woman in rural Georgia who is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and forced into an abusive marriage, as she finds love, self-worth, and her own voice over several decades.
When did The Color Purple open on Broadway?
- The Color Purple opened on Broadway on December 1, 2005, at the Broadway Theatre and ran 910 performances, closing on February 24, 2008. John Doyle's stripped-down 2015 revival, starring Cynthia Erivo, won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
What kind of musical is The Color Purple?
- It is a dramatic book musical adapted from Alice Walker's novel, with an original score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.
Where and when is The Color Purple set?
- The Color Purple is set mainly in rural Georgia, with scenes in Memphis and Africa, beginning in 1909 and spanning several decades.
Has The Color Purple played in London's West End?
- The Color Purple has not had a West End run; London saw John Doyle's production at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013, which became the Tony-winning 2015 Broadway revival.
Is there a The Color Purple movie?
- Steven Spielberg's 1985 film of Alice Walker's novel starred Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, and Danny Glover, and Blitz Bazawule's 2023 film of the musical starred Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, and Colman Domingo.
The story of The Color Purple
Set in rural Georgia across several decades in the early twentieth century, the show follows Celie, a poor young Black woman separated from her sister and forced into an abusive marriage to a man she calls Mister. Told largely through Celie's letters, the story traces her long path from silence and self doubt toward a hard won sense of dignity and independence.
Along the way, Celie is shaped by the women around her: the magnetic blues singer Shug Avery, who awakens her to love and self worth, and the fierce, outspoken Sofia, who refuses to be broken by the world around her. Themes of sisterhood, faith, resilience, and survival run through the piece, and Celie's reunion with her sister Nettie anchors its emotional arc.
The music and the makers
The score was written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman adapting Walker's novel for the stage. The songs move fluidly between gospel, blues, jazz, and African inflected rhythms, giving the show a rich, church infused sound that mirrors Celie's community and inner life.
Signature numbers include Celie's soaring Act Two anthem I'm Here, Sofia's defiant Hell No, and Shug Avery's sultry Push da Button, each spotlighting a different facet of the show's musical range. That blend of intimate storytelling and full voiced gospel power is part of what sets the score apart on Broadway.
The Color Purple on Broadway
The Color Purple opened on Broadway on December 1, 2005 at the Broadway Theatre, with LaChanze starring as Celie, a performance that won her the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. The original cast also featured Elisabeth Withers as Shug Avery, Kingsley Leggs as Mister, and Felicia P. Fields as Sofia, and the production ran a little over two years, closing in February 2008 after 910 performances.
A stripped down 2015 revival, directed by John Doyle, won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, with Cynthia Erivo winning Best Actress for her portrayal of Celie. The show's stage story later reached a wider audience through a 2023 film adaptation of the musical, cementing its place as one of the most acclaimed Broadway adaptations of Walker's novel.
The Color Purple: frequently asked questions
Is The Color Purple based on a true story?
No. The musical is adapted from Alice Walker's 1982 novel of the same name, a work of fiction rather than a true story or a biography.
Where and when is The Color Purple set?
The Color Purple is set in rural Georgia, beginning in 1909, when Celie is fourteen, and continuing over several decades into the 1930s and beyond.
Did The Color Purple win the Tony Award for Best Musical?
No. The original 2005 production lost Best Musical to Jersey Boys at the 2006 Tony Awards, winning only Best Actress in a Musical for LaChanze. The stripped down 2015 revival later won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical.
Is The Color Purple still running on Broadway?
No. The original Broadway production closed on February 24, 2008, after 910 performances, and the 2015 revival closed on January 8, 2017, after 449 performances.
When did The Color Purple open on Broadway?
The Color Purple opened on Broadway on December 1, 2005, at the Broadway Theatre.
Who composed The Color Purple?
Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray wrote the music and lyrics, with a book by Marsha Norman.
What is The Color Purple about?
It follows Celie, a Black woman in the early twentieth century South, as she survives abuse and finds her voice and independence with the help of the women around her.
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