Through powerful performances, soaring vocals and moments of both heartbreak and joy, an all-Black cast of Columbia students brought the story of Celie’s journey from abuse to self-discovery to life in the college’s production of “The Color Purple.”
The musical drew a sold-out audience of more than 140 people to the Getz Theatre Center for the second consecutive night on Saturday, Nov. 7, bringing laughter, cheers and a standing ovation.
Paris Ward, a senior musical theatre performance major, said she waited for this moment to perform since she was a child.
“For it being my first main-stage, Lord have mercy,” Ward said “It’s surreal. It’s amazing. It’s something that I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl. It’s literally a dream come true.”
Ward played Sofia, a headstrong self-assured woman who, after marrying main character Celie’s step-son, influences Celie to have more confidence and see the wrongdoings of her abusive husband.
“The Color Purple” is based on the 1982 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Alice Walker, an American author, poet and activist whose work often explores the experiences of Black women and the intersections of racism and sexism. Set in rural Georgia in the early 20th century, the story follows Celie, a Black woman who endures years of sexual and domestic abuse while struggling to find her voice and independence. Told largely through letters between Celie and her sister Nettie, the novel explores the bonds between women, faith, sexuality, racism and the possibility of reclaiming their lives after trauma. Walker won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction in 1983, making her the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
“The Color Purple” musical is adapted from the book. Columbia’s adaptation is directed by Khanisha Foster, an assistant professor of instruction in the School of Theatre and Dance.
Sophomore musical theatre major Iyanna Alyse Sutherland played Celie’s sister Nettie. Nettie was torn away from Celie shortly after she was married, but she never leaves the story. Sutherland felt that Nettie embodied one of the core themes of the show, sisterhood.
“I feel like every character represents a different kind of love and how it influences Celie’s life and it’s so amazing,” Sutherland said. “My character, I feel, represents the faith, hope and sisterhood that just keeps Celie going.”
A large part of the musical hinges on the community Celie finds within all the women around her, not just her sister. Most of these women help influence Celie to leave her extremely abusive husband Mister.
Senior musical theatre major Kijani X played Mister. Kijani X found himself struggling to fit into such a violent role.
Though the ending of the musical features Mister turning a new leaf and righting his wrongs. Kijani X focused on trying to humanize him as much as he could to make that ending more rewarding.
“For my character, it has been difficult to really play into his cruelty,” Kijani X said. “So, I think my process has been trying to make him as much of a human as possible so that once he has that switch at the end it hits harder besides just being the evil villain all the time.”
Despite the hardship of playing a character so different from himself, Kijani X found that being in an all-Black cast brought a feeling of accomplishment.
“An all-Black main-stage musical at Columbia isn’t something that I have seen in all my years being here, and the energy that we’ve cultivated between us as a cast has been really exciting and fulfilling,” said Kijani X. “It feels really good to see people that look just like me and have similar stories and understand things without feeling out of place.”
Sutherland said the community of the show helped her gain more assurance within herself.
“It’s so great to be part of a community that I, for so long, have felt like I didn’t feel enough in,” Sutherland said. “With this show I don’t have to feel Black enough anymore. Everybody accepts me for who I am, and they make me feel like I’m enough.”
Asatira X, a first-year film and television major, attended to support her brother, Kijani X. Asatira X had previously seen other productions of “The Color Purple” but enjoyed the energy that Columbia students brought to the show.
“I’ve seen other productions of ‘The Color Purple’ before, but I’m really enjoying the show so far,” Asatira X said. “I think it has a really great energy to it, and everyone’s really talented.”
Chevel Nelson traveled from New York to see her son, Jeremiah Nelson, junior musical theatre major, perform as part of the ensemble. She appreciated the way the actors’ personalities shined through in every performance.
“My favorite part is the individuality of everybody who’s performing, even though they’re an ensemble, they each perform as individuals and they’re all standing on their own,” Chevel Nelson said.
As a New Yorker, Chevel Nelson said she spends a lot of time on Broadway and felt that Columbia’s performance was at the same level. “I am a big Broadway goer, and I would pay Broadway prices to see this.”
“The Color Purple” runs through Saturday. Nov. 14 at the Getz Theatre Center. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
Additional reporting from Winter McManus
Copy edited by Isaac Russo
