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Overview

Synopsis

Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel of the same name, The Color Purple spans 35 years in the life of Celie, a teenage African-American girl living in Georgia who is given by her abusive stepfather to an even more abusive husband. Though Celie spends most of her days as a servant in her own household, she, cut off by her husband from those she loves, tries to remain hopeful that she will ultimately be reunited with her sister Nettie and her children by way of her stepfather, Adam and Olivia. Over the years, Celie, increasingly jaded by her lot, finds ways to cope with life--a potential lover in the fabulous Shug Avery, a friend in her stepson’s wife Sofia, a love of making stretchable pants that turns into a booming business. Though her string of unfortunate events, though, Celie learns that the most important thing is that she is a survivor, and that no matter what happens to her, she is still here.

Show Information

Book
Marsha Norman
Music
Allee Willis , Brenda Russell , Stephen Bray
Lyrics
Allee Willis , Brenda Russell , Stephen Bray
Conceived By
Alice Walker
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Alice Walker's 1982 novel of the same name
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2005
Genres
Drama
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Rural Georgia, 1909-1945
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Medium
Dancing
Some Dance
Licensor
Theatrical Rights Worldwide
Ideal For
Large Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Child, Early Teen, Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Shug Avery

Lead

Female

Alto

Celie

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Doris

Supporting

Female

Alto

Darlene

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Jarene

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Pa

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Nettie

Supporting

Female

Alto

Harpo

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Sofia

Supporting

Female

Alto

Squeak

Supporting

Female

Soprano

Mister

Supporting

Male

Baritone, Bass

Young Nettie

Featured

Female

Soprano

Young Celie

Featured

Female

Soprano

Church Soloist

Featured

Female

Young Harpo

Featured

Male

Spoken

Ol' Mister

Featured

Male

Spoken

Buster

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Grady

Featured

Male

Tenor

Bobby

Featured

Male

Spoken

Mister's Daughters

Ensemble

Female

Spoken

Henrietta

Ensemble

Female

Silent

Preacher

Ensemble

Male

Tenor, Baritone

Prison Guard

Ensemble

Male

Spoken

Young Adam

Ensemble

Male

Treble/Boy Soprano

Chief

Ensemble

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Older Olivia

Ensemble

Female

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto

Older Adam

Ensemble

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Young Olivia

Ensemble

Female

Soprano

Songs

Act One

  • Huckleberry Pie - Young Celie, Young Nettie
  • Mysterious Ways - Celie, Nettie, Ensemble
  • Somebody Gonna Love You - Celie
  • Our Prayer - Nettie, Celie, Mister, Doris, Darlene, Jarene, Pa
  • That Fine Mister - Doris, Darlene, Jarene
  • Big Dog - Mister, Celie, Young Harpo, Mister’s Daughters, Male Ensemble
  • Lily of the Field - Celie, Nettie, Mister
  • Dear God (Sofia) - Celie
  • A Tree Named Sofia - Doris, Darlene, Jarene
  • Hell No! - Sofia, Celie, Sofia’s Sisters
  • *Brown Betty - Harpo, Squeak, Celie, Male Ensemble
  • Shug Avery Comin’ to Town - Mister, Celie, Ensemble
  • All We’ve Got to Say - Doris, Darlene, Jarene
  • Dear God (Shug) - Celie, Shug
  • Too Beautiful for Words - Shug
  • *Push Da Button - Shug, Harpo, Ensemble
  • Uh-Oh! - Sofia, Squeak, Celie, Buster, Female Ensemble
  • What About Love? - Celie, Shug
  • Act I Finale - Shug, Celie, Nettie

Act Two

  • African Homeland - Nettie, Celie, Young Adam, Young Olivia, Ensemble
  • The Color Purple - Shug, Celie
  • Church Ladies’ Easter - Doris, Darlene, Jarene
  • I Curse You Mister - Celie, Mister
  • Mister’s Song (Celie’s Curse) - Mister
  • Miss Celie’s Pants - Celie, Shug, Sofia, Female Ensemble
  • Any Little Thing - Harpo, Sofia
  • What About Love? (Reprise) - Celie, Shug
  • I’m Here - Celie
  • The Color Purple (Reprise) - Celie, Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    A genre of music developed especially from ragtime and blues and characterized by syncopated rhythms, complex chords, elements of improvisation, and distortions of pitch and timbre.

    A genre of music that developed in African-American communities in the 1940s, inspired by jazz, and important in the foundations of rock and roll music.

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Guide Written By:

Michael Miller

Michael Miller