The Color Purple

The Color Purple is a musical adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, the first Black woman to win the Pulitzer. It tells the story of Celie, an African-American woman in Georgia, from the early to mid-20th century, and follows her journey from virtual slave, and the victim of men, of traditional sexual roles, of racism, and of innumerable social injustices, to her blossoming into a whole human being, someone who has known genuine love and has found self-esteem, purpose and joy. The musical — written by Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray — premiered on Broadway in 2005 and ran for three years. A touring production followed and had its Canadian premiere at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in February of 2009.