The Color Purple

THE COLOR PURPLE, a musical adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel and the Warner Brothers/Amblin Entertainment Motion Picture, will be presented by the Charleston Light Opera Guild at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre on May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 13 at 3:00 p.m. The production is sponsored by Brooks Run Mining Company, a subsidiary of Alpha Natural Resources. The Charleston Light Opera Guild is the first community theatre in the nation to gain rights to produce The Color Purple.

Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones and Scott Sanders produced The Color Purple on Broadway in 2005. The production starred LaChanze with a book by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russel, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. The score features a blend of gospel, blues, soul and musical theatre arrangements. The 1985 film featured an impressive cast headed by Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey. The musical is presented as Celie's march to freedom and her faith journey with those who both challenge and embrace her mission.

Taking place in rural Georgia the story spans the years between 1909 and 1949. Young Celie faces many hardships including a pregnancy at age 14, marriage to a cruel and controlling farmer, Mister, and Mister's imposed separation of Celie from her sister and best friend, Nettie. Mister's son, Harpo, grows up and brings home Sofia, a proud and stong-willed woman whom he loves and later marries. Mister's former love, a blues singer named Shug Avery, helps Celie become a stronger woman and to find God within herself. Finally, after spending years as an African missionary, Nettie returns and Celie's search for peace and happiness is complete.

Don't miss this inspirational story of love and change. All tickets are $20 and will be sold at the Civic Center Little Theatre Box Office beginning April 30. Box-office hours are 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily, except Sunday. CALL 304-343-2287 or e-mail charlestonlightoperaguild@gmail.com.