Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival celebrates its 33rd Season with the musical The Color Purple, a powerful story about faith, hope, and love. Directed by award-winner Amina Robinson, the show runs July 17 to August 4 on the Main Stage at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts at DeSales University.
The epic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, The Color Purple comes to life in an emotional tour de force musical infused with a soul-stirring score of jazz, gospel, ragtime, and blues. Set against the backdrop of the American South in the early 20th century, the story follows the transformative journey of Celie as she courageously navigates a life marked by despair, anguish, and hope, discovering the strength to break free and find her own voice in the world. From the hauntingly beautiful “I’m Here” to the exuberant celebration of “The Color Purple,” this sensational musical is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love and faith.
Amina Robinson returns to the director’s chair following last season’s highly lauded Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grille. Robinson became the first Black female director of a musical to win a Barrymore Award—honoring professional theatre in and surrounding Philadelphia—for her acclaimed 2018 mounting of The Color Purple at Norristown’s Theatre Horizon. Robinson shared her personal reflection on the story, “It is a celebration of growing into self-ownership and self-love. The Color Purple calls us to live and walk in our truths. It presents Black women loving one another, growing with one another, and supporting one another—it is an exciting exploration for me with this production,” she said.
Joining Robinson on the creative team and bringing the story musically to life is Music Director Christie Chiles Twillie. “For me personally, the music of The Color Purple seeps out of our soul and winds us back through time,” Twillie said. “This music, and Celie’s life, hold lessons that we must absorb without bias and without the fear of how all of it will change us by the end. Most likely, you won’t leave this show without crying; but you also won’t leave without feeling a tremendous purpose to discover what you want your life’s journey to be.”
Playing the titular role of Celie, and making her PSF debut, is Jessica Johnson. Johnson reprises the role following their Barrymore Award-winning performance of the same show which Robinson directed at Theatre Horizon. Some of her recent credits include Papa Ge in Once on This Island, Opal in Fat Ham (The Wilma Theater), Odessa in Sandblasted (Theatre Horizon), and Gina in a hit dog will holler.
Joining Johnson in the cast are K. Bernice as Sofia (Regional: Ragtime, The Color Purple); George L. Brown as Mister (National Tours: Once on This Island, Regional: Rent, Ain’t Misbehavin’); Jessica Money as Nettie (Regional: Spelling Bee, The Color Purple, Ragtime); Joel Oliver as Harpo (National Tour: Annie, Regional: Dreamgirls); and Ta-Tynisa Wilson as Shug Avery (Broadway: Hamilton, Regional: Dreamgirls).
The cast also features Donnie Hammond, Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield and Sierra Wilson as the Church Ladies. Rounding out the cast, the ensemble features Ken Boyd, Maya Marino Cappello, Maya Cuevas, Mikey Corey Hassel, Taylor J. Mitchell, Lathan A. Roberts, Monique Streety, Denver Andre Taylor, and Christopher Tipps. Swings for the production are CaSandra Kay and Gabrielle Mosely.
The choreographer for The Color Purple is Devon Sinclair, who won a 2023 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Choreography for Mary Poppins at Quintessence Theatre Group. Joining Robinson, Twillie, and Sinclair on the creative team are Jasmine Bright (Assistant Choreographer), Alyssandra Docherty (Lighting Designer), Larry D. Fowler, Jr. (Sound Designer), Deb Kim Sivigny (Scenic Designer), Jerrilyn Lanier Duckworth (Costume Designer), Eli Lynn (Fight Director), and Renee Redding-Jones (Intimacy Director). Ashani Smith is the Stage Manager and Jalon Payton is the Assistant Stage Manager.
Audiences can also look forward to these show extras, including: a post-show champagne toast with the PSF actors, opening night, Friday, July 19; a talk-back with the cast after the show on Thursday, July 25 & August 1; a director’s dinner themed to the show offering behind-the-scenes insights on July 27, 5pm (advance reservations required); and an Audio Described and Open Captioned performance on July 27, 2:00pm.
Tickets can be purchased online at pashakespeare.org, or by calling the box office at 610.282.WILL [9455], ext. 1, or in person at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University, in Center Valley.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, features acclaimed actors from Broadway, television, and film, and is the summer home to over 200 artists from around the country, including winners and nominees of the Tony, Obie, Emmy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Jefferson, and Barrymore Awards.