The Color Purple coming to The Lowry

 A group of people dancing Description automatically generated

 

Stunning images from the rehearsal room of The Color Purple released ahead of first ever tour of the award-winning musical, which comes to The Lowry in October

 

Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 October

 

Stunning images have been released from the rehearsal room of the acclaimed musical The Color Purple, which comes to The Lowry, Salford from Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 October.

 

Leicester’s Curve theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome have announced the cast of their co-production of the show, which is set to tour England and Wales for the first time this autumn thanks to support from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Funding.

 

Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel and adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winner Marsha Norman, Allee Willis, Brenda Russell and Stephen Bray, The Color Purple tells the powerful and life-affirming story of courageous heroine Celie. Abused and oppressed throughout her youth, Celie embarks on a journey through joy, despair, anguish and hope, discovering her own unique voice thanks to the incredible women in her life. From an unbreakable bond with her sister Nettie, to friendship with fiercely independent Sofia and a life-changing affair with glamorous singer Shug Avery, Celie learns to love herself.

 

With a profoundly evocative score by Grammy award-winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and drawing inspiration from jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this landmark musical celebrates life, love and the strength to stand up for who you are and what you believe in.

 

Originally staged in 2019, Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome’s production of The Color Purple received an incredible response from critics and audiences alike, winning the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production. During lockdown in Spring 2021, Curve – in association with Birmingham Hippodrome – reunited the company to share a special digital production of the show streamed in the UK and Ireland.

 

Leading the company as the downtrodden but full-hearted heroine Celie is Me’sha Bryan, whose previous roles have included Romantics Anonymous (Bristol Old Vic), Caroline, or Change (The Playhouse Theatre) and The Lion King (UK tour). The role of glamorous singer Shug Avery will be played by Bree Smith (The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre), Aaliyah Zhané (The Comedy of Errors, Mercury Theatre) joins as Celie’s sister Nettie, Harpo will be played by Ahmed Hamad (The Addams Family, UK Tour and The Boy in the Dress, RSC) and Squeak will be portrayed by Jimand Allotey, who makes her professional stage debut in the production. Book at thelowry.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review of Coram Boy at The Lowry by Natalie Anglesey

Image
Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Coram Boy, is at The Lowry until June 29. Review by Natalie Anglesey .  Ignore any previous reviews you have read of Coram Boy, prior to its current stay at The Lowry this week. My advice is to see it yourself and make up your own mind. I'm certainly glad I did. The majority of reviews have so far been negative with only a few comparing this mammoth work with that of the great Charles Dickens. However, if like me you're a fan of the famous author, you may agree because the themes are concerning corruption of the worst kind. This powerful piece which received a rapturous reception, also features Handel’s glorious music throughout this astonishing production.  Helen Edmundson’s stage adaptation of Jamila Gavin’s Whitbread Award-winning novel, premiered at the National Theatre in 2005 before transferring to Broadway. Prepare to be impressed – as I certainly was - when I saw it at The Lowry.  The time period is the 18th century with...
Read more

Twelve Angry Men at The Lowry - Review by Natalie Anglesey

Image
  Twelve Angry Men The Lowry, Salford Review by Natalie Anglesey   Following previous record-breaking West End seasons, and a critically acclaimed tour in 2023, Bill Kenwright Ltd’s powerful production of  Twelve Angry Men  is at  The Lowry  this week until   2 nd  March 2024. Ever since the powerful fifties film starring Henry Fonda, which was nominated three times for Academy Awards, and since then, several stage productions over the years, this splendid court-room drama has never failed to impress me. Now there’s the chance for you to see Reginald Rose’s knife-edge courtroom drama at The Lowry all this week. The cast is now headed by  Jason Merrells  ( Casualty, Emmerdale )  taking over the role of Juror 8 from Patrick Duffy for the 2024 tour. He subtly holds  the whole production together. The cast also includes   Tristan Gemmill  ( Coronation Street, Casualty ),   Michael Greco  (EastEnde...
Read more

The Osmonds - A New Musical next year!

Image
The Osmond's new musical is coming to Manchester!  M y best friend was an avid Osmond fan in her teens and she still is. Personally I've had the pleasure of interviewing Donny Osmond for @BBCRadioManchester and I also became a fan!  It's that kind of unfailing dedication that the Osmonds have held on to over the past 50 plus years.Now Osmondmania is returning to Manchester with a musical by Jay Osmond which tells the story of the brothers from Utah who were in the spotlight as children and went on to sell over 100 million records gaining a huge army of fans. From their star residency on The  Andy Williams  Show, to the arrival of Donny and Marie, The Osmonds lived a remarkable life recording chart topping albums, selling out vast arena concerts and making record breaking TV shows - until one bad decision cost them everything. Directed by  Shaun Kerrison  and choreographed by Olivier Award winning  Bill Deamer , this brand new musical features a chart...
Read more