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<p class="MsoNormal"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Emotionally laden THE COLOR PURPLE at Karamu</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">There probably isnt a
friendlier theatre for audiences in town than Karamu.<span style> </span>Guests are greeted by the gracious Vivian Wilson, the
theatres public relations director.<span style>
</span>If you get to the theatre early, theres always someone inviting you to
sit down at their table and talk.<span style>
</span>After the production, the cast lines up to thank you for coming.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Karamu is the oldest
African American-oriented theatre in the country.<span style> </span>They pick shows that fit their audiences.<span style> </span>This is not to say the theatre is
black-centered, its not.<span style>
</span>Audiences are almost always integrated, as are the casts. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">THE COLOR PURPLE, which
is now being produced at their Jelliffe Theatre, was written by Alice
Walker.<span style> </span>Walker was the first
African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for the novel, THE COLOR
PURPLE.<span style> </span>Her marriage to white and
Jewish Melvyn Leventhal was the first recorded racially integrated union in Mississippi.<span style> </span>She coined the word <i style>womanist</i>, which she defines as a woman
who loves other women sexually or non-sexually and men sexually and
non-sexually.<span style> </span>A woman is to
feminist as lavender is to purple.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Obviously, her being
African-American and the concept of being a <i style>womanist</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">are at the core of THE
COLOR PURPLE.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The Broadway production
of THE COLOR PURPLE earned eleven Tony Award nominations and ran 910
performances.<span style> </span>It is presently
touring through the United States, making a Cleveland stop in March of 2008.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Its rural Georgia in the
1930s.<span style> </span>Two young girls are singing
the clapping game, <i style>Huckleberry Pie</i>.<span style> </span>It quickly becomes apparent that though
the girls appear happy, Celie, the 14 year-old, is pregnant.<span style> </span>She is the victim of her fathers
incest for the second time.<span style> </span>Pa
gives away both children, leaving Celie not only childless but unable to bare
future babies.<span style> </span>Celie, as she does
throughout the play, turns to God for a sign, for something that will let her
know what is happening to her.<span style>
</span>Eventually she is given to Mister, a man in need of someone to take care
of his children, work as his woman and use her for sexual pleasure. Nettie,
Celies sister comes to visit, sharing that their father is now attempting to
have sex with her.<span style> </span>When Nettie
attempts to stay with Celie, Mister tries to rape her and she runs away.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Celie eventually finds
self-pride and independence, Nettie befriends Celies children, who were taken
in by a missionary family, and the horror and frustrations turn to reunited
love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The music and dancing are
well integrated into the story, as are racism and sexism.<span style> </span>Though there are no classics in the
score, the over twenty-five songs, effectively push the story along.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The title of the play is
an important symbol.<span style> </span>Celie is
going through life with little ability to notice the beauty of life. The color
purple, the color of bruises on her body from the continued rapes and beatings,
transforms into the color of beauty, as the purple flowers of the field bloom
as Celie heals and grows into a <i style>womanist</i>.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The Karamu production,
under the direction of Terrence Spivey is uneven.<span style> </span>The acting is generally excellent.<span style> </span>The lovely Coleen Longshaw is mesmerizing as Celie.<span style> </span>She has a fine singing voice,
interprets songs well, and makes Celie go from a beat down girl to an inspired
woman.<span style> </span>She is matched by Mikhaela
LaShawn as Shug, Celies friend and guide, and Corlesia Smith as Celies sister,
Nettie.<span style> </span>The gossiping Church
Ladies (Layne Farr, Joyce Linzy and Andrenιe Fant Priest) are a hoot.<span style> </span>Christina Johnson is properly overbearing
as Celies friend, Sophia. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">On the male side, Dyrell
Barnett creates in Harpo an endearing soft-hearted, hen-pecked man.<span style> </span>Michael May is so abusive that if the
audience hadnt been so polite, they would have booed him, as well as the
equally obnoxious Kenny Charles, Celies Pa.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">On the other hand, the
pacing is too languid, there are too many pauses for awkward set changes, the
sound system squeals and pops and is too loud, and though it plays well, the
band often drowns out the singers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The choreography by
Angelique Richelle Lipford was creative and enthusiastic, but sometimes
undisciplined.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: THE COLOR PURPLE, which is an
appropriate selection for Karamus mission, gets a good, but somewhat flawed
production, filled with some wonderful singing and acting.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">THE COLOR PURPLE continues
through October 28 at Karamu, 2355 East 89th Street, which has a fenced,
guarded and lighted parking lot adjacent to the theatre, and provides free
parking.<span style> </span>For ticket information
call 216-795-7077.</span></p>
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