VISITING SEVEN VENUES ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES THIS
AUTUMN
Leicester’s Curve theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome have today revealed plans to tour their critically acclaimed, award-winning co-production of The Color Purple this Autumn.
Having previously only played to UK audiences in London, Leicester and Birmingham, thanks to support from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Funding, the musical is now set to visit six new cities across England and Wales.
Co-producers Birmingham Hippodrome will open the tour from 13 to 17 September, the production will then visit Theatre Royal Plymouth (27 September to 1 October), Royal & Derngate Northampton (4 to 8 October), The Lowry in Salford (11 to 15 October), Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (18 to 22 October), Mayflower Theatre Southampton (25 to 29 October), finishing its run at Norwich Theatre Royal (1 to 5 November). Listings and ticket information can be found below.
Curve
and Birmingham Hippodrome’s co-production was originally staged in 2019 and
received an incredible response from critics and audiences alike, winning the WhatsOnStage
Award for Best Regional Production and earning Danielle Fiamanya The
Stage Debut Award for her performance as Nettie. During lockdown in Spring
2021, Curve – in association with Birmingham Hippodrome – reunited the company
to share a special digital production of the show which was streamed by over
20,000 people* in the UK and Ireland.
The
production is directed by Tinuke Craig and the full cast and creative
team will be announced in due course.
Speaking
about the news, Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic
Director Nikolai Foster said:
“Tinuke Craig’s exquisite production of The Color Purple goes from strength to strength and
we are thrilled it will embark on a UK tour this autumn following a hugely
successful run at Curve and at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2019. This marks the
first time The Color Purple has toured UK venues and we are thrilled
audiences across the country will be able to experience this incredible story
and the power of this beautiful, life-affirming musical. Huge thanks to our
friends at Theatrical Rights Worldwide and Arts Council England, who have been
instrumental in making it possible for Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome to tour
our award-winning, critically acclaimed production.”
Peter Knott, Area Director, Arts
Council England said:
“It’s fantastic that so many more people will have the opportunity to see The
Color Purple when the show tours the country later this year. This National
Lottery investment through the Arts Council greatly widens opportunities to see
the show, and we hope as many people as possible get that chance – from
Plymouth to Northampton and beyond.
“As theatres welcome
audiences back through their doors this year, we are proud to champion the role
creativity plays in bringing people together, boosting wellbeing and helping
the country to recover.”
Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme at
Birmingham Hippodrome, said:
“After a
phenomenal response from our audiences in 2019, we are delighted to be opening
our exceptional co-production - made with our friends and partners at Curve -
here at Birmingham Hippodrome in September. This first UK tour of The Color Purple is another step in the Hippodrome’s
commitment to creating bold, relevant work at large scale that speaks to our
city and the UK today.”
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.
Praise
for the 2019 production of The Color Purple:
The Guardian
★ ★ ★ ★
“A
musical with heart, spirit and soul”
The Stage
★ ★ ★ ★
“A
glorious, immensely moving celebration of triumph over adversity”
The Reviews Hub
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“A must-see”
Birmingham
Mail
★ ★ ★ ★
“Powerful, sassy and uplifting”
East
Midlands Theatre
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Simply beyond beautiful”