Photo courtesy of The MRKT Co.
The Color Purple Musical is set to make a spectacular entrance onto the silver screen, promising audiences an unprecedented feast of sight and sound. With its rich storytelling and evocative melodies, the musical aims to capture the essence of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and explore themes of resilience, empowerment, and the transformative power of love.
The film depicts Celie Harris, an African-American woman played by Fantasia Barrino, as she bravely confronts the horrific realities of domestic violence in the early 20th century South. Celie’s experience exemplifies the institutionalized oppression endured by many women at a time when abuse was not only tolerated, but often unchecked. Celie survived rape, childbirth and abandonment at a young age.
The film reveals the profound psychological impact that both physical and emotional abuse can have on a woman’s psyche. Speaking with The Hilltop, filmmaker Blitz Bazaulet said he hopes the film highlights the theme of intergenerational trauma.
“I hope it sparks a conversation among young people about what intergenerational trauma looks like and how borrowed and inherited trauma can be so destructive,” Bazawle said.
The director said that issues such as domestic violence and racism have existed for a long time, but are problems that the black community has never healed from.
Young Celie, played by Washington DC native Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, believes it’s up to Gen Z to break through the kind of generational trauma depicted in the film.
“I’m so hopeful about this generation. I feel like you guys get it. You’re able to see what’s going to happen before it happens and you can stop someone from suffering and stop the trauma and the hurt that we’re inflicting on each other,” Mpasi said in an interview with The Hilltop.
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Over the course of the film, Celie transforms from a helpless victim into a strong, confident woman who is portrayed not only as a survivor but also as a force for good in challenging the cultural norms of her time.
She didn’t get there alone, and her connections with the other female characters, particularly Taraji P. Henson’s Shug Avery and Danielle Brooks’ Sophia, show the strength of women banding together to challenge societal norms.
“Howard literally built my toughness for Hollywood, and I knew if I could beat Howard, I could make it in Hollywood,” Henson said in an interview.
Henson, a Howard University graduate, plays flamboyant and scandalous blues singer Shug Avery, and her character is bold, sexy and carefree.
This is Henson’s first lead role in a musical, and she said the process wasn’t easy, but neither is Hollywood. She credits Howard’s acting program as excellent preparation for Hollywood and the role.
“Howard University instilled all the confidence in me that I needed to take on Hollywood. Our program was no joke. If I couldn’t achieve my goals and make the audience in the back of the theater feel the words coming out of my mouth, I would be replaced,” Henson said.
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The diversity of women featured in the story, from Celie, who experiences abuse and oppression, to Sophia, a strong, tenacious character who challenges societal norms, highlights the complexity of femininity.
Audience member Kyndell Baskin, a sophomore television and film major with a minor in African American studies from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said she felt inspired and proud to see all the talented black women on screen while watching the film.
“I’m so proud and happy that this film is finally here,” Baskin said. “Having seen the book and loving all of the actors personally, watching them perform has been like a breath of fresh air.”
“The Color Purple” will be released in theaters on Christmas Day.
Copy editor: Jasper Smith
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