Azusa “SheShe” Dance portrays the fierce Sofia in the One Hit Production musical presentation of “The Color Purple” Saturday at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.If You Go• When: 1 p.m. (sold out) and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18• Where: Chattanooga Choo Choo theater, 1400 Market St.• Admission: $10• Email: Contact@TheColorPurple-Chattanooga.com• Website: www.thecolorpurple-chattanooga.comTicket OutletsTickets are available online or at the following walk-up locations:• Herman’s Soul Food: 3821 Brainerd Road and 5600 Brainerd Road (at Eastgate Town Center)• Uncle Larry’s Restaurant: 736 E. M.L. King Blvd.• Chic Beauty Salon: 3715 Brainerd Road
A 14-member Chattanooga cast will offer a musical version of “The Color Purple” in two performances Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Originally a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, the story is set in the South between 1909 and 1937 and centers on the problems African-American women faced during the era, including poverty, racism and sexism.
It was made into a 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Though it won none, the film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Whoopi Goldberg (who played central character Celie) and Best Supporting Actress for Margaret Avery (Shug Avery) and Oprah Winfrey (Sofia).
The musical version, with Winfrey among the producers, originated on Broadway in 2005 and earned 11 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Original Score for its mix of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues numbers. It garnered its only win for Lead Actress in a Musical.