 (2).png)
Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co‐Founders and Co-Artistic Directors) presents THE COLOR PURPLE at the Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles), playing through December 9, 2018.
The Tony Award-‐winning musical features a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. The production is directed and choreographed by NAACP Theater Award-winner Jeffrey Polk (Smokey Joe’s Café). THE COLOR PURPLE is an inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film) spotlights Celie, a downtrodden young woman whose personal awakening over the course of 40 years forms the arc of this epic story. With a joyous score featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues, THE COLOR PURPLE is a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love and a celebration of life!
“THE COLOR PURPLE is a story of redemption and empowerment and particularly relevant in today’s political climate,” said Whitney Weston, Greenway Arts Alliance Co-‐Founder and Co-Artistic Director. “We feel fortunate that Los Angeles theatre veteran, Jeffrey Polk brings this powerful story to life on our stage,” added Pierson Blaetz, Greenway Arts Alliance Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director. “I’m so proud of this stellar cast that we put together; all local and within our community – including the immensely talented Carol Dennis, Lynette DuPree, April Nixon, and Aaron Braxton,” said Jeffrey Polk, Director and Choreographer of THE COLOR PURPLE. “I’m also thrilled to have collaborated with internationally renowned composer, pianist, conductor, orchestrator and musical director Patrick Gandy who has worked with such great artists as Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Dianne Reeves. That is just the beginning of the greatness and the talent of this cast and this production team.” Polk added, “Together we tell the story of THE COLOR PURPLE through Alice Walker’s novel as we give it the music and life to move the audience. The intimate theater lets you feel that you are right there, so you can see the actors eyes and experience their journey with them.”
In addition to director/choreographer Jeffrey Polk, THE COLOR PURPLE creative team includes: music director Patrick Gandy, set designer Christopher Murillo; costume designer Dana Rebecca Woods; lighting designer Azra King-Abadi, and sound designer Julie Ferrin. THE COLOR PURPLE premiered at the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia and opened on Broadway on November 1, 2005. It was nominated for eleven 2006 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. The London off-West End production opened on Broadway in 2015, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
THE COLOR PURPLE plays at Greenway Court Theatre, 544 North Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036. The production will play through December 9, 2018. Performance schedule is Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Regular performance ticket prices for general admission are $45 and Student/Senior prices are $20. THE COLOR PURPLE is also available through Greenway Arts Alliance 2018|2019 Season Subscription packages starting at $50. Subscription and single tickets are available online at GreenwayCourtTheatre.org/THECOLORPURPLE. For more information call 323-‐673-‐0544 or visit GreenwayCourtTheatre.org. Free parking is available in the lot on Fairfax and Clinton, directly adjacent to the theatre. The parking lot is shared with other events, please allow for ample time to park.
FEATURING ELIZABETH ADABALE AARON BRAXTON CAROL DENNIS LYNETTE DUPREE GABRIELLE JACKSON DOMINIQUE KENT RACHEL SARAH MOUNT APRIL NIXON MARIAH STRICKLAND JEREMY WHATLEY PERFORMANCES RUN THROUGH DECEMBER 9, 2018 AT GREENWAY COURT THEATRE
GREENWAY ARTS ALLIANCE (GAA) – Since its 1997 inception, the Greenway Arts Alliance has united communities through the arts, education and social enterprise. Through Greenway Court Theatre’s professional theatre productions, Greenway Institute for the Arts’ education programs and the Melrose Trading Post’s weekly art-‐based open market, Greenway Arts Alliance builds a vibrant artistic community in the heart of Los Angeles. GAA has modeled an innovative partnership with the Fairfax High School campus to leverage community resources to connect the profession artistic and public education communities around a commitment to learning and creation in the arts. Greenway Arts Alliance was Co-‐Founded by artists-‐activists Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, both of whom serve as Co-‐Artistic Directors for the organization. GREENWAY COURT THEATRE – Greenway Court was initially built by Fairfax High School students in 1939 as a class project and used as a Social Hall by both students and faculty. It sat virtually unused for many years until it was finally renovated into a professional 99-‐seat theatre by Greenway Arts Alliance in 2000, to benefit both the school and the surrounding community. Greenway Court Theatre has a rich history of presenting and producing diverse bodies of work. Greenway has opened its door to many main-‐stage productions, weekly open mic poetry, festivals and world premieres that have moved to larger venues and toured across the country.
