Anyone in DFW that loves theater has an abundance of choices this weekend. From The Color Purple in Dallas to Detroit ’67 in Fort Worth and plenty of other choices for the last week in January.
The Color Purple on stage at Music Hall until Feb. 4
Dallas theater lovers can see for themselves The Color Purple 2016 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival! Hailed as “a direct hit to the heart” (The Hollywood Reporter), this joyous American classic about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South has conquered Broadway in an all-new “ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold” (The New York Times) directed by Tony winner John Doyle.
Earlier this week, the North Dallas Gazette spoke with Carla Stewart who is playing Shug in the National touring production.
According to Stewart, she draws more of her inspiration from Alice Walker’s groundbreaking book then the movie, although she appreciates both.
“So much inspiration to so many people,” is what Stewart discovered while performing on Broadway in The Color Purple and receiving feedback from the audience and other castmates. Read the full interview here.
The Color Purple is on stage at Music Hall in Fair Park until Feb. 4 and tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
Jubilee Theater presents Detroit ‘67
The world is shifting for two siblings in Motown. One sibling is running an after-hours joint in their basement to make ends meet. But when a mysterious woman finds her way into their lives, tensions mount when dreams diverge, their tight-knit community is threatened and the streets erupt into violence in this play set to a driving 60’s Motown beat. This is the story the Jubilee Theater is showcasing in Detroit ‘67 on stage now through Feb. 25.
The play is at 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday evenings, with matinees at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays. For ticket prices and more visit jubileetheatre.org.
Black Girl Magic on the big screen
The award-winning “Black Girl Magic” feature film, “La Vie Magnifique de Charlie” (aka #thecharliemovie), continues its film festival journey with a screening at the Denton Black Film Festival in Denton.
“Charlie” is a timely and exquisite exploration of the power of sisterhood and the beauty of #BlackGirlMagic, hoping to widen the narrow scope of the portrayals of black women in media. The film is a dramedy about one young woman’s struggle to remain carefree – even after the death of the love of her life: her sister.
Everyone is taken aback by Charlie’s unorthodox and seemingly chipper approach to her grieving process. Follow Charlie and her friends Kayla and Keturah as they go along for a wild, hilariously exhilarating and bittersweet ride – which will surely be the craziest day of Charlie’s life.
Some of the topics covered in the film are mental health, sickle cell and female sexual empowerment.
The screening is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Campus Theatre located at 214 W. Hickory St. in Denton. The cost of tickets are $10; $8 for students and seniors and available here.
Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue in Addison
Water Tower Theater is presenting Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue through Feb. 18. Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Quiara Alegría Hudes takes a poignant look at the way war permeates our lives. Hudes’ spare, intense, and poetically resonant play speaks to the personal cost of war across the ages, spanning three generations of a Puerto Rican-American family. Elliot is a Marine Corps hero back from Iraq, his Pop was wounded in Vietnam, and his flute-playing Grandpop fought in Korea. In a fugue-like form, different wars and different tales are strung together as Ginny, his mother, seeks to reconcile the disparate parts and heal emotional wounds.
This Sunday, Jan. 28 is their Pay-What-You-Can show at 2 p.m. The proceeds from this performance will benefit Puerto Rican Hurricane relief, where nearly 25 percent of the residents continue to lack utilities.
