Last Updated on 24 January 2022 by Showcall Editorial Team

The Color Purple Musical UK Tour

Leicester’s Curve theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome have announced that award-winning musical The Color Purple will tour in 2022. The Color Purple Musical UK Tour starts in Birmingham this Autumn.

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.

The original Broadway production of The Color Purple musical ran from 2005 to 2008 where it was nominated for eleven Tony Awards. An acclaimed Broadway revival based on the production presented by The Menier Chocolate Factory in London ran from 2015-2017 starring Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo. The production would win the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Cynthia Erivo.

Color Purple musical tour tickets — TShan Williams (Celie) and Danielle Fiamanya (Nettie) in The Color Purple. Photo: Manuel Harlan

Tinuke’s production in 2019 was critically acclaimed with Danielle Fiamanya winning The Stage Debut Award for her performance as Nettie. The production was also streamed to over 20,000 people during lockdown.

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.”

The Color Purple musical tour will see Tinuke Craig reprise his role as Director with full cast and creative team to be advised shortly.

This Color Purple UK Tour is possible thanks to the support of Arts Council England’s National Lottery Funding.