SPOTLIGHT ON: Felicia P. Fields, Sofia in The Color Purple at Atlanta's Fox Theatre September 15 - 27

When The Color Purple rolls into Atlanta for a stop at the Fabulous Fox Theatre this week, a familiar face will be stepping on the Fox stage once again. Felicia P. Fields, who plays the role of Sofia sat down with me to share a little bit about her unique history with The Color Purple, her take on her character and her love of performing in Atlanta.

A native Chicagoan, Felicia has earned many accolades in her varied theatrical career, including a Tony Award nomination and many other awards and recognitions for her portrayal of Sofia in The Color Purple on Broadway. She has also been seen throughout the Chicagoland area in numerous productions including Ain't Misbehavin, Show Boat, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Dreamgirls.

Let's start with a question about your background. Tell us a little bit about how you got started in the Theatre? Has it always been a passion of yours?

No, actually I was just minding my business directing the choir at church and some people came to me and asked me if I could help them with some demos they were making for musicals. They asked me if I would be willing to sing and I agreed and from that someone heard me singing at their studio and told me I should audition for The Wiz at the Marriott Lincolnshire. So, I did, and I got it, and the rest is history.

You have a long history with The Color Purple, starting with the previews at the ALLIANCE THEATRE here in Atlanta, then Broadway and a Tony nomination and now this tour. How do you feel the show has grown and you have grown with it as it has evolved?

Actually, I go even further back than that because I was there for the first workshop of the show. It keeps altering because people come and go and you bounce off different energies. It always has a way of changing because you give other people an opportunity to do what they do and bring what they bring to the piece and you play off of what they do. So, its been a constant evolution. And it's live theatre so even with people you have been working with for years, we find different things. Also, a lot of times the audience helps us to find things that we didn't realize might have been laying dormant there as well.

That has to be a unique experience being part of something from the beginning in workshop and as it evolves. During that journey has it taken slightly different directions?

I have seen a lot of things, I have seen good, I have seen bad and I have been there for it all. When we started at the Alliance, it was quite different than it is today. They weren't happy with the opening that took place at the funeral so they tried to find a way to make it a lot more uplifting from the beginning. I think they have done a good job capturing that with the opening church scene.

This show is filled with so many different emotions: pain, confusion and even joy. What is the hardest part of portraying such a wide range of emotion on stage?

For my journey it is so well written it is not very difficult to transition from one thing to another. The character of Sofia is so close to my heart. I really believe in the same things that she identifies with and share her strengths. As a result of those strengths a number of things happen to her along the way that I can certainly identify with, the painful part but the resilience of it also, after she has been beaten and comes back. And with me being a part of the show from the beginning, I have had have some input into what goes on in the transformation of the character.

Many people are familiar with The Color Purple, first from the Alice Walker novel and then from the critically acclaimed movie. Do you think those that are already familiar with the story get something new and fresh from seeing the show?

Oh yes. Live theatre has a way of being right there with you. I believe it brings so much to life that it's like being in the presence of the transformation. People see your sweat on stage and are more enamored by the transitions that take place with the scenery. All that lets them know early on that it is not going to be like the movie or the book, but more like the book come to life. The audience is usually so much a part of what keeps us motivated. It's their energy that gets us moving and going and charged as a result of how excited they are.

Your character Sofia is the same role that Oprah Winfrey played in the movie. With Oprah as a  producer of this show, have you ever gotten to compare notes with her?

She really has only been encouraging in terms of what she has said to me. Oprah is so gracious and has always been a big supporter of mine and always concerned about how I am doing and how I am feeling about things and she has been great. I remember the first time I did "Hell No!", the first time I hit Hell No! she jumped to her feet and she said "Yes!". She has definitely let me know that she enjoys my performance.

What do you like the most about being part of this show? What do you look forward to the most?

The best part of the show for me is the curtain call because very few times during the show do you get an opportunity to see the audience on their feet. I never look in the house during the show, but once I see the energy of the audience at the end, it is such a gratifying feeling to know that they have appreciated the 2 ½ hours that they have been on that journey with us and it is one of the most exciting parts of the evening for me.

With the tour, you are constantly on the road from city to city. What would you say is the hardest part of that life, especially compared to performing in one place such as on Broadway?

Being away from home is not a good thing. You worry when something happens at home and you are not there to be able to take care of it. And it is difficult living out of a hotel room, especially when you have to deal with challenges such as poor hotel customer service from time to time.

Is being a part of a tour like this eneregizing in any way?

It is only energizing if the audience is energized.  It can be very disheartening if people are not receptive and just sit there, especially on Tuesday what you have been traveling and putting in extra effort to work out the kinks to prepare for the first performance.  But if it is a receptive crowd it makes you forget how tired you are.

Obviously you have performed in Atlanta before, but have you performed at the Fox in the past?

Yes, we were there maybe a year ago with this tour. I love Atlanta. I am always going to leave Atlanta with a lot more pounds on me! There is something about the southern hospitality that is very exciting to me. My family always wants to come see the show when we are in Atlanta. It is the only other place on earth that I think I would not mind living.

Do you have any advice for young people who are interested in getting into the theatre business?

It is a difficult job and is not as easy as it looks. It's very rewarding once you break into it, though. I always like to say the business is like a game of Monopoly. Monopoly is the longest game in the world, and sometimes you want to just quit, but if you keep your piece on the board, you stay in the game However, once you take your piece off the board, you are out of the game. So, my advice is if you feel that you are talented and have something to offer and people are encouraging you to go in that direction, then you should keep your piece on the board because you never know when your break is going to come.

Do you have a dream role that you would one day like to play?

I don't know if I would call it my dream role, but I would love to do Mame and I would love to play Mama Rose in Gypsy one day.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Just that I love Atlanta and Atlanta has always been a charged city for our story and I am looking forward to performing there again.

THE COLOR PURPLE will play the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta from September 15-27.  Performances are scheduled for Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com  Ticket prices range from $29.50 to $67.50. Special group rates are available through the Fox Group Sales Dept. at 404-881-2000.

Photo by Paul Kolnik

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