BWW Blog: Kellie Williams - Why I Skipped Prom for THE COLOR PURPLE

I skipped my senior prom to see The Color Purple on Broadway, and I have zero regrets about it.

Honestly, The Color Purple was exactly what I needed to see.

There were a number of reasons why I decided not to go to prom (it wasn't a last-minute thing), but the most prominent one was my body image. Dress shopping is very rarely a fun experience for me. As a plus sized person, I've grown up feeling anxious at the mention of dress shopping. My school required that I get a white dress for my graduation and I didn't want to go through the whole dress ordeal again for prom. I also knew that if I went I'd spend the whole night comparing myself to the other girls, and lamenting that I didn't have a date. It wasn't that I don't like dance parties; I definitely do. I was even on the prom planning committee! But actually going to prom just wasn't appealing.

I had this idea in my mind of what prom would look like, based on what I've seen in movies and TV shows. I imagined that I would be taller and thinner, wearing a gorgeous, floor-length dress; and my hair would be different. As the day came closer, I realized that those things were not my reality and that maybe I had placed too much pressure on myself to look a certain way by a certain point in time.

For most of the school year, I struggled with my body image and felt like "plus-sized" and "confident" were two mutually exclusive concepts.

That is, until I saw The Color Purple.

I knew the basic premise of The Color Purple, but had never read the book or seen the movie so I didn't know exactly what to expect.

I was completely blown away.

The cast is comprised of people of all different body types, each one of them beautiful, strong and powerful. I have never felt happier or prouder to be an aspiring black performer than I did while watching The Color Purple. Here was a show about black women who have had struggles, but realized their self-worth and overcame them. Celie (brought to life by the amazingly talented Cynthia Erivo), finds herself continually put down by others, but she learns that the only person who can determine her self-worth is her. Most of my insecurities come from within, but I took a cue from Celie that my confidence would also have to come from within. As I saw Danielle Brooks confidently bring the character Sofia to life, for the first time, I thought, "That could be me one day." She was so strong and sure of herself from the very beginning of the show. Her positive, confident energy was so infectious and inspirational that I knew instantly I'd found a new role model.

Additionally, her performance reminded me that theatre is exactly what I want to do. Sometimes I'm skeptical of the roles that I might get as a black female. I won't always want to be a sidekick, or some variation of the sassy woman archetype. But seeing Danielle (and the whole cast, for that matter) reminded me that there is so much more out there for us. I was so uplifted by their fantastic storytelling.

So, I didn't go to prom. And I didn't miss out on a thing! I was, however, blown away by a talented cast that did not disappoint. The Color Purple allowed me to think about my image and reclaim some body positivity. My body image is still a work in progress, but I know now that true acceptance can only come from myself, and maybe a pair of Miss Celie's pants.

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