Photos & Video: Go Inside Rehearsals for THE COLOR PURPLE UK Tour

Leicester's Curve theatre and Birmingham Hippodrome are presenting a co-production of acclaimed musical The Color Purple, which is set to tour England and Wales for the first time this autumn.

Check out rehearsal photos and video!

Leading the company as the downtrodden but full-hearted heroine Celie is Me'sha Bryan, whose previous roles have included Romantics Anonymous (Bristol Old Vic), Caroline, or Change (The Playhouse Theatre) and The Lion King (UK tour). The role of glamorous singer Shug Avery will be played by Bree Smith (The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre), Aaliyah Zhané (The Comedy of Errors, Mercury Theatre) joins as Celie's sister Nettie, Harpo will be played by Ahmed Hamad (The Addams Family, UK Tour and The Boy in the Dress, RSC) and Squeak will be portrayed by Jimand Allotey, who makes her professional stage debut in the production.

The tour sees several cast members from Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome's original award-winning production return, including Ako Mitchell as Mister, Anelisa Lamola as Sofia, KM Drew Boateng as Pa, Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah as Darlene and Karen Mavundukure as Doris and Alternate Celie.

The cast also includes Kyle Birch, Kayla Carter, Joshua Clemetson, Esme Laudat, Deearna Mclean, Monifa James, Alex Okoampa, Neil Patterson and Kellah-M Spring.

The Color Purple will once again be directed by Tinuke Craig, with Lakesha Arie-Angelo as Revival Director. Also resuming their roles on the production team are Musical Supervisor Alex Parker, Orchestrator Martin Higgins, Choreographer Mark Smith, Set and Costume Designer Alex Lowde, Video Designer Joshua Pharo, Sound Designer Tom Marshall, Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Designer Cynthia De La Rosa and Casting Director Kay Magson CDG, with Ian Oakley as Musical Director, Ricardo Pardo as Associate Designer, Gail Parmel and Iona Waite as Associate Choreographers, Kev McCurdy as Fight Director, Hazel Holder as Voice Coach, Gerrard Martin as Intimacy Director, Naomi Thompson as Costume Supervisor, Nicole Iroh as Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Supervisor and Nigel Bailey as Wellbeing Practitioner also joining.

The tour will open at Birmingham Hippodrome 13 to 17 September, the musical will then visit Theatre Royal Plymouth (27 September to 1 October), Royal & Derngate Northampton (4 to 8 October), The Lowry in Salford (11 to 15 October), Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (18 to 22 October), Mayflower Theatre Southampton (25 to 29 October), finishing its run at Norwich Theatre Royal (1 to 5 November). Listings and ticket information can be found below.

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.

With a profoundly evocative score by Grammy award-winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and drawing inspiration from jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this landmark musical celebrates life, love and the strength to stand up for who you are and what you believe in.

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

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