Goodman Theatre: The Color Purple

Lachrisa Grandberry, Brittney Mack, Ariya Hawkins and Aerie Williams

Goodman Theatre Presents THE COLOR PURPLE Review - Learning to Love and Hope

TLDR: Brittney Mack alongside the featured leads and ensemble are worth every penny to see Goodman’s production of The Color Purple as their talent comes through in the acting and delivering the gorgeous score with their singing. Though simply staged, the story pops with emotions. 

The cast of The Color Purple

Feeling The Warm Georgia Breeze

We feel as though it’s a warm, Southern, summer evening entering the Goodman theatre. The stage has moss hanging from the rafters. Worn wood becomes the floor and the back wall enveloping us in a rural, barnyard space. Clean, white sheets and other linens hang across the stage on a clothesline, almost as if inviting a warm breeze to lazily blow through them. 

The orchestra strikes the opening notes and the laundry rises above the stage. Lights of stained glass are projected onto the sheets transporting us to a church. Two young, African American girls sit in the front row as the holy spirit comes down on the whole congregation during “Mysterious Ways.” We’re introduced to the townsfolk, including three quintessential church ladies with fans, practical kitten heels, and opinions on everything that goes on in town.

The staging of Goodman’s production of The Color Purple is simple. The white linens become scene accents to project on. The wooden floor has steps to create different levels for the cast to traverse across. There’s not a ton of large set pieces, so when we’re setting a new scene, the actors will bring out a few set pieces or props to hold - a table and some chairs, rolls of fabric, a wash bucket - and keep us focused on the characters and the songs.  

Aerie Williams and Brittney Mack

A Transformative Journey of Love at Goodman

Brittney Mack plays the forever tossed into unfortunate circumstances, Celie. She starts naive, only knowing the four walls around her and how much she loves her sister. Being passed from one abusive man to another, her eyes are downcast, her shoulders hunched trying to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible.

Then as her world grows, we see everything is different when she is surrounded with strong women. Those moments when she finds people who inspire her, Mack’s entire face changes. Her eyes go wide in disbelief as she watches Sofia (Nicole Michelle Haskins) walk about the world with confidence and so sure of herself. Shug Avery (Aerie Williams) tries to tilt Celie’s face up to look at herself in the mirror and get her to see how beautiful she is. Celie smiles, her eyes brighter. When someone shows her kindness and softness, she becomes lighter. Her arms lift and seem weightless and she seems like a bird that could fly away.

Mack takes us from someone whose world was so small and thought the best possible outcome was to be dead to someone almost unrecognizable in the end, someone who knows love and hope and beauty. 

(L, front) Shantel Renee Cribbs. (L-R, center) Curtis Bannister, Sharriese Hamilton, Eric A. Lewis, Juwon Tyrel Perry, Sean Blake, Jos N. Banks, Aalon Daeja Smith, Lachrisa Grandberry, Daryn Whitney Harrell and Michael Earvin Martin. (R, front) Brittney Mack

The Strength Comes From Everyone

And it’s not only Mack who delivers a fully developed character transformation. Evan Tyrone Martin captures Mister’s violence as he keeps Celie in line with a firm hand. His eyes go wide and practically spits hatred as she stands up to him. But when he has his moment realizing he he has nobody left in his life anymore, he claims the stage as he sings “Mister’s Song.” He softens and we see him change into an older gentleman changed in his ways.

We feel heartbroken as Haskins, the once strong and defiant Sofia is a shell of who she once was. And every time Williams is onstage, we can’t help but also find ourselves in love with Shug like everyone else. She brings a soulful depth as she sings to Celie about beauty all around and brings the juke joint down in “Push da Button” full of fun and joy. 

Pulling it all together the cast delivers the gorgeous score with their crystal clear vocals. The three church ladies, Lachrisa Grandberry, Daryn Whitney Harrell, and Sharriese Hamilton sing their opinions in rounds overlapping each other with hilarious facial expressions to accompany their judgements. When Mack and Shantel Renee Cribbs as Nettie sing together, their harmonies soar through their childhood song and when they read each other’s letters. The cast delivers that soulful depth that the score of The Color Purple needs.

(Center) Aerie Williams. (L-R, in back) Brittney Mack, Eric A. Lewis, Juwon Tyrel Perry, Shantel Renee Cribbs, Aalon Daeja Smith, Michael Earvin Martin, Jos N. Banks, Sharriese Hamilton and Ariya Hawkins

The After Party Thoughts

Brittney Mack is back, back, back again and received two well deserved standing ovations throughout the opening night performance. It’s always amazing seeing legends come back to Chicago and I say that because not only does Mack deliver a stellar and emotional performance, it also gives me a chance to brag about seeing her in the original production of Six here as OG Anne of Cleves. 

Even if you’ve seen The Color Purple before, Mack is worth it to see the show again here at Goodman. When she throws her head back to belt praying to God and in “I’m Here”, it feels like she is pulling the strength right from the ground letting it explode above her. Her portrayal of Celie shows us an almost unrecognizable woman in the end from where she started. Couple her with Nicole Michelle Haskins as Sofia and Aerie Williams as Shug, The Color Purple envelops us in this warm, hopeful, and loving embrace reminding us that we need to surround ourselves with people who lift us up and help us find our own inner strength.

The Color Purple is a fabulous show to close out Pride month and continue what Pride is all about well into the summer. This production of The Color Purple is simply staged, but the cast delivers on the emotion and transformations of all their characters. For those that have seen the show before, this production still delivers on the story you know and love. For those that may not have seen it before but have been waiting for the right production, this one is it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The cast of The Color Purple

When

Now through August 3, 2025

Where

Goodman Theatre

170 N Dearborn St.

Chicago, IL 60601

Runtime: 2hrs 50min, including intermission

Tickets

$33+

Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling the box office at 312.443.3800 or through the Goodman Theatre website

Photos

Brett Beiner

Brittney Mack and Shantel Renee Cribbs

CAST

Jos N. Banks (Grady)

Curtis Bannister (Buster)

Sean Blake (Ol Mister / Olinkan Chief)

Shantel Renee Cribbs (Nettie)

Gilbert Domally (Harpo)

Lachrisa Grandberry (Doris / Olinkan Wife)

Sharriese Hamilton (Darlene / Olinkan Wife)

Daryn Whitney Harrell (Squeak)

Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia)

Ariya Hawkins (Olivia)

Reneisha Jenkins (Jarene / Olinkan Wife)

Eric Lewis (Bobby / Guard)

Brittney Mack (Celie)

Evan Tyrone Martin (Mister)

Michael Earvin Martin (Pa)

Juwon Tyrel Perry (Preacher / Adam)

Aerie Williams (Shug Avery)

Jos N. Banks, Curtis Bannister, Sean Blake, Shantel Renee Cribbs, Lachrisa Grandberry, Sharriese Hamilton, Daryn Whitney Harrell, Ariya Hawkins, Reneisha Jenkins, Eric A. Lewis, Michael Earvin Martin, Juwon Tyrel Perry, Aalon Daeja Smith (Ensemble)

Marta Bady, Richaun Samar Stewart, Shelbi Voss (Swing)

CREATIVE

John Bronston (Conductor, Keyboard 1)

Vijay Tellis-Nayak (Keyboard 2)

Felton Offard (Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Dobro, Harmonica)

Chuck Webb (Acoustic and Electric Bass)

Charles Heath (Drumset, Percussion)

Rajiv Halim (Alto Sax, Clarinet, Flute)

Linda Van Dyke (Bari Sax, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Sax)

Derrick Gardner (Trumpet, Flugelhorn)

Randy Cohnen & Sam Starobin; Cohen Keyboards (Keyboard Programmer)

Heather Boehm (Music Coordinator)

Jermaine Hill (Music Director)

John Bronston (Associate Music Director)

Breon Arzell (Choreographer)

Darian Tene (Associate Choreographer)

Arnel Sancianco (Set Designer)

Samantha C. Jones (Costume Designer)

Heather Gilbert (Lighting Designer)

Stephanie Farina and Sarah Ramos (Co-Sound Designers)

Mike Commendatore and Rasean Davonté Johnson (Co-Projection Designers)

Gregory Geffrard (Intimacy and Violence)

Isabella Grace Scarlett (Assistant Intimacy and Violence)

Tor Campbell (Assistant Director)

Malkia Stampley (Line Producer)