Jul 19 — Jul 21
The Color Purple
COCA Summer Musical
This musical adaptation of The Color Purple, Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film, spotlights Celie, a downtrodden young woman whose personal awakening over the course of 40 years forms the arc of this epic story.
Prepare to be spellbound by the powerful voices and unforgettable characters who take you on a heartwarming odyssey of love, empowerment, and redemption. Featuring a Grammy Award-winning score infused with jazz, ragtime, gospel, and African blues, this moving tale is a testament to the healing power of love, faith, resilience, and sisterhood.
To celebrate 20 years of COCA summer musicals, we are welcoming back COCA Alumni from past summer musicals to join our current students in a production of The Color Purple you won’t want to miss!
Director: Duane Foster | Music Director: Dr. Philip A. Woodmore | Choreographer: Christopher Page-Sanders
Alumni are invited to join us for a special Alumni Reunion and the opening night performance of The Color Purple on Friday, July 19. More Information
Audio description is provided by MindsEye Radio for the 1:00PM performance on Saturday, July 20.
ASL interpretation is provided by DEAF, Inc. for the 7:00PM performance on Saturday, July 20. To access reserved seating in view of the interpreters, contact COCA’s Box Office at boxoffice@cocastl.org or 314.561.4873. A limited number of seats near the interpreters are reserved for patrons using this service: Orchestra, Row F, Seats 24–32. Interpreters will be sat in the aisle in front of these seats.
The Color Purple is recommended for ages 13+.
The show’s run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
Content Transparency: The Color Purple contains mature themes and situations, including violence, abuse, incest, sexual promiscuity, and strong language. However, this production ultimately tells a narrative of resilience in the face of adversity, redemption, and hope. The Color Purple is best suited for mature teens and adults.
Tickets for the 7:00PM performance on Friday, July 19 are SOLD OUT.
Jul 19 — Jul 21
The Color Purple
COCA Summer Musical
July 19 @ 12:00 pm – July 21 @ 12:00 pm
Discipline
TheatreCreative Team
Director – Duane Foster
Choreographer – Chris Page-Sanders
Musical Director – Phil Woodmore
Scenic Designer – Seth Howard
Lighting Designer – Jayson Lawshee
Costume Designer – Shevaré Perry
Technical Director/Charge Artist – Cameron Tesson
Stage Manager – Caroline John
Assistant Stage Manager – Ginny Pisoni
Sound Design – Justin Foster
Props Manager – Julia Nelson
Assistant Lighting Designer – Jonathan Scully
Assistant Music Director – Noah Van Ess
The Company
Celie – Emara Neymour
Shug – Jailyn Genyse
Nettie – Nadia Rawlins
Mister – Gheremi Clay
Harpo – Stephan Griffin
Squeak – DeKylah Epps
Sofia – Kenya Nash
Pa – Rayquan Strickland
Church Lady – Kaitlin Oliver, Shaniya Perry, Nayomi Shackelford
The Ensemble
AJ Bentley
Jaron Bentley
Raina Bentley
Sarah Bentley
Ehsan Bey
Cameron Billingsley
Arushus Coleman
Alisa Cooper
MJ Easley
Ieshah Edwards
Christopher Evans
Quentin Farquharson
Kameron Henry
Naomi Hollis
Patrick Howard
Kennedy Jenkins
Alexander Johnson
Dajaun Johnson
Jayden Jones
Shyneice Keys-Hill
Kaelyn McCurtis
Nyna Moore
Rian Page
Haylin Travis
Pre-Show Panel with Forward Through Ferguson
SAT, JUL 20 | 6:00PM | Staenberg Performance Lab | Free & Open to the Public
COCA is partnering with Forward Through Ferguson (FTF) to host a pre-show panel that connects the themes of The Color Purple with reflections on the 10-year anniversary of the Ferguson Uprising. The panel will take place on Saturday, July 20 at 6:00PM.
Featured panelists:
- Duane Martin Foster, Director of The Color Purple
- Indigo K. Sams, President & CEO of COCA
- Riisa Rawlins, CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission and Board Member of COCA & FTF
- Annissa McCaskill, Executive Director of FTF
- Faybra Jabulani, Lead Racial Equity Capacity Catalyst of FTF
Forward Through Ferguson is an anti-racist systems change organization whose mission is to center impacted communities and mobilize accountable bodies to advance racially equitable systems and policies that ensure all people in the St. Louis region can thrive.
COCApresents Presenting Sponsor
The Color Purple Supporting Sponsors
THE COLOR PURPLE
BASED UPON THE NOVEL WRITTEN BY ALICE WALKER AND THE WARNER BROS./AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT MOTION PICTURE
Book by MARSHA NORMAN
Music and Lyrics by BRENDA RUSSELL, ALLEE WILLIS, STEPHEN BRAY
THE COLOR PURPLE was produced on Broadway at the Broadway Theater by Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman and Quincy Jones. The world premiere of THE COLOR PURPLE was produced by the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia.
THE COLOR PURPLE is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.theatricalrights.com
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