THE COLOR PURPLE musical to get European premiere at Menier Chocolate Factory from July 2013

The Menier Chocolate Factory

presents the European premiere of

The Color Purple

directed and designed by acclaimed

Tony Award-winning director John Doyle

5  July – 14 September

An unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity, The Color Purple is a landmark musical from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Alice Walker.

This stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life. With a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this European premiere is directed by John Doyle (Road Show at the Menier Chocolate Factory), adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Grammy award winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

Alice Walker is an internationally celebrated author, poet and activist whose books include seven novels, four collections of short stories, four children’s books, and volumes of essays and poetry. With The Color Purple, Walker became the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the National Book Award.

Walker’s work has been translated into more than two dozen languages, and her books have sold more than fifteen million copies. Walker’s awards and fellowships include a Guggenheim Fellowship and an induction in the California Hall of Fame. In 2010 she presented the key note address at The 11th Annual Steve Biko Lecture at the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, and was awarded the Lennon/Ono Peace Grant in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Walker donated this latter award to an orphanage for the children of AIDS victims in East Africa.)

There will be a world exclusive premiere of ‘Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth’ a feature documentary film by Pratibha Parmar, about the life and art of Alice Walker on Sunday 10 March at 6.30pm as part of WOW-  Women of the World Festival -  at Southbank Centre.

The Color Purple is being produced by special arrangement with Scott Sanders and Roy Furman.

Tickets go on sale to Chocolate Factory priority bookers from midday on Monday 22 April, and to the general public at 9am on Wednesday 1 May.

Casting will be announced shortly.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dates: 5 July – 14 September 2013
Press Night: Monday, 15 July 8.00pm

Box Office: 020 7378 1713; £2 transaction fee per booking
Website: www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1 transaction fee per bkg)
Address: 53 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU
Restaurant: 020 7234 9610
Transport: London Bridge Tube, Borough High Street exit / RV1 and 381 buses