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| Daryl D. Brooks |
by Gil Benbrook
Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name, The Color Purple is an iconic tale that tells the journey of Celie, and other African-American women, living in the South in the 1930s who have to deal with both racial and class tensions. The musical stage adaptation opened on Broadway in 2005 and received 11 Tony Nominations. National tours and international productions followed, and ten years later, a revival of the show premiered that went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
The musical opens tonight at The Phoenix Theatre Company and runs through May 1st.
Daryl D. Brooks is a Chicago based director, writer and actor who is currently the Producing Managing Director of the Black Ensemble Theater. Jones has directed over 50 productions and is making his Phoenix Theater Company directorial debut with The Color Purple.
Brooks' musical revue, You Can’t Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music, which premiered at Black Ensemble Theater, earned him an African American Arts Award, Black Theater Alliance Award, and the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Musical/Revue, and he has received multiple award nominations for his other directorial efforts.
In 2019 Daryl received the Chicago Defender’s Men of Excellence Award for building diversity and equity within the Chicago theater community.
In between final rehearsals of the show, Brooks sat down to answer some questions about the musical and this production.
For someone who isn't aware of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the popular film, or this musical adaptation, what would you tell them The Color Purple is about?
Brooks: "The Color Purple is about a young black woman who is mistreated for the majority of her life. People telling her that she is ugly, stupid, that she is as worthless as an old horse. Still during these times, she holds strong to the love she has for her sister and the children she never met. Throughout the show, other female characters give the confidence that she needs to know that she is beautiful and strong, and has the ability to leave all the tragedy behind her to live the life she was destine to live."
Why did you want to direct this show?
"I wanted to direct the show because it is a true tale. The characters may be fictitious, but the story is very much real. Black women were treated as less than dirt during that time period. A period in which they are trying to pull themselves out of today. This story must be told as much as possible."
What type of research did you do to prepare to direct this production?
"Although I saw the show in 2012, I did not run to see the show this time. I wanted to direct it with fresh eyes. Of course I watched the movie again, I read the book, and listened to some podcasts with Alice Walker talking about the show. I also talked to Black women and asked them what the show meant to them. The research from that helped me guide how I would direct the show."
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| Andrea Fleming as Celie photo by Reg Madison Photography |
In the musical, terrible things happen to several characters, yet there are also many wonderful, positive things that happen as well. What type of work did you do in the rehearsal process in order for the actors to connect to the wide range of emotions and events that happen to their characters in the story?
"I make sure that my rehearsal rooms are safe spaces. No judgement at all, and always checking in on the mental state of the actors. We were able to cast a phenomenal cast of characters that came with bold choices and wonderful questions. I believe that table work before the process is everything. My principals and I had many talks about feeling and emotions before we even stepped in the rehearsal space. Making sure that we were all on the same page telling this story."
What character in the show do you most identify with, and why?
"I guess I identify with Harpo. The character in the show defies his father and loves who he wants to love regardless of what others have to say. Figuring out that he is happiest doing things his own way, without listening to his father or grandfather. Recognizing the trauma that had been passed down between generations as a product of slavery. Although I never experienced it in my own life, I have always been outspoken and have done what has felt right to me whether others agreed or not. "
Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple" was published in 1982, why do you think this story is still relevant today?
"This answer is simple…Black Women are still being discriminated against today! It is a tragedy. Black Women are statistically the most educated demographic in the United States, and they still have to struggle 10 times more to be accepted than their white counterparts."
What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing The Color Purple at The Phoenix Theatre Company?
"I hope the audience leaves the show feeling touched and scarred. I want them to feel the deep emotional cut that this show gives, and I want them to feel compelled to go out into their communities and do more to help people grow. I want anyone that is dealing with domestic violence to feel empowered to take their life back and get the help they deserve. I also want them to leave knowing that they are beautiful and nothing anyone says or does changes that."
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