Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay have announced that their highly acclaimed, award-winning production of the musical The Color Purple will travel to the SAIC-Shanghai Culture Square Theatre in China for fourteen performances from 29 July to 9 August.
The all-South African company, helmed by director Janice Honeyman, will give Chinese audiences their first experience of this Tony and Grammy Award Winning musical.
“I am so proud of the achievement of each and every member of this production. They deserve this further acknowledgement of success and will be flying the flag for Joburg Theatre, for the City of Joburg and for South Africa as a country by taking their talents internationally with this glorious musical,” said executive producer, Bernard Jay.
The SAIC-Shanghai Culture Square is a major player in China’s stage scene. Opened in 2011, the 1 800 seat theatre is a pre-eminent musical theatre venue in Shanghai, hosting Broadway and West End titles and niche musicals such as Titanic, Notre Dame de Paris and now The Color Purple. The theatre also strives to cultivate and build an artistic stage for the development of musical theatre and to lead the Chinese cultural and leisure industry.
“The Color Purple is deeply moving. I am thrilled to present this production in Shanghai. When I saw this American story in 2018 at Joburg Theatre, I was transported across a different space and time, hearing mankind from all over the world calling out through this show,” said Richard Fei, deputy general manager of SAIC-Shanghai Culture Square.
The South African production was first seen on The Nelson Mandela Theatre stage at Joburg Theatre in February 2018, returning for a second triumphant season in August of the same year. In 2019, the production received a total of seven Naledi Theatre Awards including the prize for Best Musical Production.
“I am beyond thrilled that Harmonia is bringing this important piece of theatre in this beautiful South African production to the China market. With its universal themes and deeply human story, it is a show timely for today’s China – whose people are embracing female empowerment more than ever,” said Ken Dingledine, president of Harmonia Holdings Ltd.
Meanwhile, South African audiences will again have the opportunity to see the production in its ‘Bon Voyage’ season at Joburg Theatre from 2 – 12 April.
