What a difference four stars can make

You may remember I walked out of the musical The Color Purple it was so bad. Well I saw it again! Fantasia is currently starring and believe it or not, star is the right word. Or stars to be exact. Four of them. This production left me amazed and extremely confused. Last time I saw it the emotional connections were missing (no one was afraid of Mister, Celie and Nettie didn't seem close, etc.) but this time ALL of the connections were there. I couldn't tell you the last time I cried at a Broadway show (Ok, it was probably Doubt) but I cried last night. Multiple times. And I was certainly not the only one. When poor Nettie and Celie were being separated by Mister I prayed they were both wearing kneepads.

Shug Avery just blew everything away. Even now I'm sitting here wishing I could have the version of "Push the Button" she sang last night. I listened to the preview of the song on iTunes from the original cast and it's nowhere near as good. Since when is the second cast of a musical better than the first?

I dreaded seeing poor Sophia after she was beat up for not wanting to be the mayor's wife's maid. I dreaded it because I was afraid it would be just as heartwrenching as in the movie. Well it was and more. Although they didn't actually show the scene where Sophia is surrounded by all the white men (there were no white people in this production) and beaten, it still was extremely powerful.

Oh Nettie. Nettie was eerie because she seemed to have been channeled right from the movie, looks, voice and all. But that was an amazing thing and it was an amazing performance.

And Fantasia. How can I forget Fantasia? I can honestly say I don't think I've ever clung to every word out of a performer's mouth like the last drops of air. I BELIEVED she was a little girl of 14 and dealing with the loss of her second child in the hands of her baby daddy (her real daddy). I BELIEVED she loved her some Shug Avery (even if she was partly a Nettie substitute). And I BELIEVED she was finally a self-actualized older woman. Maybe this is the only role that Fantasia can convincingly play in her whole life but oh my god every line was perfect. And her singing! I understood every word she sang and although she Fantasiaized it (like that word?) she made it convincing and part of her character.

Until she leaves the production in early January, it is my favorite show on Broadway. If you have any inkling to go to New York between now and then don't miss her.