1/26/2012 - West Side Leader
By Kathleen Folkerth
Appearing as Harpo in the touring production of “The Color Purple” is a dream come true for actor Cameron Ross.
The Houston native said watching the 1985 Steven Spielberg film of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel was something of a family tradition at his home.
“I grew up watching it,” Ross said. “I read the book on my own in college and revisited the book again when I was cast. I always thought, I would love to do that — I don’t know how or when, but I would love to be part of the legacy of ‘The Color Purple.’”
The musical will make its way to Akron for two performances, Feb. 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall at The University of Akron. “The Color Purple” opened on Broadway in 2005 and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. It closed on Broadway in 2008 and is now in its second national tour.
“The Color Purple” tells the story of Celie, an African-American woman in early 20th-century Georgia who endures abuse first from her stepfather and then her husband. She also deals with the loss of two babies and her beloved sister Nettie. Through relationships she develops over the years, she learns she is deserving of love and finds the confidence to assert and defend herself.
“There’s so much joy and so much hope in the show, but there’s a lot of pain and a lot of sadness,” Ross said. “With Miss Celie, especially, who was forced into marriage and never told she’s worth anything. She believes that for a lot of her life.”
As Harpo, who is Celie’s stepson, Ross gets to play a role that he loves.
“Alice Walker wrote me a letter and said Harpo is ‘the new man’ and the wonderful man everyone wants to be,” Ross said. “It’s a wonderful role to play. I always appreciated Harpo because he seems to be about love and defying the odds and being something different. He’s trying to be something that his father wasn’t, his grandfather wasn’t and his great-grandfather wasn’t, and he’s trying to find a new way to deal with his family.”
He marries the headstrong Sofia and struggles to learn how to get her to “mind.” Both his father and Celie tell him he should do the only thing they know — beat her.
“But Sofia is not the one to beat; she’s fought all her life,” Ross said of the character, who was played by Oprah Winfrey in the theatrical release. “Doing things in that way does nothing but bring him pain. I think he’s such a strong character because he decides on his own to be different and be a good man.”
“The Color Purple” features music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, all of whom have had success in the popular music industry. Ross said the music in the show ranges from gospel and spirituals to juke-joint tunes and jazz, as well as more contemporary-sounding R&B and soul.
“Actually, the music shows a journey of its own,” he said. “It’s a journey through the decades.”
Ross’s favorite part of the show is the “African Homeland” number, which opens Act II. It’s a scene in which a delighted Celie reads letters from her sister, who became a missionary in Africa, that her husband had hidden away for years.
“What she is reading is being created around her,” Ross said. “It’s almost like a dream sequence. I watch it from the wings every night. It’s so beautiful — the costumes, the lighting, the choreography.”
Ross said the story Walker created resonates with audiences because of its universal themes.
“It works for so many people,” he said. “I think it’s because love is universal. Loving someone and putting love into the universe is universal, and having faith in something strong. There are days when I struggle with things, and I think of Celie and all she endured and all she went through. As long as I put love into the universe, something good will happen.”
Tickets for “The Color Purple” are on sale at the Thomas Hall Ticket Office, all TicketMaster outlets, by calling 800-745-3000 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. For additional information, go to www.broadwayinakron.com. E.J. Thomas Hall is located at 198 Hill St.
