That is right - we went to the State Fair. It is always a fun (and totally exhausting) day. While Hubby and I don't go in for the rides (too expensive) or the games (no real chance of winning for us!) we do like to walk around, look at all the booths, test drive a few Chevy cars, and people watch.
The other thing we (well, mainly me) like to do is to sample some of the "fair food." This is a place and a time where eating fried food is not only acceptable, it is encouraged! I had Tornado Fries, a hamburger, and a funnel cake. Hubby had a fried Twinkie, part of my hamburger, and some of my funnel cake. We also had free ice cream from the food and fiber pavilion which is always giving out something free!
Doesn't that sound good to you?
The REAL reason we were at the fair was to see the musical "the Color Purple."
One musical each season is always during the State Fair and if you have a ticket to the musical, you can get into the fair for free. That, of course, is a good thing because the theater is inside the fairgrounds!
Somehow I missed reading the book The Color Purple and also missed seeing the movie. I didn't know what I was missing. This musical, based on the book with some elements from the movie thrown in, was wonderful. The music ran the gamut from soul to blues to gospel to African inspired tunes. The singers were very powerful and the storyline compelling.
From what other members of the audience told me during intermission (much to Hubby's dismay - he hates it when I start talking to total strangers), the musical was VERY condensed compared to the book and the musical but it stayed true to the whole story.
In case you are like me an never read the book - the story centers around a woman named Celie. She first appears as a pregnant 14 year old and throughout the story ages into a middle aged to elderly woman. Her life is full of hardships ranging from being raped by her "Pa" (who, it turns out is her STEP father) to being married to "Mister" who beats her and treats her more like a slave than a woman.
*****Spoiler alert! If you don't want to know how things turn out . . . quit reading now!
Celie gradually learns her self-worth through meeting several strong women (Sophia and Shug Avery) and eventually made decisions which change her life for the better and which allow her to understand her self-worth and her internal beauty.
The musical was very uplifting and moving. The scenery was spare but evoked the appropriate setting for the story and the costumes were delightful as they showed the passage of time through fashion.
I highly recommend this musical to anyone who is a musical fan, a fan of the book or movie, or just anyone who wants to see some good theater.
On a side note - the group of ladies who generally sit beside us at the musicals was not there this weekend because they though the musical would be too sad. True, there were sad parts but overall, the musical exuded hope and love and joy.
They don't know what they missed.
Trisha
Voice Update: Still doing well. Still not doing all the exercises I should but hanging in and doing some. I have speech this week. That should be interesting!
4 comments:
A wonderful book, movie and play. Glad you had fun.
A fried Twinkie? For real? I had a fried pickle at the 4th of July festivities, but a fried Twinkie?
It sounds like a fun time. I'm familiar with the story line but also have not see The Color Purple.
Thanks for the upbeat review!
Uggg, unhealthy fair food. I missed our fair this year. I'm a fool for the scones and the corn on the cob!
I have heard the book "The Colour Purple" is a good read, and I will eventually get it! Glad you had a wonderful weekend. I love fairs.
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