Creatives Commentary: Choreographer Mark Smith on The Color Purple

Mark Smith, Choreographer of our Made at Curve and Birmingham Hippodrome co-production of The Color Purple, writes about bringing movement to Shug Avery’s number ‘Push Da Button’, performed in Harpo’s Juke Joint.

I have chosen this picture because it brings me great joy to see the cast having such a fantastic time performing my choreography. The main aim when I choreographed ‘Push Da Button’ in The Color Purple was to make the movement authentic, grounded, earthy and real with a bit of sparkle and flash of passion and fire! My inspiration For ‘Push Da Button’, was from Harlem and the New York City nightclub called The Cotton Club.

Photography by Manuel Harlan.