How Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Inspired the Choreography for ‘The Color Purple’ Musical Number ‘Push Da Button’
variety.comJazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Choreographer Fatima Robinson fused hip-hop, dance, African history, tap, jazz and even Jamaican moves as she crafted the musical numbers in “The Color Purple,” but there was one person in particular whose energy she wanted to capture: Beyoncé.
Specifically, the energy of Beyoncé’s “Renaissance.” Director Blitz Bazawule blends Alice Walker’s text and the Broadway musical to reimagine the classic as a vibrant movie musical. “American Idol’s” Fantasia Barrino plays Celie, a woman who slowly finds her voice with Shug Avery’s (Taraji P.
Henson) help. Shug isn’t just Mister’s (Colman Domingo) lover, she is a lounge singer from the big city. Preceding her arrival is a buzz of excitement in the “Shug Avery’s Comin to Town” number.
But her big moment is the juke joint performance of “Push da Button,” and for that, Robinson wanted everything about it to “feel incredible.” The juke joint was a place where people went to hang out and have a good time.
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