Miller Goes On for LaChanze for Final Color Purple Press Performance

By: Nov. 30, 2005
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Due to illness, LaChanze will be out for tonight's performance of The Color Purple. Her role of Celie will be played by Kenita R. Miller in the final pre-opening show for critics. The show opens on December 1st.

Miller, who is the understudy for the roles of Celie and Nettie, is making her Broadway debut with The Color Purple. She previously went on for LaChanze, however, in the Lincoln Center musical Dessa Rose; she played the title role for the last few weeks of the Ahrens and Flaherty musical's run after the latter star took ill. Other credits include two musicals with which LaChanze has been associated: a touring production of Ragtime and a regional staging of Once On This Island. Other credits include The Civil War and Smokey Joe's Cafe.

As a understudy's going on for a star during a press performance is an unusual occurence, some of the major critics have been given the option of reviewing the show with Miller tonight or waiting until LaChanze returns.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Alice Walker novel and the Steven Speilberg film that it inspired, The Color Purple features Celie as its central character in the musical's story of incest, pain, love and redemption. The show also features Felicia P. Fields as the volatile Sofia and Kingsley Leggs as Mister, as well as Renee Elise Goldsberry as Nettie, Elisabeth Withers as Shug, Brandon Victor Dixon as Harpo and Krisha Marcano as Squeak.

As in its production at the ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta, Gary Griffin (A Little Night Music at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Pacific Overtures in Chicago and London) will direct the musical. Marsha Norman (Pulitzer Prize-winner for 'night, Mother, The Secret Garden) wrote the book, while the eclectic score, which blends gospel, pop, ragtime and blues, was penned by pop tunesmiths Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Donald Byrd is The Color Purple's choreographer, while the design team design team comprises John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lighting), and Jon Weston (sound). Orchestrations will be provided by Jonathan Tunick, while Kevin Stites is the music supervisor and Linda Twine the musical director. Oprah Winfrey spearheads the show's group of producers.

Speilberg's 1985 film, which starred Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, Winfrey as Sofia and Danny Glover as Albert, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Tickets for The Color Purple can be purchased by calling (212) 239-6200 or visiting the Broadway Theatre's box office.

For more information, visit www.colorpurple.com.



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