Cearcy Replaces Goldsberry in The Color Purple, Jan. 17

By: Jan. 13, 2006
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Darlesia Cearcy will join The cast of The Color Purple, replacing Renee Elise Goldsberry in the role of Nettie. She will begin performances on January 17th.

Cearcy will become part of a cast that also includes LaChanze as Celie, Felicia P. Fields as Sofia and Kingsley Leggs as Mister, Elisabeth Withers as Shug, Brandon Victor Dixon as Harpo and Krisha Marcano as Squeak. Goldsberry will depart the show early due to her pregnancy.

Cearcy was previously seen on Broadway in The Goodbye Girl, Ragtime, Smokey Joe's Cafe, and The Who's Tommy. Other credits include a regional production of Once On This Island and national tours of Jesus Christ Superstar and Ragtime, for which she received a Helen Hayes Award nomination. She has appeared on London's "Top of the Pops," VH1, and London's MTV's "Most Wanted. On the latter show, she performed "Everlasting Pictures," single that she co-wrote and for which she was nominated for a VIVA Award. The actress, who studied for ten years at the Houston Ballet Academy, has appeared on screen in Rush and The Challenger.

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 hit show boasts Oprah Winfrey (who was featured in the film) among its producing team.

The Color Purple is directed by Gary Griffin, while Marsha Norman (Pulitzer Prize-winner for 'night, Mother, The Secret Garden) wrote the book. The show's 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 were provided by Jonathan Tunick, Kevin Stites is the music supervisor and Linda Twine the musical director.

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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