Oprah Becomes An Investor And Producer Of Broadway's The Color Purple

By: BWW News Desk Sep. 26, 2005

When the curtain rises this season on The Color Purple, theatergoers will see Oprah Winfrey's name above the title as producer. This marks Oprah's first foray into Broadway who according to the New York Times has contributed $1 million dollars to the production.

The Color Purple's other producers include Scott Sanders, Roy Furman and Quincy Jones but the marquee is set to read "Oprah Winfrey Presents: The Color Purple." It was in the film version, directed by Steven Spielberg, that Winfrey had her breakthrough performance and became "celebrity."

Oprah told the Times, "I hope to be able to do for this production some of what I've been able to do for books - that is, to open the door to the possibilities for a world of people who have never been or even thought of going to a Broadway show."

That's exactly what the producers, creative and cast are hoping with Oprah's huge fan base and promotional opportunities via her top rated talk show. The producers are also breaking their own rules by offering advance sale tickets for $25 and decreasing the usual 20 person per group quota to 15.

The show has undergone several changes since its initial run in Atlanta including hiring Donald Byrd as their new choreographer. The Color Purple will be directed by Gary Griffin with Marsha Norman providing the book. Music and Lyrics are by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

About The Color Purple
From Alice Walker's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and the landmark film by Steven Spielberg, comes a soul-stirring new musical. The Color Purple is an inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman, who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. With a moving book and a score featuring gospel, jazz, ragtime and the blues, The Color Purple is ultimately a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love and a celebration of life.

Tony Award® nominee LaChanze (Once on this Island) will star as Celie. The production is also proud to introduce to Broadway Elisabeth Withers as Shug and Felicia P. Fields as Sofia. Renée Elise Goldsberry is featured as Nettie. Directed by Gary Griffin, THE COLOR PURPLE features a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricists Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray with choreography by Donald Byrd.

The cast also features Kingsley Leggs as Mister, Brandon Victor Dixon as Harpo, Krisha Marcano as Squeak and includes Jeannette Bayardelle, James Brown III, Eric L. Christian, Latrisa Coleman, Bobby Daye, Carol Dennis, Anika Ellis, Doug Eskew, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Zipporah Gatling, Charles Gray, Stephanie Guiland-Brown, James Harkness, Francesca Harper, Kimberly Ann Harris, Chantylla Johnson, Grasan Kingsberry, Corinne McFarlane, Kenita R. Miller, JC Montgomery, Lou Myers, Angela Robinson, Nathaniel Stampley, Jamal Story, Leon Thomas III, Maia Nkenge Wilson and Virginia Woodruff.

The production features scenic design by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Jon Weston. The orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick, Kevin Stites is the Music Supervisor and Linda Twine is the Musical Director.

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