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Brenda Russell

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Photos

Productions

The Color PurpleThe Color Purple
 
[Broadway, 2005] [Replacement]
Composer/Lyricist[Replacement]

Writing

The Color Purple
Composer
Lyricist

Movies

American Hot Wax
[ 1978 ] Member of The Delights
Liberty Heights
[ 1999 ] Singer
The Color Purple
[ 2023 ] music and lyrics by

Awards and Nominations

Tony Awards - 2006 - Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre

Brenda Russell, The Color Purple

Videos

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News


Review: SAILING: YACHT ROCK at Signature Photo
Review: SAILING: YACHT ROCK at Signature
by Roger Catlin - Jul 28, 2025

The Signature cabaret succeeds because it gets the irony. Even while they play up the captain’s hats, cold drinks and ocean sunsets that help frame the genre, they realize the era’s hits can be at once catchy and silly — a good mix for a summer night of entertainment.
Video: Watch Brittney Mack Perform 'The Color Purple' at the Goodman Theatre Photo
Video: Watch Brittney Mack Perform 'The Color Purple' at the Goodman Theatre
by Michael Major - Jul 16, 2025

Watch Brittney Mack and the cast of The Color Purple perform the reprise of the title song in The Goodman Theatre's production. Check out the video now!
Video: THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatre, Now Extended Through August 3 Photo
Video: THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatre, Now Extended Through August 3
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 3, 2025

A new production of THE COLOR PURPLE brings Alice Walker's dynamic work to the Goodman stage, now through August 3! Watch a video montage from the production! 
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatre Photo
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatre
by Rachel Weinberg - Jul 1, 2025

Though THE COLOR PURPLE has a fair share of tragedy, the ending is heartwarming, celebratory, and puts a pin in Celie’s story — and with Brittney Mack at the lead, this musical makes that range of emotions land. 
THE COLOR PURPLE Extends Through Early August at Goodman Theatre Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE Extends Through Early August at Goodman Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 26, 2025

The Color Purple will present a six-performance extension at Goodman Theatre. Learn more about the production and see how to purchase tickets to the extended run here!
Video: Inside Rehearsals For THE COLOR PURPLE at the Goodman Theatre Photo
Video: Inside Rehearsals For THE COLOR PURPLE at the Goodman Theatre
by Michael Major - Jun 18, 2025

Watch a video from inside the rehearsal room of the Color Purple at the Goodman Theatre now! Brown’s 21-member company is led by prolific Chicago talent—including Brittney Mack as Celie.
THE COLOR PURPLE to Begin This Weekend at Goodman Theatre Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE to Begin This Weekend at Goodman Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 18, 2025

The Color Purple the musical bursts onto the Goodman stage this weekend, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, with music direction by Jermaine Hill and choreography by Breon Arzell. Learn how to purchase tickets.
THE COLOR PURPLE Launches The Carnegie's 2025-26 Season Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE Launches The Carnegie's 2025-26 Season
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 17, 2025

The Carnegie kicks off its 2025-26 musical theatre season with THE COLOR PURPLE, running June 27 – July 6. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.
Women Songwriters Hall of Fame Sets Fifth Anniversary Awards Gala Photo
Women Songwriters Hall of Fame Sets Fifth Anniversary Awards Gala
by Josh Sharpe - Jun 4, 2025

The Women Songwriters Hall of Fame will celebrate its milestone fifth anniversary with a two-day awards gala at the Mead Center for American Theatre in Washington, DC Friday and Saturday, June 20-21, 2025.
THE COLOR PURPLE and More Set for Goodman Theatre Summer 2025 Line-Up Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE and More Set for Goodman Theatre Summer 2025 Line-Up
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 2, 2025

Goodman Theatre has unveiled a wide-ranging July/August slate of experiences with something for everyone—from a free wondrous outdoor circus spectacle to side-splitting world-class comedic improvisation, and more.
THE COLOR PURPLE Comes to Raleigh Little Theatre Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE Comes to Raleigh Little Theatre
by Stephi Wild - May 28, 2025

 Raleigh Little Theatre will present The Color Purple, a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, running this June. Learn more about the show here!
Brittney Mack, Aeriel Williams and More to Star in THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatr Photo
Brittney Mack, Aeriel Williams and More to Star in THE COLOR PURPLE at Goodman Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 20, 2025

The Color Purple is set to take the stage of the Goodman’s Albert Theatre this summer. Lili-Anne Brown 21-member company is led by Chicago talent—including Brittney Mack and more. Learn how to purchase tickets.
THE COLOR PURPLE, DRACULA And More Announced for Kansas City Repertory Theatre 2025-2 Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE, DRACULA And More Announced for Kansas City Repertory Theatre 2025-2026 Season
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 19, 2025

Kansas City Repertory Theatre has announced a diverse lineup of shows for its 2025-2026 season. The season begins with a musical adaptation of a beloved American novel, followed by a sultry, spooky classic, and a hilarious, but heartfelt, family comedy.
THE COLOR PURPLE Songwriter Brenda Russell Releases New Single Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE Songwriter Brenda Russell Releases New Single
by Josh Sharpe - Nov 25, 2024

With the release of her latest single, the soulful and sensual romance “You Know What It’s Like,” Brenda Russell makes a triumphant return to the refined classic blend of adult contemporary R&B and urban jazz. Listen to the new single from The Color Purple songwriter now.
Review: BEYOND THE RAINBOW at 54 Below is Sam Harris at His Most Intimate Photo
Review: BEYOND THE RAINBOW at 54 Below is Sam Harris at His Most Intimate
by Ricky Pope - Nov 3, 2024

I left this show feeling that I had experienced something true and honest from an artist who is largely associated with his dazzling style. This show presents Sam Harris as a remarkable and sensitive artist in addition to being a flawless showman.
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at Tempe Center For The Arts Photo
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at Tempe Center For The Arts
by Suzanne Whitaker - Oct 29, 2024

Phoenix Arizona’s The Black Theatre Troupe presents THE COLOR PURPLE at Tempe Center for the Arts, which opened to a full house Friday, October 15, 2024. This excellent production runs through November 3, 2024. With matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as evening shows on Fridays and Saturdays, this production is worth seeing, twice.
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at The Black Theatre Troupe Photo
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE at The Black Theatre Troupe
by Herbert Paine - Oct 29, 2024

The Black Theatre Troupe's production of THE COLOR PURPLE is a rousing and emotionally powerful show, thanks to a brilliant cast and the keen direction of Karen Davis Jones and the musical direction of Brenda Hankins.
THE COLOR PURPLE & More Set for Black Theatre Troupe 2024-25 Season Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE & More Set for Black Theatre Troupe 2024-25 Season
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 6, 2024

Black Theatre Troupe has revealed its 2024-25 lineup, marking its 55th season! See full programming and learn how to purchase tickets.
THE COLOR PURPLE at Sedos Features the First Ever All-Black Cast of An Amateur Musica Photo
THE COLOR PURPLE at Sedos Features the First Ever All-Black Cast of An Amateur Musical in the UK
by Blair Ingenthron - Jul 28, 2024

Sedos, London's leading amateur theatre company, has announced their cast of The Color Purple. This is a momentous and significant development in the diversity of amateur dramatics, not just in London but in the UK. In their 119-year history, Sedos has never had an all-Black cast nor an all-Black creative team, until now.
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE Brings All the Feels at Pittsburgh CLO Photo
Review: THE COLOR PURPLE Brings All the Feels at Pittsburgh CLO
by Greg Kerestan - Jun 28, 2024

As a literature major, part of me has always found it unbelievable that tight, two-hour adaptations of Alice Walker's The Color Purple have been so successful. The novel is sprawling, complex and dense, with an epistolary structure not unlike the similarly tricky-to-adapt Dracula. Nonetheless, my structural cynicism is always proved wrong.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Brenda Russell written?

Brenda Russell has written 1 shows including The Color Purple (Composer).

What awards has Brenda Russell been nominated for?

and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Color Purple.

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