Allee Willis News

The Color Purple movie musical features several new songs with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. With the additional of new material, some of the songs from the stage production have been cut. Check out a guide to new and old songs from The Color Purple on Broadway and on screen below!

Read the reviews for The Color Puprle movie musical! It stars Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks reprising the roles that they previously played on Broadway, plus Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, and more. Find out what critics thought of Oprah Winfrey's new film now!

The new stills feature updated looks at Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia Barrino, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey, Louis Gossett Jr., and more with director Blitz Bazawule in The Color Purple. Check out photos of songs like 'What About Love,' 'Push Da Button,' 'Dear God - Shug,' and 'She Be Mine' now!

Attendees included the cast of The Color Purple, including Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Halle Bailey, Ciara, H.E.R., and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi. Also present were Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Spielberg, Alicia Keys, Tyler Perry, Storm Reid, Ariana DeBose, Fatima Robinson, and more. Check out photos!

Ahead of the release of the The Color Purple, check out new character poster photos for the musical movie, featuring Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie, H.E.R. as Squeak, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, Halle Bailey as Young Nettie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, and Fantasia Barrino as Celie.

The song list for the upcoming The Color Purple movie musical has revealed what songs from the stage version have been cut for the adaptation. Songs like 'Somebody Gonna Love You,' 'Our Prayer,' 'Big Dog,' 'Dear God - Sofia,' 'Brown Betty,' 'Uh-Oh,' 'African Homeland,' have been cut from the movie. Find out the full list now!

The Max Original documentary, provides a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the upcoming movie musical reimagining of “The Color Purple.” Oprah Winfrey will take viewers inside the four-decade phenomenon, exploring the importance of the novel, films and musical, and the ever-evolving conversation around this seminal work.

The album will feature songs from the musical sung by Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, and Fantasia Barrino. The album will also feature Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Megan Thee Stallion, Coco Jones, Keyshia Cole, Usher, Missy Elliott, and more.

Watch interviews with the cast and new clips from the film, including 'Hell No,' 'Mysterious Ways,' and 'Push Da Button,' in the new THE COLOR PURPLE promo video here!

Following her performance in The Little Mermaid, Halle Bailey is continuing her year by playing Nettie in The Color Purple movie musical. Bailey plays Nettie, the younger sister of Celie, who is first played by Phylicia Pearl Mpasi before Fantasia Barrino takes on the mature version. Nettie is later played by Ciara. Watch the video!

The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) announces the 2024 nominees for induction at its Induction & Awards Gala in New York City. Voting members have until December 27, 2023, to submit their ballots. Check out the complete list of nominees on songhall.org.

The Color Purple attended a VIP screening of the film at the Regent Street Cinema in London, England. Check out photos of Corey Hawkins, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Fantasia Barrino and Colman Domingo and director Blitz Bazawule at the screening now! Following the screening, the cast attended an event at The IET Building Rooftop in London.

Halle Bailey has co-written a new song for the upcoming movie musical adaptation of The Color Purple. The song, titled 'Keep It Movin',' is sung by Bailey as Nettie in the film, along with Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, who plays young Celie. The Little Mermaid star worked on the song with Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney and Morten Ristorp.

Get ready as the beloved 80s film, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, is transformed into a stage musical. Featuring iconic hits from the 80s.

Under the talented and guiding hand of music director and conductor Steven Reineke, this exceptional orchestra gives Broadway songs a majesty and heft that most Broadway orchestra pits cannot provide.

Get ready to be swept away by the newly reimagined movie musical version of The Color Purple, starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, and Taraji P. Henson. To make things even better, Fandango’s “Gift a Ticket” offering for the movie was selected by the film’s producer Oprah Winfrey as one of Oprah’s 2023 Favorite Things Holiday Gifts List. 

ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews received the SONA Warrior Award in recognition of her contributions to the music industry.

Paul Williams and legendary songwriters and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis lauded Matthews’s achievements and hit songwriter MoZella performed “Wrecking Ball” (all are ASCAP members). Video tributes to Matthews featured music industry giants Stephen Schwartz, NE-YO, Marcus Miller, Desmond Child, John Platt and Ashley Gorley among many others.

Tony Award-winning composer Brenda Russell joined award-winning filmmaker and photographer Sekou Luke and noted music journalist Christian John Wikane in The Loft at City Winery on Monday, October 16 for the third edition of 'Unscripted Live,' the live branch of 'Unscripted: Conversations with Christian John Wikane'. See photos!

Discover the upcoming season of Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, featuring Shakespeare plays, musicals, and children's theatre. Explore the theme of 'Persistence of Love' and experience engaging performances that celebrate love in all its forms. Get ready for an exciting summer of theater!