Jon Weston News

A starry cast has been assembled for the upcoming national tour of the Broadway hit The Color Purple, which will begin at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on April 17th, running through July 22nd.

Following an inspiring live performance on American Idol tonight, Thursday, February 22, 2007 at 8PM EST (8PM PST tape-delayed) on FOX TV, as well as an interview and performance scheduled to air on The Oprah Winfrey Show Wednesday, February 28, 2007 (check local listings), the producers of THE COLOR PURPLE confirm that American Idol Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino is set to make her Broadway debut in the starring role of Celie beginning Tuesday, April 10, 2007.

The first North American Tour of the Broadway hit The Color Purple will premiere at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.) for a limited engagement beginning April 17, 2007

On Wednesday, November 29th, Pulitzer Prize-winning The Color Purple bookwriter Marsha Norman will join Broadway star LaChanze, who will reprise her Tony Award-winning role as Celie in a free event to promote the new book The Color Purple: A Memory Book of the Broadway Musical.

On Tuesday, November 28th, the producers of the hit musical The Color Purple will hold an open casting call for current roles and future replacements for both Broadway and the upcoming national tour, kicking off at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in April, 2007

On November 15th, a The Color Purple event at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center featured a discussion, book signing and musical performances

A 'The Color Purple' event at Barnes & Noble Lincoln Center will feature a discussion, book signing and musical performances

On November 5th, LaChanze will bid farewell to The Color Purple, the musical in which she gives a Tony Award-winning performance as Celie

Tickets for The Color Purple in Chicago will go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 20

The Color Purple will begin the casting process in Chicago July 14 - 18 for the National Tour of the Broadway smash hit musical, which will kick off at the Cadillac Palace Theatre April 17, 2007

Elisabeth Withers-Mendes--who is currently Tony-nominated for her performance in The Color Purple--will release her debut solo CD in late June

The Color Purple stars LaChanze and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes will perform on A&E's 'Breakfast with the Arts' on Sunday, April 9th

Today, March 27th, the cast of The Color Purple treated Chicago travelers to the first-ever in-flight performance

On Monday, March 20, Broadway In Chicago welcomed 1,500 community group leaders to the Cadillac Palace Theatre at an exclusive event to kick off the national tour of the Broadway musical The Color Purple

The Producers of THE COLOR PURPLE are proud to announce that the National Tour of the Broadway smash hit musical will premiere April 2007 at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in association with Broadway In Chicago.

The Color Purple will soon spread across the country in a national tour, which will kick off in Chicago in April of 2007

On February 25th, The Color Purple reaches its 100th performance at the Broadway Theatre

On February 16th, The Color Purple's Brandon Dixon, Felicia P. Fields, Elizabeth Withers-Mendes and more will perform at Macy's Herald Square

On January 17th, Darlesia Cearcy will begin performances as Nettie in The Color Purple

The Color Purple, began previews at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rd St.) on November 1st and opens tonight, December 1st, 2005.