The Color Purple

LaToya London, Michelle Williams and Jeannette Bayardelle to Star in Color Purple Tour

By Zachary Pincus-Roth
27 Feb 2007

LaToya London of "American Idol," Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child and Jeannette Bayardelle will star in the first national tour of The Color Purple, which kicks off at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre April 17-July 22.

London, who will play the role of Nettie, competed on "American Idol" against Fantasia Barrino, who won the competition and will star as Celie in the Broadway company of The Color Purple beginning April 10.

Williams, who will play Shug Avery, starred in the title role in Aida on Broadway. Williams, Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, made up the trio Destiny's Child, which sold over 40 million albums.

Bayardelle will play the lead role of Celie, which she recently played on Broadway.

As previously announced, Felicia P. Fields, who received a Tony nomination for playing the feisty Sofia, will reprise her role on tour.

As luck would have it, Bayardelle, Williams and Fields are Chicago natives.

The touring cast also includes Rufus Bonds, Jr. as Mister; Stu James as Harpo; Stephanie St. James as Squeak; Lynette Dupree, Kimberly Ann Harris and Virginia Ann Woodruff as the Church Ladies; Bridgette Bentley as the Church Soloist; and Adam Wade as Ol’ Mister.

Also in the cast are Shani Borden, Brian H. Brooks, Renee Monique Brown, Tiffany Daniels, Quentin Earl Darrington, Kellen Davis, Lesley Terrell Donald, Andre Garner, Dameka Hayes, LaTonya Holmes, Jenna Ford Jackson, Trent Armand Kendall, Grasan Kingsberry, Keith Byron Kirk, Rhett George, Corrine McFarlane, Sumayah McRae, Anthony Wayne and Mariama Whyte.

Based on the Alice Walker novel and the Steven Spielberg film, The Color Purple features a score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman ('night, Mother). Gary Griffin directed on Broadway and will also direct the tour.

The musical's main producer is Oprah Winfrey, who received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Sofia in the film version.

The Broadway production of The Color Purple began previews on Nov. 1, 2005, at the Broadway Theatre and officially opened Dec. 1, 2005. The show was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. LaChanze, who originated the lead role of Celie, earned the show's only Tony win, for Best Actress in a Musical.

The design team for both the Broadway show and the tour is John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lighting) and Jon Weston (sound).

The tour is produced by Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones, Creative Battery, Anna Fantaci and Cheryl Lachowicz, Independent Presenters Network, Lowy Family Group, Stephanie McClelland, Gary Winnick, Jan Kallish, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Asnes and Adam Zotovich and Todd Johnson, in special association with AEG Live.

The Cadillac Palace Theatre is located in Chicago at 151 West Randolph Street. For tickets to the Chicago run, call Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1400, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or visit the Broadway In Chicago box offices (at 151 West Randolph Street, 24 West Randolph Street and 18 West Monroe Street) or another Ticketmaster ticket center. For groups of 20 or more, call (312) 977-1710.

For more information on the show, visit www.colorpurple.com.

Destiny's Child singer joins 'Color Purple' cast

By Chris Jones
Tribune theater critic
Published February 27, 2007

Michelle Williams, the 26-year-old Rockford native best known as a singer with the hugely popular group Destiny's Child, will star in the upcoming Chicago production of the Broadway musical "The Color Purple"

Williams' casting was announced Tuesday at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theater, where "The Color Purple" begins performances April 17.

"I'm planning on having the time of my life," an ebullient Williams said just before the official announcement. "I like stability and knowing where I have to be at 5:30 every night…and my family are all here."

Aside from her Grammy Award-winning musical work with Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Williams previously appeared on Broadway in the musical "Aida." Her new solo album is slated for release in the fall.

The Chicago version of "The Color Purple" also stars Felicia P. Fields and Jeannette Barardelle, both veterans of the New York cast.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-070227williams-story,1,594772.story?coll=chi-entertainmentfront-hed

L'histoire de deux soeurs, Celie et Nettie, et de leur famille qui a la particularité d'être de couleur noire au cours de la premiere moitie du XXeme siècle dans le sud des Etats-Unis.