Color Purple Casting Announced

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 6:55pm

LaChanze will star on Broadway with Elisabeth Withers, Felicia P. Fields, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Kingsley Leggs in the musical adaptation of The Color Purple, the producers announced Sept. 7.

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and the Steven Spielberg film of the same name, the new musical begins previews at the Broadway Theatre Oct. 25 toward an official opening Dec. 1.

Gary Griffin stages the work featuring a book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman ('night, Mother). Music is by pop songwriters Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

The surnameless star LaChanze reprises her turn as the story's central character Celie from the world premiere at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in fall 2004. Her casting was previously reported by Playbill.com. Broadway newcomer Withers appears as Shug with Renée Elise Goldsberry (The Lion King) featured as Nettie, joining original Atlanta stars Felicia P. Fields as Sofia and Kingsley Leggs as Mister. (Saycon Sengbloh originally played Nettie with Adriane Lenox as Shug in Atlanta.)


The cast also features 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 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," as a release states. The show's score blends "gospel, jazz, ragtime and the blues."

Donald Byrd choreographs for the musical. Orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick, Kevin Stites is music supervisor and Linda Twine serves as musical director. The Color Purple design team features John Lee Beatty (scenic), Brian MacDevitt (lighting), Paul Tazewell (costume) and Jon Weston (sound).


EDIT (I added back two paragraphs I omitted before)
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/94798.html

Updated On: 9/7/05 at 06:55 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 6:58pm

No Saycon? Sad.

Glad to see LaChanze back on Broadway...but I was hoping Saycon would reprise her role on the Great White Way.

Perhaps she has something else in store.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 6:58pm

Are there any Caroline alumni in there?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 6:59pm

Yeay LaChanze and Kenita!!!! I saw them both as Dessa Rose and saw Kenita as Sarah in "Ragtime" @ the Papermill playhouse!!!

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 7:00pm

I wonder if Saycon was asked to take over as Elphaba after Shoshana.

If I were her, I would've went with TCP.

[Popular]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 7:08pm

Bittersweet to read, but thanks for the info! :)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 7:56pm

Yay for Renee!

They should've cast Norm Lewis as Mister. Ah, well...

[Dre2387]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:01pm

did that person's friend get in? i remember someone saying that their friend was auditioning for this (or something else I can't remember). Did she get in?

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:06pm

Wow. Kingsley Leggs evidently had the choice of reprising roles in two highly anticipated shows, The Color Purple on Broadway and the upcoming off Broadway show Chasing Nicolette.

Must be nice.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:11pm

Grasan K.! Yaaaaay.

[musiclover]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:14pm

We have all known about the wonderfully talented LaChanze starring in The Color Purple. I saw many of these brilliant actors and dancers perform the musical with LaChanze in a marketing presentation in July. I am particularly excited about the addition of the dynamo singer/actress Renee Elise Goldsberry in the role of Celie's sister Nettie. I recently saw Renee blow audiences away at the Delacorte in the role of Silvia in Two Gentlemen of Verona. I must also confess that I enjoy Renee in One Life To Live. She is going to be a busy lady and this is going to be one terrific musical!

[Popular]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:21pm

yep, that was me who had a friend auditioning for Nettie. Nope, I guess she didn't get in. But she got good feedback about it so it was a win win situation for her to be seen. Thanks for remembering and asking about her :)

[bjivie2]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 8:52pm

Thank God LaChanze is making her Broadway return. She needs to be on the boards more often.

[got-a-light]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:01pm

anyone know why saycon wasn't cast? wonder if she declined or just wasn't asked.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:06pm

np Popular!

[TennesseeTwang]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:09pm

And it's got Eric L. Christian whose picture is in the dictionary next to the word ADORABLE.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:10pm

Saycon

[admanrich]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:32pm

I guess Saycon is hoping she'll take over as Elphaba?

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 9:55pm

Now it seems pretty likely Saycon will take over...

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 10:09pm

Damn it!!! I was hoping Saycon would get cast in that so we could get her AWAY from Wicked!!!

[admanrich]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 10:09pm

Yeah I really don't want Saycon to take over

[Act4ever]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 10:11pm

She may not necessarily. If she has a contract that she couldnt get out of w/ Wicked... then she just simply couldnt do Color Purple because of that. Who knows if she'll take over or not.


And off topic -- but i heard Saycon sing Elphaba, and she sounds amazing!

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 9/7/05 at 10:12pm

I heard she wasn't asked back to do the show, so that's probably not it. I could be wrong though. My friend said he talked to Saycon and she said she hadn't heard anything about doing it.

[Mojojo5]

Posted: 9/8/05 at 10:49pm

I am so excited about this show finally coming to Broadway. I have one question though, who is Elisabeth Withers? None of the press statements I have seen list any sort of credits for her except that she is playing Shug Avery. I tried to google her but got nothing really. So... who is she? Also, I guess all those rumors of Jennifer Holliday, Melba Moore, and Robin Givens auditioning added up to a great deal bunch of nothing.

Zach

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 6:38pm

I saw this in Atlanta and absolutely loved our Chicago girl, Felicia P. Fields. I'm glad she's in the Broadway cast. Here's a guarantee - "Best Supporting Actress in Musical". You'll see.