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Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov. 5

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#1

Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov. 5

It's confirmed.

From Playbill.com:

"LaChanze, the Tony Award-winning star of The Color Purple, will end her stint with the Broadway musical Nov. 5, according to a representative for the actress.

"As an actress who has performed in theater for over 17 years, my experience performing in The Color Purple has been a truly life-changing journey," LaChanze says of the musical. "While my first love will always be the theater, I'm looking forward to spending some time with my family and pursue opportunities in the TV, film and publishing worlds. The theater community will always remain a big part of my life and I hope to re-join the cast of The Color Purple at some point down the road."

According to a release, LaChanze has signed on to write two new children's books with Jean Fiewel at Fiewel & Friends which are slated to begin publishing in Fall 2008. The actress — who has been with the musical since its inception — will play out her contract which ends Nov. 5. No replacement has yet been named.

*

LaChanze is a veteran of such musicals as Once on This Island and Ragtime. She has appeared in Off-Broadway's Dessa Rose opposite her "Lucy" CBS TV movie co-star Rachel York. Other stage credits include The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin and The Vagina Monologues.

Gary Griffin directs The Color Purple which began previews Nov. 1 at the Broadway Theatre. The work features a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman ('night, Mother) and music by pop songwriters Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

Spanning over 40 years, 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."

Tickets for The Color Purple are on sale through (212) 239-6200 or at the Broadway Theatre Box Office, at 1681 Broadway. For more information, visit the website at www.colorpurple.com."

Here is wishing LaChanze all the best in her future endeavors! Her performance in The Color Purple was truly astounding, and I am sure she will have continued success in all she does...


Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

Updated On: 10/18/06 at 05:16 PM

#8

re: Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov.

Kenita is leaving the show (most likely for the tour.)
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#11

re: Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov.

I too wonder why not Kenita. I guess she'll just be in understudy LaChanze in her next show lol.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
#12

re: Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov.

I'm glad I asked this question earlier...

In case anyone is interested, it was just announced on the theatremania website that LaChanze's last performance will be the 2pm matinee on Sunday November 5th, NOT the 7:30pm evening performance.

re: Tony Winner LaChanze to End Her Run in Broadway's The Color Purple Nov.

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