At the free event, LaChanze and other cast members will perform songs from the musical.

LaChanze won a Tony Award for her role as Celie in the The Color Purple. She is a veteran of such shows as Once on This Island, Ragtime, Dessa Rose, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin and The Vagina Monologues.

Earlier this month Jeannette I. Bayardelle succeeded LaChanze in the role of Celie.

Gary Griffin directs The Color Purple, which began previews Nov. 1, 2005, at the Broadway Theatre. The work features a book by Norman (a Pulitzer Prize winner for '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." The Hue-Man Bookstore & Café is at 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd, between 124th and 125th Streets in Manhattan. For more information about the event call (212) 665-7400. For more information about the show, visit www.colorpurple.com.