Featuring a score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, the new musical began on Broadway Nov. 1 at the Broadway Theatre and officially opened Dec. 1.
Gary Griffin stages the work featuring a book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman ('night, Mother).
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 track listing (subject to change) is as follows:
1. Overture
2. Huckleberry Pie/ Mysterious Ways
3. Somebody Gonna Love You
4. Our Prayer
5. That Fine Mister
6. Big Dog
7. Lily of the Field
8. Dear God — Sofia
9. A Tree Named Sofia
10. Hell No!
11. Brown Betty
12. Shug Avery Comin' to Town
13. All We've Got to Say
14. Dear God — Shug
15. Too Beautiful for Words
16. Push Da Button
17. Uh Oh!
18. What About Love?
19. Act I Finale
20. African Homeland
21. The Color Purple
22. Church Ladies' Easter
23. I Curse You Mister
24. Celie's Curse
25. Miss Celie’s Pants
26. Any Little Thing
27. What About Love? (Reprise)
28. I'm Here
29. The Color Purple (reprise) Surnameless star LaChanze (Once on This Island, Ragtime, Company) reprises her turn as the story's central character Celie from the world premiere at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in fall 2004. Broadway newcomer Elisabeth 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.
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.
Oprah Winfrey, who appeared as Sofia in the Steven Spielberg film version opposite Whoopi Goldberg as Celie and Danny Glover as Albert, is the musical's sole above the-title producer. The Color Purple's Broadway producing team also includes Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones, Creative Battery, Anna Fantaci & Cheryl Lachowicz, Independent Presenters Network, Lowy Family Group, Stephanie McClelland, Gary Winnick, Jan Kallish, Andrew Asnes & Adam Zotovich and Todd Johnson.
Tickets for The Color Purple on sale through (212) 239-6200, via the link below or at the Broadway Theatre Box Office at 1681 Broadway. For more information, visit the website at www.colorpurple.com.
