Barrino, who made her Broadway debut in The Color Purple in 2007, joined the national touring company when it arrived at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, on June 30. Barrino will continue with the production for the Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and newly added Greensboro dates.
In order to accommodate Barrino's performance in the Greensboro, NC, run (Sept. 8-13), producers of the tour announced that the Chicago engagement will now only play Sept. 2-6 at the Arie Crown Theater. Performances were originally scheduled through Sept. 13. Refunds and exchanges are currently being offered for those Chicago ticket holders who had tickets to canceled performances.
Fantasia Barrino won "American Idol" in May 2004 and has gone on to release two solo albums, "Free Yourself" in 2004 and "Fantasia" in December 2006. Barrino earned a 2007 Theater World Award for her performance in The Color Purple on Broadway.
The Color Purple tour dates follow (*engagements featuring Barrino are in bold):
Washington, DC (through Aug. 9 at the Kennedy Center Opera House)
Houston, TX (Aug. 18-23 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts)
Charlotte, C (Aug. 25-31 at the Belk Theater)
Chicago, IL (Sept. 2-6 at the Arie Crown Theater)
Greensboro, NC (Sept. 8-13 at the War Memorial Auditorium)
Atlanta, GA (Sept. 15-27 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre)
Cincinnati, OH (Sept. 29-Oct. 4 at the Aronoff Center)
Rochester, NY (Oct. 6-11 at the Auditorium Theatre)
Schenectady, NY (Oct. 13-18 at the Proctors)
Birmingham, AL (Oct. 20-25 at the BJCC Concert Hall)
Miami, FL (Oct. 27-Nov. 1 at the Ziff Ballet Opera House)
Norfolk, VA (Nov. 10-15 at Chrysler Hall)
Jacksonville, FL (Nov. 17-22 at the Times-Union Center)
Naples, FL (Dec. 8-13 at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts)
Newark, NJ (Dec. 16-27 at the NJPAC)
Indianapolis, IN (Dec. 29-Jan. 3, 2010 at Clowes Memorial Hall)
Los Angeles, CA (Feb. 10-28, 2010 at the Pantages Theatre) As on Broadway, Gary Griffin directs the national tour of The Color Purple, which has a score by pop writers Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman.
Following a world-premiere engagement at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre in 2004, The Color Purple was nominated for 11 2006 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, when it premiered on Broadway in November of 2005.
The cast of The Color Purple national tour currently features Tony nominee Felicia P. Fields (Sofia), Angela Robinson (Shug Avery), Rufus Bonds, Jr. (Mister), Stu James (Harpo), LaToya London (Nettie), Tiffany Daniels (Squeak), as well as Lynette DuPree, Kimberly Ann Harris, Virginia Ann Woodruff, Adam Wade, Carol Dennis, Brian Harlan Brooks, Darius Crenshaw, Quentin Earl Darrington, Lesly Terrell Donald, Anika Ellis, Doug Eskew, André Garner, Stephanie Guiland-Brown, LaTrisa A. Harper, Phyre Hawkins, Dameka Hayes, LaTonya Holmes, Chauncey Jenkins, Grasan Kingsberry, Reva Rice, Horace V. Rogers, Kristopher Thompson-Bolden and Hollie E. Wright.
Songs in the production include "Huckleberry Pie/Mysterious Ways," "Somebody Gonna Love You, "Our Prayer/I Really Want That Girl," "That Fine Mister," "Big Dog/Our Prayer (Reprise)," "Bring My Nettie Back," "Lily of the Field," "Dear God – Sofia," "A Tree Named Sofia," Hell No!," "Brown Betty," "Shug Avery Comin’ to Town," "Too Beautiful for Words," "Push Da Button," "Uh-Oh!," "What About Love?," "Africa," "The Color Purple," "A Church Ladies’ Easter," "With These Hands," "Miss Celie's Pants," "Is There Anything I Can Do for You?," "What About Love? (Reprise)," "I'm Here," "A Church Ladies' Fourth of July," "The Color Purple (Reprise)."
The design team comprises John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lighting) and Jon Weston (sound).
For further information visit www.colorpurple.com.
