'Color Purple' Tour Begins in Pittsburgh

Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders and the producing team of the Broadway smash hit The Color Purple are proud to announce that tickets for the first North American Touring production of The Color Purple in Pittsburgh will go on sale Monday, April 7, 2008 at 9 a.m. The Color Purple will run for two-weeks as part of the Pittsburgh CLO's 2008 Summer Season June 3 - June 15, 2008 at the Benedum Center.

Nominated for eleven Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, The Color Purple opened on December 1, 2006 at the Broadway Theatre where it ran for over two record-breaking years.  It is based on the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the moving film by Steven Spielberg.  It is the unforgettable and inspiring story of a woman named Celie, who finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world.  With a joyous Grammy®- nominated score featuring gospel, jazz, pop and the blues, The Color Purple is about hope and the healing power of love.

As on Broadway, the first North American Tour of The Color Purple is directed by Gary Griffin.  The Color Purple features a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Grammy Award®-winning composers/lyricists Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, and choreography by Donald Byrd.  The original creative team, Tony Award®-winner John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Tony Award®-winner Brian MacDevitt (lighting), Jon Weston (sound), Jonathan Tunick (orchestrations) and Kevin Stites (Music Supervisor), was reunited for the tour.

The first North American Tour is produced by Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones, Creative Battery, Anna Fantaci & Cheryl Lachowicz, Independent Presenters Network, Lowy Family Group, Stephanie McClelland, Gary Winnick, Jan Kallish, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Asnes & Adam Zotovich and Todd Johnson, and is produced in special association with AEG Live.

The original cast recording is available on EMI/Angel Records, and The Color Purple: A Memory Book of the Broadway Musical (Avalon/Carroll & Graf) is available in bookstores now.  Ariel Mutual Funds is a proud sponsor of The Color Purple.

Single tickets for The Color Purple ($29.50-$73) will be available on Monday, April 7 2008, at The Box Office at Theater Square beginning at 9 a.m. Tickets may also be purchased online at pittsburghclo.org and by calling (412) 456-6666.

Groups of 20 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 now to learn more about special discounts and priority seating.

Pittsburgh CLO's presentation of The Color Purple is sponsored by PNC as part of the PNC Spotlight Series.  Pittsburgh CLO acknowledges the generous support of our season sponsors: American Airlines, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and WTAE-TV.