Update: It's Official! Jennifer Hudson Will Make Broadway Debut Next Fall in Revival of THE COLOR PURPLE!

Following rumors earlier today that Jennifer Hudson would be making her Broadway debut in a revival of THE COLOR PURPLE, producers have now confirmed that the Oscar winner will indeed head to the Great White Way. Beginning next fall, John Doyle's critically acclaimed Menier Chocolate Factory production of The Color Purple, the landmark musical will come to Broadway with the Grammy, Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award winner in the role of Shug Avery, despite earlier reports that she'd be taking on the role of Celie.

This production will mark Hudson's first musical theatre role since winning every major film award for her indelible performance in Dreamgirls. The Color Purple is co-produced by David Babani and Tom Siracusa for Chocolate Factory Productions.

The show will play at a Shubert Theatre to be announced.

Directed and designed by John Doyle, adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Grammy award winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, The Color Purple is an unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity.

With a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.

John Doyle's critically acclaimed production opened in summer 2013 in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Charles Spencer of The Telegraph said The Color Purple, "blows the roof off the theatre," and Libby Purvess of The Times says, "It rocks the house. Never was there such stamping, cheering, hooting, roaring and whistling." And Mark Shenton of The Stage called the production "A revelation. Something truly extraordinary."

JENNIFER HUDSON won the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for her performance as Effie White in Dreamgirls. Her breakout film performance also garnered a Screen Actors Guild Award and an NAACP Image Award. Additional film credits include Sex and the City, Secret Life of Bees, Winnie Mandela, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, and Black Nativity. Her highly acclaimed album, JHUD, dropped this past fall in the top 10 on Billboard's Top 200. Just prior, she released singles including the recently Grammy-nominated "It's Your World," featuring R. Kelly; "He Ain't Goin' Nowhere," featuring Iggy Azaelea; "I Can't Describe," produced by Pharrell and featuring TI; and "Walk It Out," featuring Timbaland. Most recently, Hudson was featured on Gorgon City's chart topping track, "Go All Night," off their new album, Sirens. Hudson's 2008 debut album went Platinum and entered Billboard's Top 200 at No. 2 thus marking the biggest first week sales for an R&B female entry since 2004. The album was nominated for four Grammys and won for "Best R&B Album." In 2009, Hudson released her sophomore album, I Remember Me which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200 and R&B Albums charts and has since been certified Gold in the U.S.

JOHN DOYLE received Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards as Outstanding Director of a Musical for his Broadway debut, Sweeney Todd. His production of Company won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival and he won UK Best Musical Awards for The Gondolier's (West End), Fiddler on the Roof and Moll Flanders with nominations for other productions including Mack and Mabel (West End). Recent credits include Stephen Sondheim's Road Show (Public Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory), Passion and Allegro for CSC, and the acclaimed revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Watermill Theatre. John has been the artistic director of four prestigious UK regional theaters and has directed numerous new and classic plays and operas. John will return to Broadway in Spring 2015 with his production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's The Visit, starring Chita Rivera.