Anastacia McCleskey Joins The Muny's THE COLOR PURPLE as Celie; Full Cast, Design and Production Teams Announced

The Muny announced today its full cast, design and production teams for the Muny Premiere of The Color Purple, August 3 - 9, 2022.

"Alice Walker's extraordinary novel was the perfect source to become an extraordinary Broadway musical" commented Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. "This will be a thrilling Muny premiere offering the audience such power and beauty and joy."

Joining the previously announced principal cast of Tracee Beazer (Shug Avery), Nasia Thomas (Nettie), Evan Tyrone Martin (Mister), Gilbert Domally (Harpo) and Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) is Anastacia McCleskey (Celie). Additionally Jade Jones joins the company as Standby for Sofia.

Rounding out the company are Jos N. Banks, Shantel Cribbs, Erica Durham, Duane Martin Foster, Damon J. Gillespie, Kennedy Holmes, Omega Jones, Sage Lee, Alicia Revé Like, Melanie Loren, Danea Osseni, Grant James Reynolds, Paris Porché Richardson, Amber Alexandria Rose, Alexis Roston, Owen Scales, Rodney Thompson and Sean Walton. The company will also be joined by the Muny youth ensemble.

As previously announced, The Color Purple is directed by Lili-Anne Brown, choreographed by Breon Arzell, with music direction by Jermaine Hill and in addition, Carollette Phillips as Associate Choreographer.

The design team leading this production includes scenic design by Arnel Sancianco, costume design by Samantha C. Jones, lighting design by Heather Gilbert, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Paul Deziel, wig design by Kelley Jordan and production stage manager Jhanaë Bonnick.

PRINCIPAL CASTING

Anastacia McCleskey (Celie) is excited to make her debut at The Muny. She recently starred in Ain't Misbehavin' (New York Times Critic's pick, Barrington Stages), the world premiere of Afterwords the Musical (Jo, The 5th Avenue Theatre), Annie Live! (Sophie/Mrs. Greer/Perkins, NBC), Caroline, or Change (Dotty, Broadway Revival) and Waitress (Nurse Norma, Broadway). Recurring roles on New Amsterdam as Dr. Phylicia Elder (NBC) and The Good Fight as Opal (CBS). McCleskey has been featured in seven Broadway hits, one West End hit, several off-Broadway hits, tons of regional theatre and has sung with and provided back-up vocals for many artists. During the pandemic shutdown, she started a podcast with her brothers called Them 3 Podcast. McCleskey has been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, an Alliance Award and an Audelco Award.

Tracee Beazer(Shug Avery) is beyond thrilled to be making her Muny debut! She was last seen starring as Carole in the NY City Center Encores! production of The Tap Dance Kid (director Kenny Leon). Prior to the world shutting down, you might have seen her in Broadway's Frozen (Bulda). Other Broadway credits include Something Rotten!; Honeymoon in Vegas, Holler If Ya Hear Me, Memphis, The Wedding Singer, Good Vibrations and Hairspray. National tour: All Shook Up (Lorraine). Off-Broadway: Radiant Baby, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Pirates of Penzance. Film/TV: Bedlam: The Series; The Baker and the Beauty, God Friended Me, Rise, House of Cards, Law & Order: SVU; Spinning Into Butter and Camp.

Nasia Thomas (Nettie) was most recently seen as Radio One in the Broadway revival of Caroline, or Change. She also recently played Cathy in a streamed version of The Last Five Years from Out of The Box Theatrics. Muny: Smokey Joe's Café; Hairspray. Broadway: Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations and Little Eva in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. National tour: Beautiful. Regional: Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (Berkeley Repertory, Kennedy Center, Center Theatre Group, Toronto's Mirvish), Disney's Beauty and the Beast (TUTS). TV: The 4400 (Kenya). BFA in Musical Theatre from Elon '15, The Governor's School for the Arts '11.

Evan Tyrone Martin (Mister) is excited to be making his Muny debut! Most recently, Evan was seen in Blues in the Night (Porchlight Music Theatre, opposite star, Felicia P. Fields). Other credits: Jim in Roundabout Theatre's digital reading of Zora Neale-Hurston's musical Spunk, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, Queer Eye: The Musical Parody (Karamo, The Second City), The Black Clown (Ensemble, A.R.T. /Lincoln Center's 2019 Mostly Mozart Festival), Hair (Hud, Mercury Theater), Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus, BTAA nomination, Paramount Theatre), Dreamgirls (Curtis, BTAA nomination) and Far From Heaven (Raymond, Jeff nomination, Porchlight Music Theatre), Disney's The Little Mermaid (King Triton, Arkansas Repertory). Evan has worked with Goodspeed Opera House, Steppenwolf Garage, Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, Florida Rep and many others. He also toured starring in the hit revues Unforgettable: Falling in Love with Nat King Cole and An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas.

Gilbert Domally (Harpo) is a Chicago-based actor. Some of his credits include Choir Boy (Steppenwolf Theatre), Choir Boy (Yale Repertory), The Color Purple (Drury Lane Theatre), The Total Bent (Haven Theatre), Memphis, Dreamgirls (Porchlight Music Theatre), Hairspray, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Jesus Christ Superstar, Elf, Cabaret, Legally Blonde (Paramount Theatre), Madagascar (Chicago Shakespeare Theater), Next to Normal (BoHo Theatre), Dessa Rose and The Wild Party (Bailiwick Chicago).

Nicole Michelle Haskins (Sofia) is an actor, writer, director and artist. Chicago: The Color Purple (Drury Lane), US premiere of Hopelessly Devoted (Piven Theatre), Caroline, or Change (Firebrand Theatre). Fiercely represented by Shirley Hamilton. Training at Steppenwolf (Acting Fellow 2014), Associate Artist with Black Lives, Black Words International Theatre Collective and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit alumnae.

Jade Jones (Standby for Sofia) is a Helen Hayes nominee, performer, rapper and educator. Recently, Jade garnered international attention as Belle in Olney Theatre Center's critically acclaimed production of Disney's Beauty and The Beast, featured in People Magazine and on MSNBC. Other theatrical credits include Cinco Paul and Bekah Brunstetter's A.D. 16 (world premiere, directed by Stephen Brackett), The Amen Corner (Shakespeare Theatre Company), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Round House Theatre) and Into the Woods (Ford's Theatre). Television credits include Chicago P.D. (Stevie). Jade has performed for Michelle Obama and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and was most recently seen singing with Grammy winner Charlie Rosen and The 8-Bit Big Band at the legendary Howard Theatre in Washington, DC. Training: Ferrum College-BFA.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and Steven Spielberg's landmark film, The Color Purple makes its Muny debut! Featuring a Grammy Award-winning score infused with jazz, ragtime, gospel and African blues, this moving tale is a testament to the healing power of love, faith, resilience and sisterhood. Winner of the 2016 Tony Award for "Best Revival of a Musical," this epic staging promises a joyous evening of courage, hope and healing.

The Telsey Office is the official casting partner for The Muny.

The Color Purple is sponsored by Emerson.

The Muny's 2022 Season includes Chicago (June 13-19), Lerner and Loewe's Camelot (June 22-28), Disney and Cameron Macintosh's Mary Poppins (July 5-13), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (July 16-22), Legally Blonde, The Musical (July 25-31), The Color Purple (August 3-9) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (August 12-18).

Single show tickets are on sale now. Muny gift cards for the 104th season are now available online and at The Muny Box Office. For more information, visit muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.