Jennifer Holliday to Star in Three-City Tour of THE COLOR PURPLE

Jennifer Holliday will soon be hitting the road in THE COLOR PURPLE.

The original DREAMGIRLS star and Tony winner announced today on her Facebook page that she will play 'Sophia' in a three-city tour of the production, beginning next week in Detroit, MI.

THE COLOR PURPLE will play Detroit's Music Hall Center from Oct. 23-26 before heading to Chicago's Arie Crown Theatre on Nov. 15-16, and Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, TX on Nov. 22-23.

The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-nominated film, follows a woman overcoming adversity over many years early in the 20th century, earned eleven 2006 Tony nominations.

Holliday is undeniably one of R&B and Broadway's greatest voices. Endowed with a commanding and irresistible voice, immeasurable range and artistry that few can rival, Holliday has long stood in a class by herself. The dynamic songstress' now legendary show-stopping, heart-wrenching performance of the torch ballad "And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going" in the smash hit Broadway musical, Dreamgirls, made her a household name and introduced her big soulful voice to the world. Her portrayal of Effie "Melody" White, a role she co-created, not only brought theatergoers to their feet for eight performances a week, but also garnered her a Tony-Award for Best Actress in a Musical and her first Grammy-Award for Best R&B Female Vocalist. From Broadway to major TV appearances including (Ellen, Ally McBeal and Touched By An Angel) and half-a-dozen soundtrack credits, Jennifer Holliday is one of the most distinctive, enviable and revered voices in modern music.

Through the years, Holliday has collaborated with everyone from Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, David Fosterand Paul Simon, to Michael Jackson, Maurice White and Foreigner. She has also sung with the Boston Pops and The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra with Peter Nero, among numerous other esteemed orchestras. She considers herself to be a Broadway Baby and theater continues to be a significant part of her career. Her illustrious resume includes such theatre credits as Sing Mahalia Sing: The Mahalia Jackson Story, Downhearted Blues: The Bessie Smith Story, Harlem Suite (with Aretha Franklin), Chicago (starring as "Mama Morton"), Grease (starring as "Teen Angel") and Black Nativity (starring as the "Angel of God"). The in-demand star has also been invited to participate inChaka Khan's induction into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame ceremony to take place June 10 at the Apollo Theatreand broadcast later on BET. Considering herself a "bi-partisan songbird," Jennifer is both honored and grateful to have performed at the White House for President Ronald Reagan, President George Bush, President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.