She Was Here, Now She's Out- Flashback Through THE COLOR PURPLE's Broadway Run
By: Marissa Sblendorio Jan. 08, 2017
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The Tony Award-winning revival of The Color Purple will play its final performance on Broadway today, Sunday, January 8, 2017. The production will has played 449 regular and 33 preview performances at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W 45th Street). Soon, a North American tour of the production will launch, most likely in the fall of 2017.
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 production of The Color Purple opened to rapturous reviews on December 10, 2015. The production went on to receive 2016 Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Cynthia Erivo). The musical also received Tony nominations for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Danielle Brooks), and Best Direction of a Musical (John Doyle). The Color Purple also received the 2016 Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.
Join us, as BroadwayWorld takes a look back at this show's amazing run.
In spring of 2016, BroadwayWorld had reported that Jennifer Hudson, Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks were set to make their Broadway debuts in the critically acclaimed staging of The Color Purple, as performed at London's Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was the first to chat with the three leading ladies, plus their director John Doyle, about the production. Check out what they had to say about their new roles below!
During rehearsals in October, THE COLOR PURPLE producer Oprah stopped by and joined in on a song after hugging some of the cast members, among them Danille Brooks, Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo. Check out a clip from the surprise visit below!
A video posted by The Color Purple (@bwaycolorpurple) on Oct 15, 2015 at 12:35pm PDT
The cast of THE COLOR PURPLE made their TV debut in December, 2015, on LATE SHOW WITH Stephen Colbert, as Jennifer Hudson and the rest of the cast of Broadway's performed the number "Push Da Button". Earlier in the broadcast, Hudson talked about being an inspiration to others, commenting, "If I'm going to be a role model, I want to be a good role model, to help make a difference for someone else." She later went on to explain how she differs from her character Shug Avery. Watch the clips below!
The Broadway revival of THE COLOR PURPLE officially opened on December 10, 2015, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W 45th Street). Watch the highlights from the production as well as the red carpet coverage from opening night, below!
On April 7th, 2016, it was announced that starting on May 10, Tony and Grammy Award winner Heather Headley would assume the role of Shug Avery in John Doyle's critically acclaimed production of the Broadway musical, The Color Purple. This was Ms. Headley's first appearance on Broadway since winning the 2000 Tony Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance in Aida. Grammy and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, who made her critically-acclaimed Broadway debut in the role of Shug Avery, completed her six month run on Sunday, May 8th.
Headley stopped to chat with BroadwayWorld about her return to Broadway, which you can watch, below!
Following the April 21st performance of THE COLOR PURPLE, the musical's cast took an extended stay on stage in order to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Prince, who died earlier that day at 57. Led by stars Jennifer Hudson, a friend of the late artist, and Cynthia Erivo, the company performed a stunning rendition of Prince's beloved song 'Purple Rain.' You can watch the emotional tribute in its entirety below.
Cynthia Erivo and the cast of The Color Purple knocked it out of the park on the 70th Annual TONY AWARDS, where they took home two awards. Watch the performance below!
On August 24th, 2016, it was announced that beginning October 4, Tony and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Holliday would take over the role of Shug Avery in The Color Purple. Heather Headley gave her final performance on Sunday, October 2nd, in which the entire cast gathered together at curtain call to send her off with the most fitting tribute: a group performance of the Gospel song "I Won't Complain." Watch the tribute below!
To see what the critics said about THE COLOR PURPLE, click here!
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