'The Color Purple' Fades, to Close on Broadway Feb.24

The producers of The Color Purple announced today that the show will play its final performance on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 7:30pm, after playing 30 preview performances and 910 regular performances at the Broadway Theatre.  Now in its third year on Broadway, The Color Purple recouped its entire $11 million investment in its first year on Broadway, having grossed over $103,000,000.

The Color Purple 's first North American Tour kicked off in Chicago on April 17, 2007, at The Cadillac Palace Theatre, starring LaToya London of American Idol and Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams, and continued on to San Francisco and Los Angeles.  The tour is currently scheduled through 2009, and will be playing Tempe, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

The Color Purple currently stars Chaka Khan as Sofia, BeBe Winans as Harpo, LaKisha Jones as the Church Soloist at all evening performances and Sofia atall matinee performances, Montego Glover as Nettie, Elisabeth Withers-Mendes as Shug Avery, Alton Fitzgerald White as Mister, Krisha Marcano as Squeak and Zonya Love as Celie.  Also featured in the cast of 37 are Leilani N. Bryant, Teresa Stanley, Yolanda Wyns, Larry Marshall, Deidra H. Brooks, Eric L. Christian, LaTrisa A. Coleman, Ruby E. Crawford, Bobby Daye, Doug Eskew, Lavon Fisher-Wilson, Charles Gray, Gavin Gregory, Stephanie Guiland-Brown, James Harkness, Francesca Harper, Chauncey Jenkins, Ashley Reneé Jordan, Brandi Chavonne Massey, Kenya Unique Massey, Marla McReynolds, Jenny Mollet, JC Montgomery, Angela Robinson, Levensky Smith, Ricky Smith and Jamal Story.

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.  Based on the novel by Alice Walker The Color Purple is choreographed by Donald Byrd, with scenic design by John Lee Beatty, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt, costume design by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Jon Weston.

The performance schedule for The Color Purple is:  Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2PM; Sunday at 7:30PM. Please note: There will be an added performance, Tuesday February 5 at 7PM. There will be no performance Sunday, February 10 at 7:30PM.

Tickets for The Color Purple can be purchased via Telecharge.com or call (212) 239-6200 or at The Broadway Theatre Box Office.  Tickets are $116.50 - $26.50.