The Color Purple Plays 500th Performance February 13

The Color Purple will celebrate its 500th performance tonight, Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at 7:00PM at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway.)

The show began preview performances in New York on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and played 30 preview performances before its official opening night on Thursday, December 1, 2005.

Now in its 2nd smash year on Broadway, The Color Purple recouped its entire $11 million investment in less than a year.  Since its first preview on November 1, 2005 the show had the highest cumulative attendance figures of any new Broadway show of the 2005-2006 season.  Nearly 750,000 audience members from across the country and around the world have seen the production.

The Color Purple is based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The Color Purple is directed by Gary Griffin, while Marsha Norman (Pulitzer Prize-winner for 'night, Mother, The Secret Garden) wrote the book. The show's score is penned by pop tunesmiths Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Donald Byrd is The Color Purple's choreographer.

The musical stars Jeanette Bayardelle (as Celie), Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (as Shug Avery), NaTasha Yvette Williams (as Sofia), Chaz Lamar Shepherd (as Harpo), Darlesia Cearcy (as Nettie), Krisha Marcano (as Squeak) and Alton Fitzgerald-White (as Mister.)

The show is produced on Broadway by Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones, Creative Battery, Anna Fantaci & Cheryl Lachowicz, Independent Presenters Network, Lowy Family Group, Stephanie McClelland, Gary Winnick, Jan Kallish, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Andrew Asnes & Adam Zotovich and Todd Johnson

Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.Telecharge.com, by calling 212-239-6200 or visiting the Broadway Theatre box office.

Visit www.colorpurple.com for more information.

Photo of Jeannette Bayardelle by Ben Strothmann