Heather Headley Will Replace Jennifer Hudson in The Color Purple on Broadway

Heather Headley will push da button in Broadway's The Color Purple, starring Cynthia Erivo! The Tony winner is set to begin performances as Shug Avery on May 10, stepping in for Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson in the John Doyle-helmed musical. Hudson's final performance at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is scheduled for May 8.

“I am humbled to be joining this immensely talented group of actors," said Headley in a statement. "I can't think of a better way to return to the Broadway stage than in this extraordinary show, helping to tell Alice Walker's story." Added Hudson in an adorable message (see below): “I owe so much to the Broadway community and our audiences. My heart is full as I say to Broadway, ‘until we meet again.’"

Headley, who won a Tony Award for Aida, made her Broadway debut in The Lion King and appeared as a special guest artist in Il Divo—A Musical Affair. She received an Olivier nod for her performance in the West End's The Bodyguard and garnered a Grammy Award in 2009 for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album for her third release, Audience of One.

The Color Purple features a book by Marsha Norman, lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and music by Russell and Willis. Based on the novel by Alice Walker, the tuner tells the story of Celie (Erivo), a woman who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discovers her voice in the world.

The cast also includes Danielle Brooks, Kyle Scatliffe, Isaiah Johnson and Joaquina Kalukango.

Doyle’s stripped-down production opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London on July 15, 2013, starring Erivo. The new staging cuts approximately 30 minutes of material from the original incarnation and its producers include Oprah Winfrey.

xo JHUD @bwaycolorpurple #TheColorPurple pic.twitter.com/pQCUQzKPar

— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) April 7, 2016