Odds & Ends: The Color Purple Takes Audiences to Church One Last Time, Emma Watson Sings as Belle & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories and videos you may have missed today.

The Color Purple's Epic Swan Song
Four shows played their final performances on Broadway on January 8, but only one signed off with an unapologetic riff-off. Following their last bows, the cast of The Color Purple launched into a fiery rendition of Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise,” treating their audience (which included Hillary, Bill and Chelsea Clinton, Anna Wintour, Leslie Odom Jr. and Jonathan Groff) to a moment of revelry. Check out the clip, beginning with some touching words from Patrice Covington (who played Squeak in the Tony-winning revival) below, and look out for Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Holliday’s wild parade of hallelujahs around 10:50.


Emma Watson Sings in New Beauty Spot
At the 2017 Golden Globes, “musical theater nerds everywhere” had cause to celebrate as La La Land earned a record-breaking seven awards. But even the commercial breaks were a treat for Broadway enthusiasts, with Disney releasing a new TV spot for the upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast. The ad features Emma Watson singing Belle’s title song and—fine, we’ll say it—serving some Sound of Music realness on a lush field. Take a look below, and catch the movie when it premieres on March 17.


ATG Acquires Boston's Colonial Theatre
Good news for Boston theatergoers and history buffs. The Colonial Theatre, after facing an uncertain future when it shut its doors in 2015, the historic venue is set to reopen in January 2018. The U.K.-based Ambassador Theatre Group, which owns Broadway’s Lyric Theatre (the current home of Paramour), has acquired the 1680-seat Colonial, for a 40-year lease agreement with Emerson College. The theater first opened in 1900 and quickly became a go-to house for out-of-town tryouts of such Broadway staples as Anything Goes, Porgy and Bess, Carousel, A Little Night Music and La Cage aux Folles. In its later years, the venue was primarily a spot for national tours. ATG hopes to revive the tradition of out-of-town tryouts at the venue when it opens its doors once again.

New Look at The Good Fight
Look out, Miriam Shor, because Christine Baranski is heading back to the small screen with an assortment of iconic statement necklaces. The Good Fight, the CBS All Access spin-off of The Good Wife, premieres on February 19, and it promises lots of drama and appearances from Broadway notables. Check out the (somewhat NSFW) trailer, featuring Tony winners Baranski and Bernadette Peters and Broadway alums Cush Jumbo and Sarah Steele, below.


Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Renewed for Third Season
The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has picked up an early renewal for a third season. The musical comedy series, starring Golden Globe winner and musical theater-obsessed Rachel Bloom and featuring a host of Broadway favorites, will wrap up its second season on January 27. While we contemplate which Tony winners will show up to sing about what when the show returns, brace yourselves for Patti LuPone as a rabbi in the January 13 episode. Get a taste (it’s kosher!) below.