LaChanze, Fields, Goldsberry, Withers Set for Color Purple on Broadway

LaChanze and Felicia P. Fields, who both appeared in the fall 2004 world premiere of The Color Purple at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, will reprise the roles of Celie and Sofia, respectively, on Broadway. The tuner will also star Elisabeth Withers as Shug and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Nettie.

Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and the film by Steven Spielberg, the musical version of The Color Purple tells the story of a woman, who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. The show features a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

LaChanze received a Theatre World Award and a Tony nomination for her acclaimed performance as peasant girl Ti Moune in Once on This Island. She also appeared on the Great White Way in Uptown…It's Hot!, Dreamgirls, Company and Ragtime. Her off-Broadway credits include Once on This Island which originated at Playwrights Horizons, The Vagina Monologues, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin and Dessa Rose.

Fields is a Jeff Award-winning actress best known for her work in the Chicago area. At the Goodman Theater she has appeared in The Rose Tattoo, The Amen Corner, A Christmas Carol, Ties That Bind and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Her work at Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre includes the musicals Showboat, Carousel, Damn Yankees, Big River, Dreamgirls, The Wiz and Hot Mikado. She is on the Artistic Board of Illinois' Apple Tree Theatre, where her credits include Once on This Island and Ain't Misbehavin'.

Withers is a singer/songwriter who had a dance hit with “Rising” composed with Tony Coluccio, Giuseppe Dicacammo, Jr. and Tony Moran. She has been featured on the PBS children's series Between the Lions and is a graduate of New York University.

Goldsberry, who is currently appearing in the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona in Central Park, is best known for playing defense attorney Evangeline Williamson on One Life to Live. She appeared on Broadway as Nala in The Lion King. Her other theatrical credits include a national tour of Dreamgirls and productions of Abyssinia and Paper Moon. She has a solo album entitled Everything But the Kitchen Sink which she co-wrote and produced with accomplished bassist and music producer Andreas Geck.

In addition to those listed above, The Color Purple will feature Kingsley Leggs as Mister, Brandon Victor Dixon as Harpo, Krisha Marcano as Squeak. Also included in the cast will be Jeannette Bayardelle, James Brown III, Eric L. Christian, Latrisa Coleman, Bobby Daye, Carol Dennis, Anika Ellis, Doug Eskew, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Zipporah Gatling, Charles Gray, Stephanie Guiland-Brown, James Harkness, Francesca Harper, Kimberly Ann Harris, Chantylla Johnson, Grasan Kingsberry, Corinne McFarlane, Kenita R. Miller, JC Montgomery, Lou Myers, Angela Robinson, Nathaniel Stampley, Jamal Story, Leon Thomas III, Maia Nkenge Wilson and Virginia Woodruff.

The Color Purple, directed by Gary Griffin, is scheduled to begin previews at the Broadway Theatre on November 1 in preparation for a December 1 opening.