The Color Purple: Pop Idol Fantasia Barrino to play Celie

Pop Idol Fantasia Barrino will make her Broadway debut when she plays the role of Celie in the Broadway musical the Broadway Musical The Color Purple from 10 Apr 2007 for a six-month run. She will assume the role from Kenita R. Miller.

Barrino was the winner of the third season of the television series American Idol in 2004. Her first album, Free Yourself, was a commercial success, gaining four Grammy nominations.

The Color Purple currently features Alton Fitzgerald White (Mister), Larry Marshall (Ol' Mister), Natasha Yvette Williams (Sofia), Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (Shug Avery), Darlesia Cearcy (Nettie), Chaz Lamar Shepherd (Harpo) and Krisha Marcano (Squeak).

The musical opened at the Broadway Theatre on 1 Dec 2005, following previews from 1 Nov 2006 and is currently booking to 2 Sep 2007.

Based on Alice Walker's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and the landmark film by Steven Spielberg, The Color Purple is the story of a woman, who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world.

Directed by Gary Griffin, The Color Purple features a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning composer/lyricists Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray with choreography by Donald Byrd.

The production features scenic design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Jon Weston. The orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick, Kevin Stites is the Music Supervisor and Linda Twine is the Musical Director.

The musical is produced on Broadway by Oprah Winfrey, Scott Sanders, Creative Battery, Roy Furman, Quincy Jones.