The Color Purple wins 2017 Grammy Award

Despite closing on Broadway last month, the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of The Color Purple last night took home the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album at the Los Angeles ceremony held at the Staples Center, hosted by Tony Award-winner James Corden.

The recording, which was produced by Broadway Records, won the accolade in a category that also included the cast recordings of Bright Star, Fiddler on the Roof, Waitress and the London cast recording of Kinky Boots.

The cast album counts Tony winner Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Hudson as principal soloists. Erivo also performed on the Grammy broadcast alongside John Legend during the 'In Memoriam' segment.

The Color Purple played its final performance at Broadway's Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on 8 January 2017. A National Tour of the production will follow in Fall 2017. Upon closing, the musical played a total of 449 regular and 33 preview performances.

Originally premiering at London's Menier Chocolate Factory in 2013, the production was directed by Tony winner John Doyle, and featured music by Brenda Russell and Allee Willis, lyrics by Russell, Willias and Stephen Bray and a book by Marsha Norman.

Based on the novel by Alice Walker, the musical tells "the story of Celie, a woman who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discovers her voice in the world."

The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959 when the first recipient was Meredith Wilson's The Music Man.