Theater News

Color Purple Special to Air on February 18

The Color Purple: The Color of Success, a television special that traces the evolution of Alice Walker’s novel through its transformation to an award-winning film and Broadway musical, will air at 8pm on Sunday, February 18 on TV One.

The show is directed by Tim Miller and will be narrated by actor Keith David. It will feature interviews with Walker, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, Scott Sanders, LaChanze, Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, Felicia P. Fields, Kingsley Leggs, Brandon Victor Dixon, Gary Griffin, Marsha Norman, Linda Twine, Donald Byrd, Alley Mills, Brenda Russell, Stephen Bray, and Paul Tazewell.

The Broadway production of The Color Purple celebrated its 500th performance earlier this week. It was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, with LaChanze winning the trophy for Best Actress in a Musical. The show’s original cast recording was nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award. Its national tour kicks off in Chicago in April.

TV One, a lifestyle and entertainment network for African-American adults, was launched in January, 2004 and is now seen in nearly 34 million homes. For more information, visit www.tvoneonline.com.