Broadway stars Jeannete I. Bayardelle and Felicia P. Fields will co-star with former American Idol contestant LaToya London and former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams in the national tour of The Color Purple, which kicks off at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre April 17-July 22. The tour will be directed by Gary Griffin, who also helmed the still-running Broadway version.
Bayardelle will play Celie; Fields will reprise her Tony Award-nominated role of Sofia; London will play Nettie; and Williams will play Shug Avery. The touring cast also includes Rufus Bonds, Jr. as Mister; Stu James as Harpo; Stephanie St. James as Squeak; Lynette Dupree, Kimberly Ann Harris, and Virginia Ann Woodruff as the Church Ladies; Bridgette Bentley as the Church Soloist; and Adam Wade as Ol’ Mister.
The ensemble will feature Shani Borden, Brian H. Brooks, Renee Monique Brown, Tiffany Daniels, Quentin Earl Darrington, Kellen Davis, Lesley Terrell Donald, Andre Garner, Dameka Hayes, LaTonya Holmes, Jenna Ford Jackson, Trent Armand Kendall, Grasan Kingsberry, Keith Byron Kirk, Rhett George, Corrine McFarlane, Sumayah McRae, Anthony Wayne, and Mariama Whyte.
Based on the Alice Walker novel and the Steven Spielberg film, the musical features a score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, and a book by Marsha Norman. The design team features John Lee Beatty (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lighting), and Jon Weston (sound), all of whom worked on the Broadway show.
