The Color Purple family is getting a little bit bigger. It seems we’ve found our Mister, Harpo, AND Nettie. Olivier nominee and Broadway alum Kyle Scatliffe (Les Miserables, Scottsboro Boys) will take on the role of Harpo alongside the Orange Is The New Black star Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson as Shug Avery, & British actress Cynthia Erivo as Celie. Joining Scatliffe will be Isaiah Johnson (Peter and the Starcatcher, Side Show) as Mister and Joaquina Kalukango, who just tore the roof off the house as Kate in The Wild Party, will portray Celie’s sister, Nettie. This is rounding out to be a stellar cast.
This new trimmed down version of The Color Purple has been all the rave since it appeared at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory. It travels over to the U.S. with the same star, Cynthia Erivo, and director John Doyle. The Color Purple is a Broadway musical based upon the novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. It features music and lyrics written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, with a book by Marsha Norman.
“What {director} John Doyle has done with The Color Purple is a revelation—to maintain the show’s epic sweep and sense of history while also ensuring that Celie’s journey be an intimate, emotionally profound theatrical experience,” said producer Scott Sanders. “Celie is the heart of The Color Purple and Cynthia Erivo, an astonishingly talented young actress who will be making her Broadway debut, is thrilling in the role. She breaks the audience’s heart and heals it by the show’s finale, all while blowing the roof off the theatre with her remarkable voice. And having her joined onstage by an acclaimed actress and recording star like Jennifer Hudson—who will also be making her Broadway debut—all but guarantees some legendary musical theatre fireworks.”
Tickets for the musical are on sale to the general public, the prices range between $75.00 and $145.00. The production begins previews Nov. 10 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Opening night is set for Dec. 10. You can purchase your tickets here or by calling 212.239.6200.
[…] Shug Avery, Cynthia Erivo as Celie, & Danielle Brooks as Sofia, as previously reported. Other principal cast members previously announced include Kyle Scatliffe as “Harpo”, Isaiah Johnson as “Mister” and […]