February 28, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Fantasia, Michelle Williams Join "Color Purple" Cast
Fantasia plays "Celie" on Broadway, while Williams lands "Shug Avery" in the musical's Chicago run.
Since Usher's run in Chicago and the Hudson-Knowles power-duo in Dreamgirls, the R&B stars keep flocking on over to Broadway. This time, American Idol cinderella story / VIBE Vixen cover girl Fantasia will perform the lead role of Celie in the Broadway production of The Color Purple. In the midwest, former Destiny's Child singer Michelle Williams will play the role of Shug Avery when the show opens in Chicago. Both performances begin in April.
Fantasia is scheduled to discuss her role on today's episode of Oprah. (She's also showing her cover of the latest issue of Vixen.) Oprah Winfrey herself co-starred in the movie version of Alice Walker's novel, and is a producer on the musical. According to Oprah.com, Fantasia told Winfrey she can relate to Celie, because "she went through so many things. She had people telling her she wasn't this, she wasn't that, she was ugly. But she still kept the faith, and she still kept her smile on her face. And at the end, she said, 'You know what? I may be poor. I may be ugly. But I'm here.'"
Williams, who will play the blues singing femme fatale in the production, calls the opportunity "a dream come true," Williams said. "I could not pass up the opportunity to do 'The Color Purple.' To have the privilege of even auditioning was an honor for me."
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