Jennifer Hudson will make her stage debut this fall when she stars in The Color Purple on Broadway.
According to the New York Post, Oprah Winfrey, who produced the show in 2005, will back the revival, along with her theatrical business partner Scott Sanders.
Jennifer will play Celie, the central character of the story, who survives sexual and physical abuse, poverty and racism to become a successful seamstress and pants designer.
UPDATE: New York Post FAIL. Oprah made the official announcement this afternoon, Jennifer will play the role of Shug Avery, played by Margaret Avery in the film and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes in the original Broadway production. To be honest, Jennifer seems better suited to play the character of the older and wiser Shug.
The new production of the musical comes from Menier Chocolate Factory out of London. Which “specializes in stripping down big-budget Broadway shows, giving them an emotional punch they lacked the first time around.” Or, experts in producing on the cheap? I guess we’ll see.
The show is “so lithe and muscular that at first it’s hard to detect even remnants of the big, bloated show that The Color Purple once was,” Ben Brantley wrote in the Times. “This was a second date made in heaven.”
Jennifer has reportedly been looking for a Broadway show for several years. Reportedly, Oprah called the singer personally and asked her to join the production.
Two of Jennifer’s season 3 castmates have appeared in the production. Fantasia, Jennifer’s fellow season 3 Idol cast mate, and winner of that season, earned rave reviews when she took over the role of Celie in 2007. LaToya London played Celie’s sister, Nettie during a 2007 national tour.
