Complete Casting Announced For The
Upcoming Broadway Production of
THE COLOR PURPLE
PHOENIX BEST, DWAYNE CLARK, LAWRENCE CLAYTON,
CARRIE COMPERE, PATRICE COVINGTON, ADRIANNA HICKS,
BRE JACKSON, GRASAN KINGSBERRY, KEVYN MORROW,
KEN ROBINSON, ANTOINE L. SMITH, CARLA R. STEWART,
AKRON WATSON, and REMA WEBB
Join Previously Announced Stars
JENNIFER HUDSON, CYNTHIA ERIVO, DANIELLE BROOKS,
ISAIAH JOHNSON, KYLE SCATLIFFE, and JOAQUINA KALUKANGO
Producers Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Oprah Winfrey, David Babani, and Tom Siracusa are proud to announce complete casting for this fall’s highly anticipated production of THE COLOR PURPLE, directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle.
PHOENIX BEST, DWAYNE CLARK, LAWRENCE CLAYTON, CARRIE COMPERE, PATRICE COVINGTON, ADRIANNA HICKS, BRE JACKSON, GRASAN KINGSBERRY, KEVYN MORROW, KEN ROBINSON, ANTOINE L. SMITH, CARLA R. STEWART, AKRON WATSON, and REMA WEBB join previously announced principals JENNIFER HUDSON, CYNTHIA ERIVO, DANIELLE BROOKS, ISAIAH JOHNSON, KYLE SCATLIFFE, and JOAQUINA KALUKANGO in this acclaimed staging from London’s Menier Chocolate Factory.
THE COLOR PURPLE will begin preview performances on Tuesday, November 10 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th street) and will officially open on Thursday, December 10.
THE COLOR PURPLE has scenic design by John Doyle, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Gregory Clarke, and hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe. THE COLOR PURPLE will feature music supervision by Catherine Jayes and Music Direction by Jason Michael Webb. Casting by Telsey + Company/Justin Huff, CSA.
THE COLOR PURPLE is produced by Scott Sanders Productions, Roy Furman, Oprah Winfrey, David Babani, Tom Siracusa, Caiola Productions, James Fantaci, Ted Liebowitz, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, Darren Bagert, Candy Spelling, Adam Zotovich, Eric Falkenstein/Morris Berchard, Just For Laughs Theatricals/Tanya Link Productions, Adam S. Gordon, Jam Theatricals, Independent Presenters Network.
CYNTHIA ERIVO is appearing with the support of Actors’ Equity Association. The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association for its assistance of this production.
ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE
PHOENIX BEST is a recent graduate of DeSales University and is making her Broadway debut with this production. Regional credits include Les Miserables, Oklahoma!, Henry V, and Two Gentleman of Verona.
DWAYNE CLARK has appeared on Broadway in Spiderman (Ensemble), In the Heights (u/s Benny), Cry Baby (Dupree), Tarzan (Terk), Urinetown (u/s Bobby Strong), Smokey Joe’s Café (Adrian). National tours include Rent, Smokey Joe’s Café. Regional: Tick, Tick, Boom, Ain’t Misbehavin’. New York City Opera: Porgy and Bess (Sportin Life).
LAWRENCE CLAYTON most recently starred as Joe Boyd in Damn Yankees at the Ordway Theater in St. Paul, MN. Broadway appearances include Bells Are Ringing, It Ain’t Nothin but the Blues, The Civil War, Once upon a Mattress, and Dreamgirls. Off Broadway includes Crowns (Second Stage), Saturn Returns and Romance in Hard Times (Public), and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (The Theater at MSG). Regional credits include productions of Big River, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Boys from Syracuse, Betsy Brown, Sophisticated Ladies and Avenue X. He has appeared as the Tenor in Too Hot to Handel with the Baltimore and Colorado Symphonies and has also starred as Montel/Jesus in the New York Premiere of Jerry Springer the Opera at Carnegie Hall (also at Sydney Opera House). TV credits include “Homeland,” “The Good Wife,” “The Big C,” “All My Children,”” Another World,” “As the World Turns,” “One Life to Live,” “Deadline,” and “Law and Order: CSI,” among others.
CARRIE COMPERE feels blessed to be a part of this amazing company. Credits: Holler If You Hear Me (Broadway), Sistas (Off-Broadway), Shrek (1st National Tour), Smokey Joe’s Café (TUTS), Lord Tom (York Theater Lab), “NYC 22” (CBS), “Gurland on Gurland” (Showtime), “Showboat’: Live at Lincoln Center” (PBS). Thanks: God, my awesome hubby Jerry, amazing children Isaiah and Pneuma, manager Susan/CBU Management, Inc., JC William, Avalon Artists. For Jeanne!
PATRICE COVINGTON is making her Broadway debut. National tours include Motown The Musical, The Book of Mormon, Dreamgirls (Effie), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Armelia). She has numerous national voice over credits and released a music video for her single, “Life Feels Good Right Now.”
ADRIANNA HICKS is making her Broadway debut. International credits include Sister Act (u/s Deloris), Natürlich Blond das Musical (u/s Pilar), Dirty Dancing das Musical (Ensemble). Regional: Sarah (Ragtime). Concert: backup for Michael Bublé (Call Me Irresponsible Tour).
BRE JACKSON has appeared on Broadway in The Book of Mormon (Ensemble/Swing) and on the First National Tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Diva). Bre received her BFA from the University of Michigan.
GRASAN KINGSBERRY. This is Grasan’s 10th Broadway show and was a member of the original cast of The Color Purple in 2005. Other Broadway Original Casts: Motown, Nice Work…, Leap of Faith, On A Clear Day…, Catch Me…, Finian’s Rainbow, Dirty Rotten…, Aida. Regional: One Night In Miami (Sam Cooke/Center Stage), Dreamgirls (Curtis/North Shore and National Tour). TV/Film: “Royal Pains,” “Smash,” “All My Children,” I Am Legend. He is a graduate of Juilliard.
KEVYN MORROW’s Broadway credits include The Scarlet Pimpernel, Dream, Smokey Joe's Café, Dreamgirls (1987), A Chorus Line (1990). London: 125th Street, Ragtime (Olivier, Best Actor nom.). Off-Broadway: Boys in the Band, Blue. Regional: Whipping Man, Gem of the Ocean, Stormy Weather, Race, Radio Golf, Les Miserables (Javert), Five Guys…, Tambourines to Glory (Helen Hayes Best Actor nom). Film: Fair Market Value, The Trade, Stayin’ Alive. Television: Kennedy Center Honors (featured), "Half-Share” (series regular), “Elementary,” ”Person of Interest,” ”Ed,” “Coach,” “Hostages,” ”The Good Wife,” and “Murphy Brown.”
KEN ROBINSON’s Broadway credits include Memphis and Baby It’s You! Regional work includes Choir Boy (Marin Theatre Co), The Colored Museum (Huntington Theatre), The Piano Lesson (Seattle Rep and Syracuse Stage), My Fair Lady (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Ain't Misbehavin' (Cleveland PlayHouse). TV: "Smash." Ken received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama and his BA from Morehouse College.
ANTOINE L. SMITH. Broadway: Memphis. National Tours: First National Tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (Lord Pinkleton); Cats (Old Deuteronomy, Gus, Growltiger). Regional: Les Miserables (Javert), Big River (Jim), Ragtime (Booker T. Washington), Rent (Tom Collins).
CARLA R. STEWART is making her Broadway debut. Originally from Chicago, Carla is an AMDA New York graduate. Favorite credits include the First National Tour of Ghost the Musical (Oda Mae Brown). Regional: The Wiz (Dorothy), Rent (Joanne), Ain't Misbehavin’ (Nell).
AKRON WATSON has appeared off-Broadway in The Fortress of Solitude (Public Theater). Regional: Dreamgirls (North Shore Music Theater); The Fortress of Solitude, Stagger Lee (Dallas Theater Center); Smokey Joe’s Café (Water Tower Theatre); Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Theatre Three); The Shipment (Undermain Theatre). Film/TV: "Friday Night Lights," "Chase," Seasons of Gray, Spilt Milk.
REMA WEBB recently appeared in You’re Standing In My Way: A New Song Cycle by William Finn and Deborah Abramson at Barrington Stage Company. She also appeared as the homeless woman in A New Brain at Encores! Off-Center. Ms. Webb was featured in the Broadway revival of Violet and performed on the 2014 Tony Awards. Other Broadway credits include The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, and Ragtime. Favorite regional credits include The Colored Museum at the Huntington Theatre Company (Elliot Norton Award for Best Ensemble) and Being Alive (Westport Country Playhouse and Philadelphia Theatre Company). Last fall, she made her 54 Below solo concert debut with Children Will Listen. She is the Founder/Executive Director of the On Broadway Performing Arts Training Program.
ABOUT THE COLOR PURPLE
John Doyle’s critically acclaimed production opened in summer 2013 in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Charles Spencer of The Telegraph said THE COLOR PURPLE “BLOWS THE ROOF OFF THE THEATRE,” and Libby Purvess of The Times says, “IT ROCKS THE HOUSE. NEVER WAS THERE SUCH STAMPING, CHEERING, HOOTING, ROARING AND WHISTLING.” And Mark Shenton of The Stage called the production “A REVELATION. SOMETHING TRULY EXTRAORDINARY.”
Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel and the Warner Bros. / Amblin Entertainment motion picture, THE COLOR PURPLE is adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winner Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Grammy award winners Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.
THE COLOR PURPLE is an unforgettable story of enduring love and triumph over adversity. With a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues, this stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie, as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life.