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It’s about life. It’s about love. It’s about us. Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning story, The Color Purple, will begin a National Tour this year, thanks to the original Sophia, Oprah Winfrey. The show will begin performances at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre on April 17, 2007. 

Joining the newest cast members of this New York Broadway hit are American Idol Fantasia Barrino, who will play Celie, and former Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams, who will play Shug Avery. No matter how you feel about those two singers, you have to admit, not too many musicals can cast multiple accomplished singers. They play is great, I saw it in New York last year, and I’m so excited for it to debut in Chicago.

For those who haven’t seen The Color Purple, I urge you to watch it or read the book. The book and film address many issues which are important to understanding life for African-Americans during the early to mid 20th century. Its main theme is the position of the black woman in society as the lowest of the low, put upon because of both her gender and her color. Domestic violence, sexual abuse, incest, and petofilia are the fundamental issues the main character deals with during her lifetime. It is truly a deep story, and one that, unfortunately, you may not fully comprehend from the stage play unless you first read the book or view the film. It’s deep.