The Color Purple To Close On Broadway

After over two years running on Broadway, The Color Purple has announced that it will be closing next month. The musical version of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel will have its final performance at the Broadway Theatre on February 24th. Produced by Oprah Winfrey (who co-starred in the film adaptation of the novel), The Color Purple did good business for most of its run -- only recently did it start running out of steam. The show got a big boost last year when American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino took over the lead role of Celie from Tony Award winner LaChanze. The current cast features another idol, LaKisha Jones, as well as performers Bebe Winans and Chaka Khan. Though The Color Purple will soon be gone from Broadway, it is survived by a national tour.