Singer and songwriter Brenda Russell says that she was ready to take on a new challenge in her musical career at the time that she took on creating music for The Color Purple. She says she would have been interested in creating just about anything for the musical theater, but the fact that it was an adaptation of this best-loved work really made it exciting. She told us: "The fact that it was The Color Purple, such a well-respected work by Alice Walker who won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel and, you know, a great film by Spielberg, I mean, it was huge to think I could put my little fingers (laughter) in the music for The Color Purple, creating music for The Color Purple, new music that is."

 The original show album of The Color Purple was nominated for a Grammy this year. The music was co-created by Russell with Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

The Color Purple will begin its national tour in presenting producer Oprah Winfrey's hometown of Chicago on April 17th. Ticket information for the Chicago engagement as well as the original Broadway production are available at colorpurple.com