<P> A third national tour with a non-Equity cast opened January 17, 2012 at the Francis Marion University PAC, in Florence, South Carolina, with previews in New Haven, CT at the Schubert Theater . The role of Celie is played by Washington, D.C. native, Ashley L. Ware, and Taprena Augustine has reprised her role as Shug Avery alongside Dayna Quincy taking the role of Nettie (later taking the role of Celie at Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia). Tour stops include Nevada (Las Vegas & Reno), Alabama (Mobile), Pennsylvania (Williamsport, Reading & Bloomsburg), and more . </P> <P> A first international production, directed by John Doyle, opened in London at The Menier Chocolate Factory on July 17, 2013 . The limited run ended on 14 September 2013 . The cast included Cynthia Erivo (Celie), Nicola Hughes (Shug) and Christopher Colquhoun (Mister / Albert). </P> <P> On January 9, 2015, producers Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, and Oprah Winfrey announced that the Menier Chocolate Factory production would be mounted on Broadway . Jennifer Hudson makes her Broadway debut in the role of Shug, Danielle Brooks plays the role of Sofia, and Cynthia Erivo reprises her role as Celie . Kyle Jean - Baptiste was slated to be in it as well, but he died in August 2015 . Previews began November 10, 2015, with the official opening December 10 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre . Erivo won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, with the production taking home the 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical . The production closed on January 8, 2017 . </P> <P> On a Sunday morning in 1909, fourteen - year - old Celie--who has had one child by her father Alphonso and is now pregnant with her second--plays a clapping game with her younger sister Nettie . While attending services with the other members of their rural Georgia community, Celie goes into labor and is dragged out of the church as the congregation quietly looks on ("Huckleberry Pie / Mysterious Ways"). After Celie gives birth to a son, her father takes the child away and bluntly tells her he is going to get rid of it like the last one . Celie quietly says goodbye to her newborn and asks God for a sign ("Somebody Gonna Love You"). </P>

Who played celie in the color purple on broadway