Jennifer Hudson To Make Her Broadway Debut In ‘The Color Purple’
Jennifer Hudson just got finished promoting her third album JHud, which hit shelves and online on September 23, 2014. With an Oscar, a Grammy, a new album, and the face of a successful weight loss campaign, what else can Hudson have? Well, now you can add Broadway to her name as the singer is set to make her debut in The Color Purple.
Hudson will take on the role of Shug Avery in the musical, which will make its premiere in the fall. The Broadway show is also co-produced by Oprah Winfrey, who was in the film version.
According to E!, “The story is set between 1909 and 1949 in the American South. Hudson’s character is a sultry blues singer who gets involved in a romantic relationship with main character Celie, an abused housewife, after previously serving as the woman’s husband’s mistress. The Color Purple also focuses on Celie’s attempt to reunite with her sister, Nettie. ”
Fans of Jennifer Hudson and The Color Purple are reacting to the news on Twitter.
@davissummers17 I’d see it. (I think they’re planning on bringing over the Menier Celie).
— Kevin Daly (@kevinddaly) January 9, 2015
YAS! Jennifer Hudson IS coming to B’way in THE COLOR PURPLE. Get ready to push da button with @IAMJHUD! http://t.co/v8RtbkyvjO @broadwaycom
— Ryan McPhee (@rdmcphee) January 9, 2015
Get that EGOT, girl MT @MarcSnetiker: Jennifer Hudson will make her Broadway debut as Shug (!) in new revival of ‘The Color Purple’
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 9, 2015
Yassssss — Jennifer Hudson to make Broadway debut as Celie in ‘The Color Purple’ revival http://t.co/3HLMoPLQ0d @theGrio @IAMJHUD
— Chris Witherspoon (@WitherspoonC) January 9, 2015
In her last major interview, she spoke about her decision to live in Chicago despite having to work in Los Angeles and New York.
“I get that so much: ‘You don’t live in Chicago, you live in LA. All celebrities live in LA.’ I live in Chicago. I just work everywhere. I go wherever my works leads me, but there’s no place like home. That’s what I always say.”
The Chicago native said that she and her fiance David Otunga wanted their son David Jr so have a normal upbringing. Hudson said she wanted David “to have a yard where he could run around and play.”
As for being torn between LA and NY, Jennifer Hudson doesn’t seem to mind it much.
“I like to travel. It’s a huge part of what I do, and this way, I get to live where I would like to live, and that’s here in Chicago.”
Looks like Jennifer will have to move to New York temporarily if she’s really heading to Broadway.
[Image via Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]
