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ALICE WALKER (Original Author)
MARSHA NORMAN (Bookwriter)
BRENDA RUSSELL (Composer/Lyricist)
ALLEE WILLIS (Composer/Lyricist)
STEPHEN BRAY (Composer/Lyricist)
GARY GRIFFIN (Director)
DONALD BYRD (Choreographer)
JOHN LEE BEATTY (Set Design)
PAUL TAZEWELL (Costume Designer)
JOSEPH JOUBERT (Additional Arrangements)
CHARLES G. LaPOINTE (Hair Design)
ALLIANCE THEATRE (Original Production)
CRAIG CASSIDY (Sound Design)
JASPER GRANT (Music Director)
STEVEN M. BISHOP (Orchestrations/Arrangements)
CHRISTOPHER LOCKLEAR (Production Stage Manager)
Stephanie Guiland-Brown (Associate Choreographer)
MICHAEL MCFADDEN (Artistic Producer)
STEPHEN B. KANE (Executive Producer)
PHOENIX ENTERTAINMENT (Producer)
Marsha Norman (Bookwriter) won the Pulitzer Prize for her play, ‘night, Mother and a Tony Award for her book of the Broadway musical, The Secret Garden. Ms. Norman is co- chair, with Christopher Durang, of the Playwriting Department of the Juilliard School and vice president of the Dramatists Guild of America. Her other plays include Getting Out, Traveler in the Dark, Sarah and Abraham, Trudy Blue and Last Dance. Her published work includes Four Plays, Vol. I: Collected Plays of Marsha Norman and a novel, The Fortune Teller. She has numerous film and TV credits, Grammy and Emmy nominations, and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and the Fellowship of Southern Writers. She is a native of Kentucky who lives in New York City and Long Island with her two children. Back to top
Brenda Russell (Composer/Lyricist). Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter Brenda Russell’s music has touched fans on a global scale through millions of albums sold and songs heard on airwaves around the world. Author of “Piano in the Dark,” “If Only for One Night” and the anthem “Get Here,” Brenda has written for or collaborated with superstars such as Sting; Mary J. Blige; Stevie Wonder; Chaka Khan; Tina Turner; Donna Summer; Michael McDonald; Ray Charles; Earth, Wind & Fire; Luther Vandross; Diana Ross; and Patti LaBelle, among many others. Nominated for three Grammys for 1988’s pop classic “Piano in the Dark,” Brenda’s compositions have also won Grammys for other artists. She has recorded eight solo albums since 1979, with her most recent, Between the Sun and the Moon, released in 2004. Brenda’s songwriting talent has been featured on television and in films such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Barry Levinson’s Liberty Heights. www.brendarussell.com Back to top
Allee Willis (Composer/Lyricist) has sold 50 million records, including Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and “Boogie Wonderland,” the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” and Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield’s “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” Willis won a Grammy for Best Soundtrack for Beverly Hills Cop and was nominated for an Emmy for “I’ll Be There for You,” the theme from “Friends.” She’s also an award-winning artist, set designer, interactive-multimedia artist, writer and director. With Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner she created lilytomlin.com, a nonlinear exploration of their Tony-winning The Search for Signs…. She’s also consulted for Intel, Microsoft, AOL and Disney and addressed the U.S. House of Representatives on cyberspace. As her alter-ego, Bubbles the artist, Willis has sold more than 1,000 artworks. She co-created and designed two animated series, “Fat Girl” and “Driving While Black,” which contain the only previous scores of Russell, Willis and Bray. Back to top
Stephen Bray (Composer/Lyricist) is thrilled to be making his Broadway debut with The Color Purple. After beginning music studies with private instruction in Detroit, Bray continued training at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Working with Madonna, he wrote and produced many of her top-ten recordings, including “Angel,” “Into the Groove,” “Papa Don’t Preach,” “True Blue” and “Express Yourself.” Performing with Breakfast Club, he earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and a top-ten single. He has composed and produced for multiplatinum artists including The Jets, Gladys Knight and Kylie Minogue. Film and television projects include Beverly Hills Cop II, Who’s That Girl?, All About the Benjamins and the theme for PBS’s “California Connected.” Stephen is developing artists for his Soultone label and looks forward to more musical theatre. He would like to thank his daughter Milena for her eternal patience and his family for their continuing support. Back to top
Gary Griffin (Director) is making his Broadway debut with The Color Purple. He directed the world premiere production at the Alliance Theatre last year. Gary’s production of Pacific Overtures was seen at London’s Donmar Warehouse and received the Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production. In New York Gary has directed The Apple Tree, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Pardon My English and The New Moon for City Center Encores! and Beautiful Thing at the Cherry Lane Theatre. He is associate artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre where he has directed A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park With George. His production of My Fair Lady played both the McCarter Theatre and Hartford Stage last season after its debut at Chicago’s Court Theatre. Gary has received eight Joseph Jefferson Awards for directing and has twice been named a Chicagoan of the Year in the Arts by the Chicago Tribune. Back to top
Donald Byrd (Choreographer) is currently the artistic director of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle. Prior, he was the artistic director of Donald Byrd/The Group, a critically acclaimed and highly regarded contemporary dance company based in New York that toured extensively, both nationally and internationally. He is probably best known for his reworking of the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker, into The Harlem Nutcracker, which received critical acclaim and toured nationally for five years. He has also choreographed for numerous stage productions and dance companies including work at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, San Francisco Opera and New York City Opera, as well as collaborations with contemporary theatre artists Anna Deavere Smith and Peter Sellars and the jazz great Max Roach. Received a 1992 Bessie Award for The Minstrel Show. Back to top
John Lee Beatty (Set Design). Broadway: The Odd Couple, Doubt, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Wonderful Town, The Rivals, Chicago, Tartuffe, Dinner at Eight, Proof, Frankie and Johnny…, Morning’s at Seven, Major Barbara, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Little Foxes, Anna Christie, A Delicate Balance, The Heiress, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, The Most Happy Fella, The Sisters Rosensweig, Burn This, Penn & Teller (twice), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (twice), Talley’s Folly, Fifth of July, Loot, Crimes of the Heart, among others. Off-Broadway: The Paris Letter, Sylvia, Substance of Fire, Road to Mecca, Song of Singapore, A Life in the Theatre and many seasons at Lincoln Center, Circle Rep and City Center’s Encores! Tony, Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards; Theatre Hall of Fame. Graduate of Brown and the Yale School of Drama. Back to top
Paul Tazewell (Costume Designer). NYC: Caroline, or Change; A Raisin in the Sun; Drowning Crow, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (Tony nom.); Elaine Stritch at Liberty; On the Town; McReele (Roundabout); Flesh and Blood (NYTW); Fame on 42nd Street; and Harlem Song. Mr. Tazewell has designed extensively for the Joseph Papp Public Theater and for regional theatre, opera and dance companies around the country. Mr. Tazewell has received many awards for his work including the Lucille Lortel Award, three Helen Hayes Awards and the 2005 Princess Grace Foundation Statue Award. This show dedicated to Mom and Emma. Back to top
Joseph Joubert (Additional Arrangements) Orchestrations: Caroline, or Change, Orchestrator/musical director,“Three Mo’ Tenors” (PBS). Accompanist/arranger, Patti Labelle, Kathleen Battle, Judy Collins, Ashford & Simpson, Diana Ross, George Benson, Nnenna Freelon and Jennifer Holiday. With Twine, score, We Shall Not Be Moved (Emmy nomination). Orchestrator, (Drama Desk nomination), Violet, and co-producer CD, Beautiful Star (Grammy nomination). Orchestrator, “Great Joy”, (Broadway Inspirational Voices CD- grammy nomination) Composer/arranger/co-producer, “Making Music”, Silver Burdett. Publications: Hal Leonard, Hinshaw Music, and GIA. Back to top
Charles G. LaPointe (Hair Design). B’way: Jersey Boys, A Raisin in the Sun, The Rivals, Henry IV, Good Vibrations and associate designer to Tom Watson on Wicked. Many Off- Broadway and regional credits including Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Alliance Theatre, ART, Huntington, Public Theater, La Jolla and Pasadena Playhouses and MET. Opera: St. Louis and Philadelphia, Minnesota and Santa Fe, the Cleveland Opera and Opera Omaha. James, here’s to many more years. I love you! Back to top
Alliance Theatre (Original Production). Now in its 37th season, the Alliance Theatre is the leading professional resident theatre of the Southeast, creating the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people through 11 annual productions for youth and adult audiences. Under the leadership of artistic director Susan V. Booth and managing director Thomas Pechar, the Alliance employs more than 200 professional artists, technicians and staff while serving more than 255,000 patrons yearly. The Alliance has premiered works including adaptations of Carson McCullers’ The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida and Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night of Ballyhoo. In 2005, the Alliance furthered its commitment to new work with the launch of the Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, a national program introducing student playwrights to professional networks while producing the world premiere of the winning student’s work. Back to top
Craig Cassidy (Sound Design). has been providing sound reinforcement for the theatre for 25 years, having designed sound for productions here in the USA and around the world. Recent productions include, Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Ring of Fire, Gypsy, Man of La Mancha, Grease, The Will Rogers Follies, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Fame and Phantom. Regional productions include: Joseph...Dreamcoat, Crazy For You, Wuthering Heights, Jekyll and Hyde, Up, Up and Away and Follies. When he is not behind a sound console he can be found sailing the Long Island Sound with his wife Dina and daughter Kealy. Back to top
Jasper Grant (Music Director). was Musical Director and/or Conductor for over 80 professional productions from California to China, including the National Tours of Altar Boyz, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Wizard of Oz and the International tour of Fame. Regional credits include: A Chorus Line, Tommy, Quilters, Diamonds, My Fair Lady, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Beehive and the West Coast premiere of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown. Jasper was recently voted one of the top five audition pianists in NYC for the past two years by AEA. Graduate of The Boston Conservatory. Live with intention! Back to top
Steven M. Bishop (Orchestrations/Arrangements). has composed three musicals and has written more than 50 reviews. He is the arranger/ composer for the demo of the the upcoming Broadway show, Genius. He recently served as the musical supervisor for the National tour of The Pajama Game and was the Conductor for the first national tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and the Musical Director/Conductor for the off-Broadway run of Bingo! Other credits include: Riverview (Goodman Theatre), Arthur (Marriott Lincolnshire), Evita (Jupiter Theatre) and the tours of Ziegfeld, Gypsy, Grand Hotel and Jolson The Musical. His arrangements have also been heard on The Today Show, AMC Discovery, TNT’s Nashville Now and provided orchestrations for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Back to top
Christopher Locklear (Production Stage Manager). is excited to be working with this talented group of artists on The Color Purple. Chris began his theatre life in 1994 as an Apprentice Stage Manager at The Alliance Theatre of Atlanta where he has resided for 23 years. National touring credits include ten years as Stage Manager for Tyler Perry. Off Broadway: Stupid Kids (Assistant Stage Manager). Regional Theatre: Pecos Bill, Livin' In The Garden (Assistant Stage Manager), Alliance Theatre Company. Special thanks to my fantastic family and friends. Back to top
Stephanie Guiland-Brown (Associate Choreographer). Donald Byrd/ The Group (10 years). Original company member of Complexions, regular with Spectrum Dance Theater. Broadway: DC/ Swing for The Color Purple, Disney's The Lion King. Regional/Tours: Associate Choreographer, ADC and understudied the role of Squeak for First National of The Color Purple, Assisted Mr. Byrd on BRT’s What You Will, Workshop of White Noise and re-staging several of his works on AAADT. AEA, AFTRA Back to top
Michael McFadden (Artistic Producer). is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Phoenix Entertainment. He has guided over 70 major productions as Producer and/or Director in both the national and international touring entertainment industry. Productions include Godspell, Buddy, The Will Rogers Follies, Kopit and Yeston's Phantom, Grease, Man of La Mancha, Gypsy, Ring of Fire and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Michael has directed many musicals across many continents including the North American tours of Smokey Joe's Café and The Pajama Game, 42nd Street in Seoul, Fame throughout China and Korea, Grease in Singapore, Malaysia and Macau, and he devised and directed the International Premier of a new holiday musical entitled Sing Along Santa. Following the launch of The Color Purple tour, Mr. McFadden will take charge of the upcoming North American tour of Monty Python's Spamalot, helm an all new production of Grease for Istanbul, and continue his development of BASSic RHYTHM, an original musical that explores the organic sound of the bass. Back to top
Stephen B. Kane (Executive Producer). is delighted to be part of The Color Purple phenomenon as it continues to touch audiences throughout North America. After completing degrees in both Business and Arts Management, Mr. Kane spent the past three decades supervising every aspect of touring show business. He has mounted more than 70 Broadway musicals in North America and has produced and/or managed major productions throughout Europe, South America and Asia. Since the start of his collaboration with partner and Artistic Producer Michael McFadden in 1999, Mr. Kane has been afforded the opportunity to extend his international show business experience with first class performing arts organizations and venues around the globe. Most recent collaborations include the China tour of Fame, Grease in Istanbul, and the all new North American touring production of Monty Python's Spamalot. He is the CEO for Baker Park Associates, Inc., a theatrical management and consulting firm, a member of ISPA, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and was co-founder of both Phoenix Productions in North America and Phoenix Asia Group, a Singapore based theatrical think-tank dedicated to the networking of production, marketing and entertainment investment opportunities throughout the Far East. For real adventure, he spends post-production time in sunny south Florida raising his five-year old sons, Andrew and Aidan. Back to top
Phoenix Entertainment (Producer). is an established international theatrical producing and management enterprise founded by long time colleagues Stephen Kane and Michael McFadden. Its mission is to develop, produce and present the very finest in touring Broadway musicals and family entertainment. Throughout their nearly three decades of theatrical success and industry partnership, the Phoenix team has delivered thousands of performances of over 75 live productions on four continents. Since launching The Color Purple and having recently helmed the critically acclaimed tours of Gypsy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Pajama Game, Phoenix is now globally represented with all new productions of Monty Python's Spamalot (North America), Fame (China), and Grease (Turkey). Team Phoenix also represents the Korean language productions of Grease and Fame, both enjoying open-ended runs in the arts district of Seoul. Under the direction of colleague Ellie Chung, their Singapore based affiliate Phoenix Asia Group brings international booking, producing, presenting, classical-artist management and theatrical investment to the collective production and management capabilities of Phoenix Entertainment. www.phoenix-ent.com Back to top
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