Brenda Russell Gets Her Shot On Broadway

The musical version of The Color Purple, featuring music and lyrics by Smooth Jazz vocalist Brenda Russell, will make its debut on Broadway on Dec. 1 at the Broadway Theatre. Previews will begin on Oct. 25. The play recently went through a summer workshop with choreographer Donald Byrd and producer Quincy Jones.

"We’ve become Broadway babies," says Russell with a laugh. "It’s been an extraordinary learning experience. We just drenched ourselves in the history of what we’re dealing with. You don’t want to walk in like you know something when you don’t."

The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker's popular novel of the same name, debuted last October in Atlanta and ran for four weeks. Russell, who shares songwriting duties with Allee Willis and Stephen Bray on such tunes as “Brown Betty,” “What About Love?” and “Push Da Button,” is now fine-tuning the show’s music. She is also taking care of her other career, as she’s on the Summer Storm tour with guitarist Norman Brown, saxophonist Everette Harp and vocalist Peabo Bryson. Brenda is performing her hits and songs from her new album called “Between the Sun and the Moon.”