Michelle Williams of R&B group Destiny’s Child is joining the Chicago production of “The Color Purple,” the producers announced Tuesday.
Williams will play the role of Shug Avery, a sexy blues singer.The stage version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel will open in Chicago on April 17. It also is still playing on Broadway.
Several of the stars of the New York production — including Jeannette Bayardelle, who plays the lead character of Celie, and Felicia P. Fields, who received a Tony nomination for her portrayal of the feisty Sofia — are joining the tour in Chicago.
The large cast, including Williams, appeared at a media event at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Bayardelle and Fields both performed numbers from the show.
Producer Scott Sanders said casting Williams as Shug Avery seemed like a natural choice because Shug is the one character in the musical who has “seen the world.” READ MORE AT ABC>>
And she definitely has seen the world being the third wheel in Destiny’s Child. But I’m glad Michelle is getting the chance to be the sex kitten these days, plus I think she’ll be able to carry out the famous line – “YOU SHO IS UGGLY!!”
Oh wow, good luck Michelle!
THATS GOOD TO HEAR. MICHELLE IS LOOKING GOOD TOO.
CONGRATS!
OK MICHELLE!!!
SHUG AVERY WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM THAT MOVIE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE SINGING ON HER WAY TO THE CHURCH
MICHELLE BETTA DO HER THING
Good for her…Now only if Kelly could get herself together and venture out from under the Knowles clan she may be able to start making new money
TEAM MICHELLE!!! LOL She was great in Aida. She will be great in this. GO MICHELLE!
Hey I’m so excited for her. Finally she can be up front and we can see her talent!!!
Congrats to Michelle! I can totally see her playing Shug. Good Job.
Good for her, but can she pull off such a sexy role? Shug had sex appeal and Michelle was somwhat stiff during her DC days. Then again I think her voice will carry her far.
That’s great news !
I know she will do extremly well !!
Damn! I’m going to see the play in August in Chi-town. Michelle’s voice is always suspect to me! I hope she can pull it off.
Well congrats to her no-talent-havin ass! Hopefully she won’t fall off the stage a la 106 n Park
Isn’t that a role where she’s going to have to sing? Because that heffa can’t sing…
good for her….there is life after destiny’s child…lol
Go Michelle! Congratulations!!
Good for her. I’ve always liked Michelle. She even looks good in that pic. She’s on a roll… meanwhile Tina is trying her best to get an emergency Hep A shot for her Bee-yawnce. I wish I lived in Chi-town. She did well in Aida and I think this will be a good showing for her too. Cool…
I like that choice. Go Michelle!
i may go see this – i luved shug – shug was da bomb too with her lil lesbo self….
butt hat line will go down in history – i have laughed for yrs after that line – u sure is ugly..
the funnier thing was that she looked ugly saying that…lol
ANd yall say Daddy Knowles dont do his job for anyone but Beyonce
Fuck that…this is what he did for Michelle…
no favoritism
BORED!
Ironic that she’ll be telling somebody else that they shole is ugly.
Working with soul man Quincy “Viagraman” Jones!
Look Daddy, “I’s married now!” “See, sinners have souls too!”
and
“Maybe God’s trying to tell you something!”
I hope Beyonce’ will play the role of Harpos second wife so she can call Sophia “just an old phat heffa”!
I thought Fantasia was joining the cast too!
GO MICHELLE WILLIAMZ… SHE DOIN HER THANG 2… I’D PICK MICHELLE OVER KELLY ANY DAY… I LOVE MICHELLE VOICE… BUT I JUS HAVE ONE CONCERN WHY EVERYTIME I GO ON A WEBSITE YALL MUTHAFUCKAZ TLK BD ABT THE KNOWLEZ WHEN N FACT YALL DNT KNO SHIT REALLY… IF MICHELLE N KELLY WUZNT HAPPY OR WHATEVER DEN DEY WOULD FIRE MR. KNOWLES AS THERE MANAGER… YALL JUS NEED 2 STOP… YALL DNT KNO DA REASON WHY HER ALBUM GOT PUSHED BCK YALL JUS THNK DAT DEY DNT WANT KELLY OR MICHELLE 2 ACHIEVE SUCESS BUT YALL DNT SEE DAT WHY… BUT WHATEVER… ALL 3 OF EM R SUPPORTIVE OF EACH OTHER… THATZ ALL I GOT 2 SAY… N IF YALL DNT AGREE THEN FUCK YALL….
Oh, hell to the naw…I love The Color Purple…and I don’t feel her voice at ALL. I never did though…some people like it, but I am one who doesn’t. Now Fantasia…when she sung her song…I felt Miss Celie’s story…don’t know about Michellle.
i’m happy for her… i know she’s tired of being known as that one girl from destiny’s child!
Oddly enough i see her actully doing a good job. I can really picture her playin Shug an being believable***.
Hope she does well…Good Luck ! ! ! !
congrats 4 the role, Michelle.
she looks great too.
im loving the dress and hair.
Michelle my Belle!! I love this girl, and she will do such an amazing job! She did Aida on Broadway, and she recieved rave reviews! Another step for her.
THEIR IS NO WAY SHE SHOULD BE SHUG AVERY, SHE IS NOT SEXY OR MYSTERIOUS AND HER VOICE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH.
She could’ve done Ceily but I dont see Shug. Michelle doesnt have that sex appeal to me. She was always getting off the slow bus (atleast she looked like she belonged on that bus.
Word is Fantasia is due to play Celie per her website…I will definitely see this!
YES! Go head on Michelle MY BELLE…don’t worry about the haters. Alot of people would never say that J.Hud could play EFFIE or that Diana Ross could play BILLIE HOLLIDAY or that Jamie Foxx could be serious and play RAY CHARLES(and the list goes on and on)..but they did, and they were great! I hope that she enjoys a blessed run on that show. I know she had been talking about auditioning for it a long while now on her MYSPACE…you never know, we might be seeing MICHELLE at the TONY’S. For any of you that doubt her vocal skills, watch DESTINY CHILD FUFILLED AND LOVING IT TOUR in ATL DVD…you’ll think otherwise. Either way, be blessed Michelle my Belle. You’ll do great..can’t wait til the new CD!
Good look Michelle!
I think Fantasia is playing Ceily in New York.
Voice still garbage! Not hate, just what my ears tell me when they hear her.
I wish Michelle all the best! I hope she quiets all the nay-sayers by proving herself.
I must say that is, hands down, the best picture I’ve seen of her.
Get it, girl!!!!
Why do people feel it is necessary to type like they not DEY have any education. #23 If you really type like you talk can you please take some English classes.
I so happy for Michelle she deserves it…she WILL be great and singing Is NO problem for her…Look at her sing…DO YOU KNOW Live…unless you don’t like her style and unique voice than I understand you not liking it but otherwise i think you will…
ITS ABOUT TIME, SHE NEEDS A JOB
SHE LOOKS FAB IN THAT PIC!
I’m not very fond of her voice, but I am happy for her regardless… good for her!!!
Don’t get confused Fantasia will be in the New York production playing Celie, Michelle will be in the Chicago production.
As for Michelle pulling off the role whether you think she is sexy is not the point it’s whether she can ACT. If the child can act she can “act” sexy and therefore play Shug like Shug should be played.
Congrats Michelle… Do yo thang
Thats good for her. Im happy to see thats shes still doing things.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE A JOKE… I’d really like to see her pull off Shug’s song “PUSH THE BUTTON”… and I saw her in AIDA… she KILLED that role and NOT IN A GOOD WAY!!! PATOEEY!!!
way to go michelle i lover her so much!!!! get yo tony award!!!..lol!!!
i meant love her*…lol
CONGRATS
Thats great Good luck Michelle!
glad to hear this for michelle. makes me want to go to chicago. i wonder if she’ll be on oprah…
she seems like she has that soulfulness in her to do it..
interesting…gospel singer playing a blues hootchie mama…and a bi-sexual one at that. i’m glad to see michelle step out of her little box. she still can’t sing though.
I’m happy for her although I’m not sure if she can pull the role of Shug off. Cause she wasn’t that convincing to me as the 3rd member of D’Childs in some of the videos.
musikhed- you are a dumb ass shug was not bi-sexual she kissed celie to show her that someone loved her and what it felt like to be a women cause all she had ever been was raped and beat……people like u need to stick to cheech and chong movies.
i never knew she was in aida she had some tough people to follow, heather headley and toni braxton i have never seen the play but my aunt told me it was really nice. maybe i’ ll get to see it one day.
good luck michelle i hope you do a great job
FANTASIA IS ALSO GOING TO BE IN THE MUSICAL “THE COLOR OR PURPLE” PLAYING CELIE. SHE’S ON OPRAH TODAY.
Fantasia AND Michelle in ONE play!!!!
I really might have to get a ticket to NY!!!
I really love them both.
#5 lmao, u hit that right on the head, they have Kelly on a string just like a puppet. If Beyonce fart Kelly will be the one saying excuse me,lol. Po Kelly can’t help it that’s why they took her in to be Beyonce’s puppet, cause po little Bee didn’t have any friends. They shaped and molded po Kelly to what she is today and sad thing about it is that she looks betta and sounds betta than Beyonce. Girl couldn’t even aknowledge her own daddy and yes that’s her dayum daddy cause Beyonce and Solange don’t look shyt like that dude, Kelly look mo like him than anybody.
she’s not sexy. what’s the point? well i guess that’s why they call it acting
Congrats to Michelle!!!!!!!!! do ur thang sista.
Favorite quote from movie: “Until you do right by me, everything you even think about gonna fail!”
2nd favorite: “I’m poor, black, I might even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here. I’m here.”
LOL
she looks good in that pic. I almost didnt recognize her
I think its good that she’s going to be in the play and 4 all of yall whthink se can’t sing just watch this you might change you mind
Fantasia is starring in the play on Broadway and sang I’m Here on Oprah today and had me crying
Now Michelle is going to be in the Chicago show totally different shows.
Damn if only I could get to Chicago!!