A Must See
Heather Headley is Coming to Town: Jennifer Hudson’s Last Performance as Shug
Jennifer Hudson’s debut run in The Color Purple comes to an end on May 8, as Heather Headley takes over the role of “Shug Avery”, beginning May 10. Although we’re not thrilled to see Hudson leave we are over the moon to have Headley return to the Broadway stage in a musical after more than 10 years.
Headley is no stranger herself to crowd pleasing. In 1997, she originated the role of “Nala” in The Lion King on Broadway and the Nubian Princess in Aida in 2000, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Actress. She also received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album when she released Audience of One in 2010.
A photo posted by Broadway Black (@broadwayblack) on
It seems Heather Headley is just as excited as us. She released the following statement via Facebook:
Today just couldn’t get any better than this. @heatherheadley meets @bwaycolorpurple next month starting May 10th! 😱😱😱 A photo posted by Broadway Black (@broadwayblack) on
Hudson’s six-month dedication at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre has lived up to most of the expectations of an Academy Award winner’s performance. Her heartfelt letter to her cast and theatre fans is touching and also lets us know this is not the last we’ll see of her on the Broadway stage!
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Besides Hudson and Headley’s similar career endeavors: Headley’s Dreamgirls concert rendition (alongside Audra McDonald and Lillias White), and Hudson’s “Dreamgirls” motion picture performance- there is no doubt that Broadway veteran, Heather Headley, will send likewise sensations of sizzling hot charm during her own enactment of “Shug Avery.” Check out this classic clip of Headley performing “Move” with Lillias White and Audra McDonald!
