The 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, directed by John Doyle was a landmark production. The show performed at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre and ran for over a year and a half, spotlighting powerhouse work from newcomers and established performers alike. The revival won two Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Leading Actress for Cynthia Erivo. Since it ended its run in 2017, the cast has moved on to some pretty big projects. Let’s take a look at where the stars of this moving production are now.
Cynthia Erivo (Celie)
Cynthia Erivo’s star has only continued to rise since her Tony-winning Broadway debut. Shortly after The Color Purple, she transitioned into film with her acclaimed role as Harriet Tubman in Harriet (2019), earning Oscar nominations for Best Actress and Best Original Song. She went on to star in HBO’s The Outsider (2020), play Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha (2021), and appear as the Blue Fairy in Disney’s Pinocchio (2022). She took on the iconic role of Elphaba in Wicked: Part One (2024) and will reprise the role for Part Two (2025), opposite Ariana Grande. Erivo sang a moving rendition of ‘Defying Gravity’ from the blockbuster musical at the 2025 Oscars. She is now not only an EGOT nominee but a bona fide Hollywood A-lister. What’s more, she’s hosting this year’s Tony Awards!
Jennifer Hudson (Shug Avery)
Already an Oscar winner by the time she made her Broadway debut as Shug Avery, Jennifer Hudson has continued to thrive. She delivered a soulful turn as Aretha Franklin in Respect (2021), and currently hosts The Jennifer Hudson Show, a daytime talk show that’s won her a Daytime Emmy. She also voiced Young Nana in the animated film Sing 2 (2021). In 2022, JHud got her EGOT when the new Broadway musical she produced, A Strange Loop, won the Tony for Best Musical, proving her GOAT status as the youngest woman to ever achieve that.
Danielle Brooks (Sofia)
Danielle Brooks followed her Tony-nominated Broadway debut with a mix of screen and stage work. She reprised Sofia in the 2023 film adaptation of the Color Purple musical, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. On television, she played Leota Adebayo in Peacemaker (2022), earning praise for her comedic timing and emotional depth. Brooks also returned to voice acting in Close Enough and remains a vocal advocate for diversity in entertainment.
Isaiah Johnson (Mister)
Isaiah Johnson continued his stage career with performances in regional productions and workshops, as well as a turn in Hamilton (Los Angeles production) and the musical adaptation of The Notebook. He’s appeared in television series such as The Good Fight and Bull, and remains an in-demand stage actor.
Kyle Scatliffe (Harpo)
After The Color Purple, Kyle Scatliffe took on the emotional role of Tom Robinson in Broadway’s To Kill a Mockingbird (2019–2020). He also appeared in The Prince of Egypt in London’s West End, and continues to perform on national tours and concert stages across the U.S.
Joaquina Kalukango (Nettie)
Joaquina Kalukango has become one of Broadway’s most celebrated leading ladies. In 2022, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her electrifying performance in Paradise Square, in which she belted the show’s 11 o’clock number ‘Let it Burn.’ She had previously earned a Tony nomination for Slave Play (2019) and appeared in Regina King’s film One Night in Miami (2020). She also had a six-episode stint as Esme in the TV show Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
Lawrence Clayton (Ol’ Mister)
Broadway veteran Lawrence Clayton brought depth to Ol’ Mister in The Color Purple, and continued to shine in the national tour of Les Misérables (as Bishop Myriel) and regional theater productions across the country. He made guest appearances on The Last O.G. and Bull, and continued to mentor young performers while remaining active in educational theatre. Clayton sadly passed away in 2020 at the age of 64.
Grasan Kingsberry (Buster)
A standout dancer and ensemble member he moved on to book big Broadway shows like Once On This Island (2017–2019) and Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations (2019–2022). In 2020, he was in the film The Aerialist. What’s more, he’s found a life in artistic offstage leadership, having recently choreographed and performed in regional productions of Rent and Caroline, or Change.
It’s rare for a show to be the launching catalyst for so many performers. The futures these artists found in TV, Film, and Theatre are proof enough that this revival was pretty incredible, and incredibly cast, rich with talent.
