Fantasia's Purple Reign on Broadway
Ray Mickshaw/FOX , Jemal Countess/WireImage.com
Fantasia Barrino is looking to take a trip to Broadway.
Sources close to the American Idol winner tell me Barrino is joining the cast of Oprah Winfrey's Tony Award-winning The Color Purple. She'll star as Miss Celie, the abused young woman played by Whoopi Goldberg in Steven Spielberg's big-screen adaptation of Alice Walker's novel.
The actress who originated the Broadway role, LaChanze (that's her in the inset photo), won a Tony for her performance.
Barrino, now 22, will likely begin her Broadway gig sometime in the spring, sources report. "This is so great for her," one source says. "This is going to be so big. Oprah is making a big deal out of it."
Capturing the American Idol crown in the hit show's third season in May 2004, Barrino has gone on to receive four Grammy nominations.
The Color Purple will hopefully leave the disappointment of Dreamgirls behind Barrino. Until Jennifer Hudson came along, Barrino was widely believed to be getting the role. Reps for Winfrey, Barrino and The Color Purple could not be reached.
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