Tony- and Grammy Award-winning performer Jennifer Holliday will assume the role of Shug Avery in John Doyle's Tony Award-winning production of The Color Purple on October 4. Heather Headley, who is currently performing the role, will give her final performance on October 2 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.

Jennifer Holliday made her Broadway debut in Vinnette Carroll's Your Arms Too Short to Box With God as a featured soloist. Beyond Broadway, Holliday appeared as cast regular Lisa Knowles on the Fox TV show Ally McBeal. She won her first Grammy Award for the Dreamgirls song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."

The role of Shug Avery in this revival was originated by Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for playing Effie White in the film adaptation of Dreamgirls. Holliday originated that role on Broadway and won a Tony Award for her performance.

The Color Purple, which opened on December 10, 2015, also stars Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Celie and Tony nominee Danielle Brooks as Sofia. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Alice Walker, The Color Purple features a book by Marsha Norman with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

The company of The Color Purple also includes Isaiah Johnson, Joaquina Kalukango, Kyle Scatliffe, Phoenix Best, Angela Birchett, Dwayne Clark, Lawrence Clayton, Carrie Compere, Patrice Covington, J. Daughtry, Adrianna Hicks, Bre Jackson, Grasan Kingsberry, Kevin Mambo, Ken Robinson, Antoine L. Smith, Carla R. Stewart, Akron Watson, and Rema Webb.

"I was deeply moved by this truly uplifting production of The Color Purple and I am highly honored and absolutely thrilled to be joining this extraordinary cast," said Holliday in a statement. "Nothing compares to performing before a Broadway audience and I can't wait to return to the Broadway stage, where I started my career over thirty-five years ago."

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