Fantasia Back in 'The Color Purple'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Fantasia is making a return to the stage in "The Color Purple." And she says the new run that starts in Washington this week will be much easier for her than the first time she did the role on Broadway.

For one thing, she says when she stepped on to do the show in New York, it was the first Broadway show she'd ever seen. She also says she's now able to leave her character Celie at work, something she couldn't do the first time around.

Fantasia says the first time, she "became this woman," but now she knows how to treat it simply as a role. The former "American Idol" champ is also better physically these days.

She had tumors removed from her vocal cords and says she is "doing great" now.

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