FANTASIA TAKES A BREAK

Since summer, spies have reported that American Idol winner Fantasia - the occasional star of "The Color Purple" - has missed nearly 50 performances. Following a three-week vacation caused by the strike, she dropped last Friday's performance, causing pandemonium in the lobby of the Broadway Theatre.



Fantasia's absences have wreaked havoc at the box office. When she took over the role of Celie last April from Tony winner LaChanze, "The Color Purple" began grossing more than $1 million a week.

Since the American Idol began dropping performances, producers have refunded tens of thousands of dollars worth of tickets.

"I'm not making excuses for her," a source says, "but she lives the role when she's onstage, and it's taken an emotional toll on her. She's just not up to doing eight performances a week."