Fredi Walker-Browne doesn’t mind the two-hour drive back and forth to the Lehigh Valley from her home outside New York City. She’s been making the trek nearly daily through the past month to direct “The Color Purple” at Civic Theatre of Allentown.

“When you have a chance to work with Pulitzer Prize-winning material, you jump at it,” says Walker-Browne.

The Lehigh Valley premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is Feb. 25 - March 13.

Civic Theatre of Allentown Artistic Director William Sanders says he was looking for a director for the “The Color Purple” and asked a mutual friend with New York connections for suggestions.

Says Walker-Browne in a phone interview, “A dear friend of mine asked me if I could recommend someone I know to direct ‘The Color Purple’ because I was too busy, but I said if it’s ‘The Color Purple’ I will direct it. I will make the time.

Sanders says he doubted that Walker-Browne, a New York actor who had played the role of Joanne in the Broadway hit “Rent,” would want to come to Allentown to direct the show, but “when we Zoomed, she was thrilled to do it.” Sanders says.

Walker-Browne, an actor and director, says “The Color Purple” is a show she always wanted to direct.

The 1985 Steven Spielberg-directed film starred Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, a young woman who survives abuse and finds a personal awakening through the support of other women over the course of 40 years.

“It’s so cinematic,” Walker-Browne says of the play. “It’s like a hybrid between stage and film. I am delighted to have this opportunity. Directing is a natural offshoot of acting.”

Walker-Browne was directing a show in the mid-1990s when she auditioned for a new show called “Rent.”

“I had a piece in tech and I was on a ladder hanging blacks when I got the callback,” Walker-Browne says. “It was so crazy. I went in apologizing for being all grunged up.”

After singing Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” with “Rent” playwright Jonathan Larson in the room, Walker-Browne was offered the role of Joanne Jefferson, a lesbian lawyer who is partner to performance artist Maureen Johnson played by Idina Menzel.

At the time, Walker-Browne says it was just another role in another show, one of many for which she auditioned.

However, she was impressed with Larson, who worked closely with her and Menzel on their big duet, “Take Me or Leave Me.”

“He absorbed us and expressed us in that song,” says Walker-Browne.

She says the Larson she knew was always sitting in the corner watching and taking notes.

“He was so close to Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of him,” she adds, referring to “Tick, tick ... Boom!” the 2021 film about Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical and his life as an aspiring composer. Garfield is nominated for an Oscar as lead actor for his role as Larson in the “Tick, Tick” movie.

Walker-Browne says she realized during sitzprobe (one of the final rehearsals in theater) for “Rent.” that “this is a hit.”

“Rent” went on to be a huge success on Broadway, and won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Musical. Larson died of an aortic dissection before the show’s opening night.

“It was terribly bittersweet because of Jonathan,” Walker-Browne says.

“Rent” was a game-changer for Walker-Browne, who was in the Broadway cast from 1996 to 1997.

“It opened all the doors,” she says. “It is the reason the 15 of us [her co-stars in ‘Rent’] can work and support ourselves in this industry.”

Although some of her co-stars went on to bigger fame, Walker-Browne is just as happy behind the scenes directing.

“The fame thing is a crazy existence,” she says. “I’m glad I can go to the mall. I just love my work and don’t care which side it is on.”

She has enjoyed directing “The Color Purple” at Civic, although there have been challenges.

“This has been one of the hardest things I had to cast,” she says.

“Finding older men is the hardest, but, boy, did we luck out.”

While WFMZ anchor Jaciel Cordoba was interviewing her for a story, he mentioned that he was interested in auditioning.

“I was like, ‘The dude on the news wants to be in the show,’” she says.

“And then he can really sing. He has a beautiful voice.”

Cordoba plays Mister, Celie’s abusive husband.

Walker-Browne tapped New York actor NeLashee, with whom she had worked in “Ain’t Misbehavin.’” for the role of Sofia, the wife of Mister’s son Harpo.

Lehigh Valley actor Juanita-Renay Gray plays the lead role of Celia.

Cast members include Krystal Danielle, Andrew Stewart, Christina Graham, Veronica Cummings, Justan Parker-Fields, Keith Willis, Abigail Ariza, Eric Thompson, Alexis Cooper, Katie Graham, Janaya Morgan, Daniel Duch, John Carter, Emmitt Harris, Alexis Cooper, Audrey Dendy-Hightower, Diego Subero and Florence Taylor.

“The cast is great,” says Walker-Browne. “My job is to tell the story. How do I visualize this story in the best possible way? It’s a genius work and I want to get it as seamless as possible.”

Walker-Browne says “The Color Purple” has a great score that is gospel-based but also pulls in elements from many other genres.

She says she is excited to see it all come together.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” she says. “It’s so interwoven. The whole rehearsal has been like a tech rehearsal.”

Sanders says he’s very pleased with the show.

“I’m very excited,” Sanders says. “Fredi’s wonderful and the show is selling well.”

Walker-Browne also hopes to hold a workshop on professional skills for actors during the show’s run at Civic. She plans to include student performers from Salisbury High School, which is presenting “Rent,” March 10-13.

Next, Walker-Browne will be in the recording studio working on a new album which is a collection of protest songs about topics including systemic racism, income inequality, food insecurity and climate change.

“The Color Purple,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25, 26, March 3-5, 10-12; 2 p.m. March 6, 13, Civic Theatre of Allentown, Nineteenth Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. Proof of immunization and face masks are required. Tickets: box office; www.civictheatre.com; 610-433-8903