Reality Singing Stars to Alternate with Amber Riley in West End's DREAMGIRLS

By: May. 12, 2016
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GLEE's Amber Riley has quite the backup power for her nights off in DREAMGIRLS the West End. THE VOICE UK contestant Ruth Brown and THE X FACTOR's Karen Mav will alternate in the role of 'Effie' on Wednesdays in London, according to the Daily Mail.

Rehearsals for the long-awaited UK premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical begin October 3. The brand new production of DREAMGIRLS begins preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November, with opening night slated for Wednesday 14 December 2016.

As previously confirmed, American actress and singer Amber Riley will make her West End debut playing soulful singer 'Effie White' in the production, which will be directed and choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Disney's Aladdin and Something Rotten!). Dreamgirls will have set design by Tim Hatley, Costume Design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Richard Brooker and hair design by Josh Marquette. The musical supervisor will be Nick Finlow, the orchestrator will be Harold Wheeler, with additional material by Willie Reale.

Get ready for Ruth Brown onstage in London with her performance of "When Love Takes Over" from her blind audition for THE VOICE UK!

Plus, watch Karen Mav sing Etta James's "I'd Rather Go Blind" on THE X FACTOR last year!

Inspired by R&B music acts in 1960s America, DREAMGIRLS transports you to a revolutionary time in American music history. DREAMGIRLS charts the tumultuous journey of a young female singing trio, from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams', as they learn the hard lesson that show business is as tough as it is fabulous, and features the classic songs 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going', 'I Am Changing', 'Listen' and 'One Night Only' .

With book & lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, the original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony Awards. The original cast recording won two Grammy awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." In 2006, it was adapted into an Oscar-winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.



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