Identity can feel like a moving target in the performing arts—something shaped not only by the roles actors play on stage, but by the expectations placed on them offstage as well. In this episode, recorded in 2019 at the Muny in St. Louis, J.
Photos: West End DREAMGIRLS Begins Rehearsals
By: Liz Cearns
The long-awaited UK premiere of Dreamgirls has preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November and Opening Night on Wednesday 14 December 2016. On Monday October 3rd, Sonia Friedman Productions were delighted to assemble the full company for the first day of rehearsals.
American actress and singer Amber Riley stars as 'Effie White' and is joined in Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre by Liisi LaFontaine as Deena Jones and Ibinabo Jack as Lorrell Robinson making up the soulful singing trio 'The Dreams'. Joe Aaron Reid will play Curtis Taylor Jr, Adam J. Bernard will play Jimmy Early, Tyrone Huntley will play C.C. White, Nicholas Bailey will play Marty and Lily Frazer will play Michelle Morris with Ruth Brown and Karen Mav alternating the role of Effie White at performances when Amber Riley is not scheduled to perform.
The cast of Dreamgirls will also include Jocasta Almgill, Callum Aylott, Hugo Batista, Samara Casteallo, Chloe Chambers, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Joelle Dyson, Kimmy Edwards, Candace Furbert, Nathan Graham, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Gabriel Mokake, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Ryan Reid, Rohan Richards, Noel Samuels, Durone Stokes and Tosh Wanogho-Maud. Sian Nathaniel-James and Michael Afemaré will both join the previously announced cast. Full information on performance schedules can be found at Dreamgirlswestend.com
Dreamgirls will be Directed and Choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Disney's Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with 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.
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 and 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.
See rehearsal photographs below by Ralf Brinkhoff
The Cast of Dreamgirls
The Cast of Dreamgirls
The Cast of Dreamgirls
The Cast of Dreamgirls
The Cast of Dreamgirls
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