DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis

goober1632
#1DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/16/08 at 12:12am

I saw the San Diego Musical Theatre Production of DREAMGIRLS this weekend! It was an amazing display of vocals!

Stacy Francis played Effie. I was wondering where in the world she's been since Footloose (Original Rusty singing "Let's Here It For The Boy" on the CD), Smokey Joe's Cafe, and Hair at Reprise.
Her vocals are out of this world. She's crazy good. The audience was in awe as the curtain fell for Act I.

Gospel Rock Star and Grammy Award Winner, Tonex, plays Jimmy Early to perfection. Wow. His dancing, singing and acting was extraordinary. He was pretty much off the hook. The audience was going wild for him! Wow.

Sabrina Sloan of Gulls, Hairspray, All Shook Up and American Idol Top 12 of Season 6 plays Lorrell. She's got an incredible voice and stage presence.

Deena - Natalie Wachen (Aint's Misbehavin' 30th Annv, Gulls)
Curtis - Charl Brown (Walmartopia, La Jolla's the Wiz)
Michelle - Chante Carmel (Joanne in Tour of RENT)
CC - Thomas Hobson

Charles W. Patmon, Jr., Bryan Barbarin, Miguel Cardenas, Julia Celano, Kevane La'Marr Coleman, Stephanie Draude, Noe Espinoza, Prince Habib, Dane Hereford, Shalonda Hunt, Reggie Hutchins, Charmen Jackson, Jessica Jones, Stephen Knoll-Gentry, Julianne Little, Valentina Merchant, Abby Whitman

If you are in the So-Cal area you should definitely get yourself a ticket and get downtown to see it!
http://www.sdmt.org/shows.html

anyone else lucky enough to see it too??

Updated On: 9/16/08 at 12:12 AM

eatlasagna
#2re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/16/08 at 1:22am

hey goober... i was actually at the show on Saturday night! it was an amazing production... my first time ever seeing this show performed on stage... i can't believe Stacy Francis was the original Rusty.. her voice sounds a lot more mature now... as much as i loved her performance as effie... when she wasn't singing was where i felt disappointed... her acting wasn't all that great to me... she played Effie like some bratty little girl and her talking voice was kinda high pitched (and the sound system could've been taken down not too)... i saw no character arch at all... and as much as i loved her singing voice, sometimes i felt she oversang some of the songs... i love riffing as much as the next person but she could've toned it down... that being said... Tonex was absofreakinlylutely BRILLIANT as James Thunder Early... he did everything to perfection in that role... and the rest of the cast was excellent as well... no complaints... i will give it up for the whole cast and crew for putting this show together in 4 weeks (although it showed as you could tell the dancing wasn't quite in sync with each other)... i have been REALLY impressed with the premiere of san diego musical theater... they are incredible and are bringing broadway quality productions to san diego (something that we don't have here except for starlight musical theater which i'm still hating the airplane venue)... i will definitely be watching their 2 year shows...

briana
#2re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/16/08 at 8:10pm

I saw the show and I thought that Stacy Francis was the most amazing singer I have ever heard. And her acting was unbelievable. I know that the role of Effie is usually for a big woman but Stacy pulled it off. The show was so great. I love Stacy Francis. And I wish her all the best. I think it is unfortunate that people use this forum to dog people out. If you don't have something good to say then don't say anything at all. I don't know how someone could go off on Stacy riffing too much when that was all that Tonex did too! Whatever!! Stacy Francis stole the show.

eatlasagna
#3re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/16/08 at 8:24pm

wow... relax there... i gave my opinion so deal with it! Tonex riffed but it fit his character songs... Stacy Francis... IMO just overdid it... and if you even read my damn review i enjoyed her but just found parts of her characterization not to my suiting... some people are just too sensitive on these boards when it comes to people not liking things they like...

goober1632
#4re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/16/08 at 9:08pm

eatlasagna that's cool and understandable

i thought stacy's effie was new and fresh, unlike any effie i've seen or heard. she definitely played it winy and complaining instead of over the top diva. they had to choose and angle since she wasn't fat in the role. (they made her wear unflattering clothes, but she wasn't big like jennifer holliday.)

also tonex as jimmy WAS INSANELY good. He NEEDS to tryout for the new Broadway Show!

also, they made a mistake saying it took 4 weeks of rehs, it was only like 3 weeks total! that's crazy!

briana
#5re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 1:02am

I wasn't being sensitive. You were rude. And if someone made comments about you like that you wouldn't like it! She was insanely awesome. I know you said you liked her but you were mostly rude. And I didn't like it because it gives others the wrong impression. We can agree to disagree.
Everyone needs to go to see it to give their own opinion. No one ask us for a review. But since we are giving one it should at least be nice. Or diplomatic. Yours was outright rude. No offense!!

briana
#6re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 1:02am

I wasn't being sensitive. You were rude. And if someone made comments about you like that you wouldn't like it! She was insanely awesome. I know you said you liked her but you were mostly rude. And I didn't like it because it gives others the wrong impression. We can agree to disagree.
Everyone needs to go to see it to give their own opinion. No one ask us for a review. But since we are giving one it should at least be nice. Or diplomatic. Yours was outright rude. No offense!!

Updated On: 9/17/08 at 01:02 AM

eatlasagna
#7re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 1:12am

how in the hell was i being rude?!?! you are DEFINTELY sensitive... point out to me what was rude! i was stating my opinion... i didn't make a personal comment about who she is... i didn't call her names and i didn't attack... i said she played effie as a bratty child... but i didn't call her a bratty child... all i did was i pointed out some of her choies that i disliked... once again... how in the hell was i being rude?!?! so basicaly you're saying EVERYONE on this board who posts a negative review is being rude and shouldn't be posting on here... i've disagreed with so many peoples reviews on here but i'm not going to call them rude because they disliked something i liked... once again.. you are just being waaaaay too sensitive because i didn't 100 percent completely love her performance... and thanks for only recognizing the fact that i disliked her riffs and ignoring the fact that i ENJOYED her performance as Effie!!!!!

briana
#8re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 10:14am

Hey dude. I don't want to fight. If I was being too sensitive I am sorry. I just didn't like some of your review. But its cool. Sorry. Meanwhile, I found this last night. Check it out.

http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=13038

briana
#9re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 7:01pm



That's showbiz

San Diego Musical Theatre’s Dreamgirls and the rest of this week's theater happenings

By Martin Jones Westlin
I must admit that I went into San Diego Musical Theatre’s Dreamgirls without much expectation beyond reason—after all, the group is relatively untested, and Dreamgirls, a six-time Tony winner from 1982, is an extremely ambitious piece. I was wrong. This Ron Kellum-directed entry, loosely based on The Supremes’ rise to stardom, is as tight and as earnest as it gets. Tonex raises the roof as James Thunder Early, a James Brown send-up, and Stacey Francis is perfect as Effie White, who comes of age in the rough-and-tumble world of show business. The piece, awash in some of the best vocals you’ll find, runs through Sept. 28 at The Lyceum, 79 Horton Plaza, Downtown. $32-$50. 858-560-5740 or www.sdmt.org.

eatlasagna
#10re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/17/08 at 10:44pm

i'm so happy for the SDMT inaugural season... they did a fantastic job! i hope they continue bringing more incredible quality productions to san diego...

goober1632
#11re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:11pm

Yes they did, and they are closing their season with a bang! I saw it twice last week, and it was even better and smoother on Sunday! Go see it if you can, it's worth every penny!

Adam Chris Profile Photo
Adam Chris
#12re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:28pm

I am seeing this show for the 1st time with my family this Sunday. I am really looking forward to this showl I'm glad the reviews are positive.

goober1632
#13re: DREAMGIRLS - SDMT Stacy Francis
Posted: 9/22/08 at 8:52pm

Awesome AdamChris,

Let us know what you thought!!