Porchlight Music Theatre to Stage DREAMGIRLS This Spring

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to present Dreamgirls, book and lyrics byTom Eyen, music by Henry Krieger. This production is directed and choreographed by Porchlight Artistic Associate Brenda Didier and music directed by Porchlight Artistic Associate Doug Peck, April 8 - May 15. Previews are Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 9 at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. and Monday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m. with opening night Tuesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Stage 773,

1225 W. Belmont Ave. The regular performance times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with no Thursday performances on April 14 or May 5 and an added performance Thursday, May 5 and 12 at 1:30 p.m. Single tickets may be purchased at porchlightmusictheatre.org or 773.327.5252. Groups of ten or more may receive discounts on tickets purchased via Group Theater Tix at 312.423.6612 or grouptheatertix.com.

Full of on-stage joy and backstage drama, Dreamgirls is the story of an up-and-coming 1960s all-female singing group from Chicago and the triumphs and tribulations that come on the road to fame and fortune, and features unforgettable hits including, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "One Night Only" and "Listen." With a story that lives through the journey of popular music in America, and presented in Porchlight's signature intimate and up-close style, this Tony Award and Academy Award-winning musical will receive an intense and illuminating interpretation by Chicago's leading talents.

Making her Porchlight Music Theatre debut, Donica Lynn stars as "Effie Melody White" with Candace C. Edwards, currently appearing in Porchlight's Far From Heaven, as "Deena Jones," Katherine Thomas as "Lorrell Robinson" also making her Porchlight debut and Evan Tyrone Martin, currently starring in Far From Heaven, as "Curtis Taylor Jr."

The full cast of Dreamgirls includes Caleb Baze (Cadillac Boy/Stage Manager), Michelle Bester (Ensemble), Dawn Bless(Ensemble), Kyrie Courter (Ensemble), Gilbert Domally (C.C. White), Jared Grant (Ensemble), Matthew Hunter (Ensemble),Reneisha Jenkins (Ensemble), J. Michael Jones (Marty), Eric Lewis (Jimmy Early), Andrew Malone (Ensemble), Brian Nelson Jr.(Ensemble), Trequon Tate (Ensemble) and Cherise Thomas (Ensemble).

The Dreamgirls production team includes: Porchlight Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik (assistant director); Chris Carter(associate choreographer); Porchlight Artistic Associate Bill Morey (costume designer); Porchlight Artistic Associate Jeff Kmiec (co-scenic designer); Greg Pinsoneault (co-scenic designer); Denise Karczewski (lighting designer); Kevin Barthel (wig designer);Mealah Heidenreich (properties designer); Robert Hornbostel (sound designer) and Porchlight Artistic Associate Aaron Shapiro(production manager).