Well, I'm not too sure where to begin... this was quite the eventful weekend! My visiting friend, Atalaya and I did a little bit of everything and by everything, I mean everything!
To start things off, on Friday night, we saw the Broadway show Dreamgirls. It was absolutely amazing! I had goosebumps from the incredible singing pretty much the entire show. Every performer on that stage had amazing vocal chops and I've never been so impressed by an entire cast before. We saw it at a downtown theatre called Centre Theatre Group and sadly, there were so many empty seats. We even were able to move up several rows which was awesome. I love all theatre and seeing shows so this was a perfect way to spend an evening.
Here is a little info on the show: Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based upon the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wildson, and others. The musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago called "The Dreams", who become music superstars. Dreamgirls opened on December 20, 1981 and was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for best musical, and won six.
Moya Angela, who plays the lead, Effie was just remarkable! After two and a half years on the road with The Lion King, Angela settled back into life in Indianapolis, working as a restaurant hostess. and was forced to lean on her family for financial help. “It was just a rough time,” she says. “I was struggling emotionally and financially. My phone was even shut off and my mother said, ‘You need to get this phone back on,’ and I said, ‘I don’t have any money. I’m Skyping!’” Thanks to Mom’s help, Angela’s phone service was reinstated just in time for a call from Binder Casting inviting the down-and-out diva to New York for a private audition for the national tour of Dreamgirls. “I was like, ‘’First of all, how did you guys get this number?!’” Many months of callbacks later, Dreamgirls found its Effie. Thank goodness they did because they show wouldn't have been complete without her!
Check out these fantastic reviews:
Review by Hilton Als
from The New Yorker
November 23, 2009
‘‘Dreamgirls is delectable. Wildly propulsive and brilliant as hell. There's not one misstep in this revival. It throbs with a lovely need to please.’’
Review by Joe Dziemianowicz
from Daily News
November 23, 2009
"It's lively and packed with talent. This production has an exciting vibe that the hit film can't capture."
Review by Elisabeth Vincentelli
from New York Post
November 23, 2009
"And I am telling you: You are going! I cannot emphasize enough how great it is to see Dreamgirls at the Apollo. It's a perfect storm of music and environment. The production has gusto, grit and guts."
Review by Roma Torre
from NY1
November 23, 2009
"I'm happy to report that the revival of Dreamgirls is pretty dreamy in its own right. The show hits enough high notes to make it Broadway caliber. Step over to the West Side of Harlem and see it now. As musical revivals go, this one’s Supreme!"
Lucky girls is more like it. :) Glad you had a better time at this show than you did at The Color Purple.
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