- Performances: 1,521.
- Open / Close: December 20, 1981 – August 11, 1985
- Theater: Imperial Theatre.
- Tony Awards: Two of the three original “girls,” Jennifer Holliday (Effie) and Sheryl Lee Ralph (Deena) received nominations but only Holliday was included among the 6 Tony wins. Included among the other 13 nominations were director Michael Bennett; he didn’t win for directing but was a co-winner for choreography (with Michael Peters). Two other males leads – Cleavant Derricks as James “Thunder” Early and Ben Harney as Curtis Taylor Jr. – also won awards.
- Fun Fact: As described in the podcast episode, playing the singer added to the Dreams after Effie is kicked out of the group, Michelle, was Deborah Burrell. Burrell would leave the Broadway production to perform on the first national tour, replaced by her sister, Terry. After the national tour was over, Deborah returned to the Broadway production to play Deena, opposite her sister, for the final two months of the show.
Podcast
Valentine’s Day is coming up, a time when the warmth of love takes our minds off the cold weather. So it’s the perfect time for an episode about a show I love without reservation: “Dreamgirls.” I’m not alone – critic Frank Rich called it “the most exciting staging of a Broadway musical in this decade.” Others have labeled it “one of the most iconic, influential, and straight-up thrilling musicals ever written.” For me, it was the first musical I ever saw on Broadway and there’s always a special place in your heart for your first, particularly when it’s this good.
Joining me in raving about his show is Katrinah Carol Lewis, an exceptionally accomplished performer, director and actor who played the “replacement” Dream, Michelle, in a smashing 2016 production. I would have a blast talking about just about any show with Katrinah, but it’s a particular pleasure delving into this one with her.
In addition to lifting up the music in the show, we touch on some of the issues masterfully explored in the musical, including the appropriation of black music by white artists and the exploitation of young women in the music business. We even sneak in a reference to Richmond home town star, Emily Skinner, who played one of the backup singers in the appropriating Dave and the Sweathearts group, in the 2001 Actors Fund of America concert version of the show. It was a recording of that performance that was the vehicle for Katrinah’s discovery of this amazing musical.