Dreamgirls Recording?

[me101]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:10pm

I was in a CD store today, and I was checking out the showtunes section and I was looking at the OCR of Dreamgirls, and was interested in buying it as a result of all the good things everyone has said about it on this board, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to buy the original cast or the concert cast. Which do you recommend/prefer?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:11pm

Concert Cast Recording is more complete, but the answer is without question the OBCR.

[Plum]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:13pm

The concert recording is a good supplement to th OBC, but you should get the OBC first. Its performances are definitive.

[pab]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:18pm

OBC no question about it. Not that there is anything wrong with the concert recording but you can't go wrong with the OBC.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:20pm

I want the concert one...

[me101]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:29pm

ok, I guess I've decided! thanks for all your input

Posted: 1/20/05 at 12:56pm

I love them both...but despite having had a 20 year head start listening to the OBC, if I could have just one I'd take the more complete 2001 concert. Besides, Lillias White is just...ahh....I've overloaded. I think it's because she's able to top "And I Am Telling You..." with her amazing performance of "I Am Changing."

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 12:58pm

And then top them both with "One Night Only".

I always advocate both...so get both.

[perfusion]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 1:57pm

OBC ALL THE WAY. The concert is wonderful. however nothing beats Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jennifer Holiday & Loretta Devine.
They made magic.

Posted: 1/20/05 at 2:03pm

I absolutely love Lillias White but to say that she is better then Jennifer Holliday doing And I Am Telling You...? That song was MADE for her. It is the definitive Ms Holliday. And maybe it is me but I did not like Lillias version of AIATYING...I do hoever remember hearing BJ Crosby do the song when she toured with the last revivial of DREAMGIRLS and dayam she was good.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 2:20pm

I would start with the Original Broadway Cast just to get a taste and soon you will be wanting the Concert Cast. Both are excellent and worth purchasing.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 2:37pm

The OBC is amazing and has more energy and drive than the concert. The concert recording is not bad at all and I really like, but Heather Headley's performance of Ain't No Party is just painful to listen to. It was too high for her and you could tell she had exhausted her throat by that point. Every time I hear it, I wince.

[eslgr8]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 2:40pm

It wasn't until I heard the amazing concert version that I fell in love with Dreamgirls. The OBC is for me just a collection (and very incomplete) of songs from the show. Many feel that the OBC performances are better (though after hearing Audra Macdonald's extraordinary voice, I can no longer enjoy Miss Ralph's versions of the songs). The thing that makes the Concert version by far the better of the two (for me) is its completeness. The OBC lacks far too much of the score. Besides, is there any other musical on CD (other than the "sung through" ones like Miss Saigon) where you can listen to the entire show, both dialog and songs??? Listening to the concert version, I finally understood why people love this show. The reunion scene at the end of the show is in itself reason to buy this extraordinary CD set. Be careful playing it in your car. You won't be able to see the road through your tears! Updated On: 1/20/05 at 02:40 PM