#1
Posted: 3/2/06 at 3:57pm
A Sneak Peek at Dreamgirls
#2
Posted: 3/7/06 at 3:24pm
Interesting behind the scenes article:
"First, we watch a scene shot a few weeks before from the beginning of the number. Foxx starts the song outside the alley of a concert hall. Next, it's a glimpse of the song's big finale. Unfortunately, Murphy wrapped for the day before the cast performed the rest of "Bad Side" live, but associate choreographer Aakomon "A.J." Jones gallantly stepped in and supplied a taste of what Murphy will bring when he's seen on screen with the Dreams. The number includes at least 25 back-up dancers flanking the stage, and the energy of the cast is contagious to everyone in attendance (if only they'd done it twice!). As for the production design, this clearly isn't "The Producers." It looks like a big movie through and through."
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/3-3-06?GT1=7701
"First, we watch a scene shot a few weeks before from the beginning of the number. Foxx starts the song outside the alley of a concert hall. Next, it's a glimpse of the song's big finale. Unfortunately, Murphy wrapped for the day before the cast performed the rest of "Bad Side" live, but associate choreographer Aakomon "A.J." Jones gallantly stepped in and supplied a taste of what Murphy will bring when he's seen on screen with the Dreams. The number includes at least 25 back-up dancers flanking the stage, and the energy of the cast is contagious to everyone in attendance (if only they'd done it twice!). As for the production design, this clearly isn't "The Producers." It looks like a big movie through and through."
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/3-3-06?GT1=7701
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#3
Posted: 3/7/06 at 3:31pm
I thought this was a video...
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#4
Posted: 3/7/06 at 6:16pm
"But what was most memorable that night is what is expected to be the last shot in the film. The Hitlist won't spoil it, but if there is a dry eye in the house, that viewer ain't got heart and ain't got soul.
Now, if that doesn't put 'Dreamgirls' on your most-anticipated list, what will?"
I second that. I found these two testaments to the power of Dreamgirls at Amazon.com:
1. "I love this CD! I bought the tape years ago. I saw the original cast on Broadway. I was a poor college student up visiting my uncle. I got together with a friend who was a 'struggling' actor way back when and we bought standing only tickets. I think they were about 10 bucks at the time and that was all we could afford. The show was amazing. When Jennifer Holiday started signing 'And I am telling you I'm not going', everyone in the theatre stood up and started applauding. It was so electrifying that to this day I still get goosebumps and teary eyed when I think of that night. The amazing way the producers thought to end the first act by the curtain just coming down during her song, was spectacular. I think I was about 21 or 22 at the time and at age 45 am still blown away by the music."
2. "I saw the original Broadway cast a few days after opening night. I probably hold the Texas record for seeing the original production close to 50 times. 'Probably', a pair of Dallas Shrinks claim they saw it almost that many. As the director of a local production told the audience, '... this musical hits people hard, people identify with it, they see their lives in it.'
Other reviewers are right: the original cast album is far superior to the 'one night only' from 2001. And, the 'one night only' is absolutely essential to understanding what DREAMGIRLS is all about. You must have them both!
If you've heard either you can understand why the Imperial Theatre was packed with DREAMGIRLS junkies for the final performance on an August Sunday afternoon in 1985. State-of-the-art was cassette tape, something approaching 100% of us had brought in an illegal recorder to try to fill the void of the original cast album. From the stage, 'thank you, and ... Goodbye!' I'll never forget the man in front of me, gushing tears, yelling back 'Goodbye ...' To have seen DREAMGIRLS that many times in 4 years required relatively frequent trips. For me, the realization that NYC would never be the same was walking South on Broadway an hour or two after the final performance. The sign 'almost reaching the sky ...' D-R-E-A-M-G-I-R-L-S, was turned off.
The staging ... Michael Bennett (his brother Frank DeFilia was the company manager, Frank sometimes played a Press Agent or Movie Producer) kept tweaking it ... one of the neatest effects was added a year or two into the production, a screen would raise in the rear of the stage during the final number, an entire orchestra with shiny instruments would suddenly appear.
Can one musical affect you that much? Yup. But don't take my word for it. Go listen."
I've been watching all of the Dreamgirls stuff floating around out there; it's a little overwhelming. I don't know how people remained concious seeing the OBC all those years ago. Knowing my Baptist family, we all would have "got happy" and "showed our tails" at the end of Act I. Jennifer Holliday's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is positively glossolalia-inducing.
Now, if that doesn't put 'Dreamgirls' on your most-anticipated list, what will?"
I second that. I found these two testaments to the power of Dreamgirls at Amazon.com:
1. "I love this CD! I bought the tape years ago. I saw the original cast on Broadway. I was a poor college student up visiting my uncle. I got together with a friend who was a 'struggling' actor way back when and we bought standing only tickets. I think they were about 10 bucks at the time and that was all we could afford. The show was amazing. When Jennifer Holiday started signing 'And I am telling you I'm not going', everyone in the theatre stood up and started applauding. It was so electrifying that to this day I still get goosebumps and teary eyed when I think of that night. The amazing way the producers thought to end the first act by the curtain just coming down during her song, was spectacular. I think I was about 21 or 22 at the time and at age 45 am still blown away by the music."
2. "I saw the original Broadway cast a few days after opening night. I probably hold the Texas record for seeing the original production close to 50 times. 'Probably', a pair of Dallas Shrinks claim they saw it almost that many. As the director of a local production told the audience, '... this musical hits people hard, people identify with it, they see their lives in it.'
Other reviewers are right: the original cast album is far superior to the 'one night only' from 2001. And, the 'one night only' is absolutely essential to understanding what DREAMGIRLS is all about. You must have them both!
If you've heard either you can understand why the Imperial Theatre was packed with DREAMGIRLS junkies for the final performance on an August Sunday afternoon in 1985. State-of-the-art was cassette tape, something approaching 100% of us had brought in an illegal recorder to try to fill the void of the original cast album. From the stage, 'thank you, and ... Goodbye!' I'll never forget the man in front of me, gushing tears, yelling back 'Goodbye ...' To have seen DREAMGIRLS that many times in 4 years required relatively frequent trips. For me, the realization that NYC would never be the same was walking South on Broadway an hour or two after the final performance. The sign 'almost reaching the sky ...' D-R-E-A-M-G-I-R-L-S, was turned off.
The staging ... Michael Bennett (his brother Frank DeFilia was the company manager, Frank sometimes played a Press Agent or Movie Producer) kept tweaking it ... one of the neatest effects was added a year or two into the production, a screen would raise in the rear of the stage during the final number, an entire orchestra with shiny instruments would suddenly appear.
Can one musical affect you that much? Yup. But don't take my word for it. Go listen."
I've been watching all of the Dreamgirls stuff floating around out there; it's a little overwhelming. I don't know how people remained concious seeing the OBC all those years ago. Knowing my Baptist family, we all would have "got happy" and "showed our tails" at the end of Act I. Jennifer Holliday's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is positively glossolalia-inducing.
.jpg?format=auto&width=365)
Tickets From $59
Tickets From $60
Tickets From $95
Tickets From $139