Sometimes I think I know too much about "Dreamgirls," but it's partly because a couple of my best friends in the 80s and 90s were in the show on Broadway and over the years I got to ask every single question I ever had about the show -- about Bennett, about the various casts and replacements (I know TONS of the backstage scuttlebutt -- who hated who, who was a diva, who was fun to work with.....), about how the show worked (I found out how they did that seemingly impossible five second costume change in the middle of "Heavy"), and ALL of the gossip (a couple of the Effie understudies' backstabbing antics behind the scenes would put Eve Harrington to shame). I've met and gotten to know over dozen members of the various casts (including Jennifer, Loretta and most of the original cast) and traded stories with them.
Jennifer, I've followed from "Your Arms Too Short" and "Dreamgirls" through the projects that never went to NYC ("Sing Mahalia, Sing," "Harlem Suite"), through her concerts (I've seen more than a dozen), and her many many setbacks. She "became" Effie after "Dreamgirls," with a reputation, well-earned, for being one of the most dificult people to deal with in the business -- a huge ego that's gotten her fired several times over the years.
IMO, she had, for a period from the 80s through the early 90s, the single greatest gospel/r&b instrument in the history of popular music. In range, control, power, and sheer vocal creativity and dynamics, no one -- not Aretha, Gladys, Labelle, Mahalia, Chaka (all of whom I idolize and ultimately had far greater careers than Holliday) was ever better. She could do nearly everything that they could do, and several things that no one else on planet had even thought about trying to do. She even did a few things that I didn't think that the human voice was capable of -- stuff that made anything she did in Dreamgirls sound like child's play. Yet, she spent much of that time without a record contract, went through a couple of bad, short-lived marriages (men who attached themselves to her for her fame and used her), a bankruptcy, life-threatening health issues, weight fluctuations, a suicide attempt and a littany of other problems. She's Effie without "One Night Only" and there doesn't appear to be a big comeback in sight.
On top of everything else, the years of health issues and vocal abuse have robbed her once great instrument of its unmatched luster. She still is a great singer, but she's lost some of her range (which once spanned some four octaves -- from the rock bottom of the alto range into the stratosphere of the highest soprano range), her vibrato wobbles, her tone is coarse and you can hear the strain and struggle it takes for her to pull off the things she used to do effortlessly. Still a great voice (better than all but an elite few) but a shadow of what it was even ten years ago. Most of her income for many years has come from (I'm not kidding) singing "And I Am Telling You...." at wealthy gay men's birthday parties (as well as, Gay Pride events -- without her mostly gay fan base, lord knows where whe'd be right now). A very sad place for someone who should have become a major legend in the business, but whose insecurities and ego and self-destructive impulses ended up driving away most of those who could have helped her over the years (I have too many stories about this that I could share, but won't).
Anyway, "Dreamgirls" will be her greatest legacy. Not bad all in all, considering it's one of the greatest shows of the past 30 years and she was a crucial reason for its success. If you want more info on the show (I can't type anymore and need to go to bed) check out the various Bennett bios written over the years (some are out of print, but can be found in good libraries, used bookstores and some online sources). I've linked a website below that has lots of info and photos and sound clips about the show, including all of the casts of the various revivals and notable productions over the years (a good site -- probably 98% accurate).
DREAMGIRLS
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 10/14/04 at 11:21 PM
