DREAMGIRLS heading back to Broadway... — Page 2

I was very excited to see Robert Longbottom was doing this. Just yesterday I was thinking about how fantastic his choreography was for "Fan Tan Fannie." I never saw the FLOWER DRUM SONG revival, but I did love that number when it was on the Today Show.
Broadway Mouth: High School Musicals, Part 1: The Most-Performed High School Musicals

Wow, they must be REALLY confident about themselves to re-stage and re-choreograph this show.

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I don't think Gwen is right for Effie but I would love for her to be Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray.

Patina Renea Miller for Deena or Effie, maybe. She was so out of this world amazing in HAIR. I also wish Saycon could be in the show somehow. Maybe Kenita Miller as Lorell.

Actually, many people said that one of the problems with the film was that changing Bennett's iconic staging of the Dreams numbers removed a lot of the excitement from the numbers. Bennett's staging seemed to have been more cinematic than the choreography from the film.
Bennett had EVERYTHING to do with the creative process of DREAMGIRLS. And as Besty said it, it was his direction/choreography and pure brilliant mind that made it a hit (well, and Jennifer Holliday's legendary performance). Many critics actually argue that DREAMGIRLS is nothing without Bennett's staging.
I can't believe they are re-staging it.
Either way, I hope that Anika Noni Rose plays Deena Jones and I wouldn't mind seeing Syesha Mercados--from AMERICAN IDOL--as Lorrell.

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Lillias White is far too old to play Effie onstage again.

So, now that this is finally coming back, when they don't cast Jennifer Holliday as Effie, are we going to have to listen to her whine to whomever will listen about how she feels "slighted" she was not asked to play Effie?

Updated On: 9/16/08 at 11:55 PM

I saw the original Los Angeles production with Holiday and I must say it was pretty stunning...

...but...

About ten years ago? twelve? There was a recreation tour that was advertised as headed to Broadway... sadly, it it was stale as yesterday's bagels.

Every production of the show that I've seen is a water-down version of Bennett. I think DREAMGIRLS is solid enough piece to warrant a new approach. I'm not saying it will succeed, but I'm pretty convinced that if you simple remounted the original production you end with a still born baby.

How may of these "recreations" ACTUALLY succeed? They NEVER live up to the memory of the original and almost always leave you a little sad and nostalgic.

The original CABARET was BRILLIANT... so I'm told, but when Hal Prince re-created it in 1987 it was old hat and looked it.

Then of course, Sam Mendes comes along and POOF! it is entirely new show.. even if we've seen it before.

Bennett's work will ALWAYS be part of DREAMGIRLS.. you can't escape it, but it is when we become SLAVE to it, the show becomes a dead on arrival museum piece.

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Updated On: 9/16/08 at 12:22 AM

I guess I should clarify my post, since I confused a few of you by comparing the loss of Bennett's staging to the loss (say) of the choreography from West Side Story.

The choreography itself (by Michael Peters and Michael Bennett) from Dreamgirls was great, but that wasn't the innovation of the original production. It was the staging/direction by Bennett.

The original Dreamgirls was staged to look like it was a movie unfolding in front of your eyes on stage. Bennett tried to make cinematic changes in "camera angle" and in POV, and everything was seamless. It all flowed together like an edited movie... not like your typical Broadway show.

The reviews at that time were quick to point this out and discuss it in great detail, and that's why the show garnered so much attention, aside from Jennifer Holliday's performance. It was all about the brilliant direction of Michael Bennett.

That said... I see BFB's point. We now HAVE a film version of Dreamgirls, and it's 25 years later. Many of those innovative "film techniques" on stage have been used in other shows, and they wouldn't be perceived as fresh as they were back then.

I just wish them luck. To think that you can take a genius's work and make it better takes a certain kind of insane hubris. But sure, go ahead and try... at the risk of millions of dollars and a whole lot of comparison to the original.

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"And as Besty said it, it was his direction/choreography and pure brilliant mind that made it a hit (well, and Jennifer Holliday's legendary performance)."

Even Jennifer Holliday's legendary performance must be credited to Michael Bennett. Let's be honest, what Holliday had going for her was that she could belt to the back of the house. But her acting skills were dreadful. Part of the reason she succeeded in the role was that Bennett gave her line readings.

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I know it's a matter of disagreement, but the Actors Fund Benefit concert of Dreamgirls - which I've basically only listened to on CD, and seen small video clips of - to me was extraordinary, and of course, it didn't have the Bennett staging. But that's a different format than doing it back on stage. I saw the original in '83 (I think), and Bennett's staging really was what made that show an experience, and I'm not certain it would have the same effect today.

So, let someone try to reimagine it and create a new experience - it might be good. It might be terrible. Of course, I can only wonder what it would be like if John Doyle staged it (that's a joke...I think).

Zzzzzzzz...

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John Doyle staging of Dreamgirls

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To the person who suggested Lillias White as Effie, Ms. White is a fantastic talent, but she is 57 years old. I believe that is a bit up there for the role. But someone should write a show for her, that's for sure.