DREAMGIRLS is finally returning to Broadway

Camille A. Brown is directing, so it’s easy to picture Alex Newell reuniting with her as Effie. I imagine they’d do 5-6 shows a week with an alternate taking matinees.

Who’s producing?

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 09:15 AM

I’ve never been crazy about her choreography.  I don’t understand how in the world her work was nominated for Gypsy, it was wretched. 

This is gonna be a disaster 

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Exciting!

Can’t wait for the internet to go ballistic if they choose someone from New York or LA and not fromChicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Miami, London, Toronto, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Rome or Paris. Which tends to happen nowadays when an open call is held but a mildly established person is cast."

I’m sure whoever they find would kill it in the ensemble or as swings!

Not casting the roles with fresh faces or relative unknowns seems also a bit antithetical to the story about the struggles and triumphs of a rising girl group. Alex Newell is a Tony winner and also notoriously poor with their attendance. I can already see them showing up for their contractually obligated performances (since ain’t no way they are doing all 8) and then pulling a JHud and peacing out during Tony season.

While I would love Marisha, my principle still applies here that she is relatively known in the theatre world (albeit London).

The production I saw in Philly earlier this year had a fabulous Deena in Gabrielle Beckford (everyone else…eh)

EDSOSLO858 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Exciting!

Can’t wait for the internet to go ballistic if they choose someone from New York or LA and not fromChicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Miami, London, Toronto, Mexico City, Amsterdam, Rome or Paris. Which tends to happen nowadays when an open call is held but a mildly established person is cast."

I’m sure whoever they find would kill it in the ensemble or as swings!"

I actually spoke with a talent agent a few months ago. One of the questions I asked him about was his take on the subject of how despite producers holding open calls, they end up casting actors who already have agents anyway. His response was "Sometimes, they will have an offer already out to like an A-lister. Then what they might want to do is in case that person turns it down, they have options. Even though they might be doing an open casting call for a particular project, they may be looking also to use whatever they get from the casting call to fill out the smaller roles. They may not land a lead role, but maybe they'll land a few lines in the project, which is still a good thing for an actor who doesn't have representation."

Give me a Jamie Lloyd type reinvention, Merrily type rethink, or a Jellicle Ball reimaging and I will be thrilled. If this is just an excuse to hear "this year's Audra" sing it I can do without it. 

This has the potential to be really incredible. I hope they cast three relative unknowns in the leads.

Rumor is Joy Woods as Deena and Jeremy Pope as James Early. 

Rumor is Joy Woods as Deena and Jeremy Pope as James Early. 

 I love that so much, I can see both of them in the parts. Marisha Wallace is not incredibly well known, and she's proven to be quite the standout, so I hope she gets it. I will pass on Alex due to their poor attendance record. Looking forward. 

While the magic of the piece really calls for unknowns- I doubt they’ll go that way.

That said, what about Amber Reilly?

EDSOSLO858 said: "Rumor is Joy Woods as Deena and Jeremy Pope as James Early."

Considering Joy Woods has the limited acting range that Beyoncé did in the film version, the shoe fits.

But again I must reiterate, none of the main three girls should have “Tony Nominee” over their name.