DREAMGIRLS is finally returning to Broadway- Page 2

[The8re phan]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 10:58am

sorry, but attendance issues aside, Alex Newell has earned this role and would absolutely bring down the house whenever they go on as Effie.  Just as I have earned being in the audience multiple times whenever they do so........

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 10:58 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 11:37am

Capitalization for this revival is supposedly over $30 million. Jeez. 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:09pm

I just hope that they don’t use any of the post-movie alterations to the libretto, but I won’t hold my breath.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:09pm

This is a BAD idea with Camille choreographing (we're not fans) - and especially directing as well.  Producers should reconsider immediately. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:16pm

NOWaWarning said: "I just hope that they don’t use any of the post-movie alterations to the libretto, but I won’t hold my breath."

Unfortunately, I think the show now will always be done to cut some of the best material in the entire show, so they can do “Listen”. 

[threecustom]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:24pm

They need to restore the original Act 2 opener, Quintet , the vogue Sequence and get rid of Listen and put back "Effie, I never knew what Curtis was"... and that whole interaction. 

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 12:24 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:30pm

threecustom said: "They need to restore the original Act 2 opener, Quintet , the vogue Sequence and get rid of Listen and put back "Effie, Inever knew what Curtis was"... and that whole interaction."

“No! I wanna stay and talk!” can be a just as showstopping moment as all of “And I Am Telling You” and it hurts the show tremendously that it’s gone, now. 

[7thbighero]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 12:59pm

Jordan Catalano said: "NOWaWarning said: "I just hope that they don’t use any of the post-movie alterations to the libretto, but I won’t hold my breath."

Unfortunately, I think the show now will always be done to cut some of the best material in the entire show, so they can do “Listen”."

And that right there will be what does this revival in. The show is not the movie, and the movie is not the show 

[johnny_g]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:08pm

7thbighero said: "Unfortunately, I think the show now will always be done to cut some of the best material in the entire show, so they can do “Listen”."

And that right there will be what does this revival in. The show is not the movie, and the movie is not the show"

YES! Every staging since the Longbottom 2009 tour (including the UK version and the 2023 Goodspeed staging) seem to want to be "The Movie Live on Stage!"

 

[johnny_g]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:15pm

s**t

Just realized 2026 will be the 20th anniversary of the movie. I bet that means it's almost guaranteed to use the movie-inspired alterations.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:21pm

‘Dreamgirls’ Will Return to Broadway After Global Star Search

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/theater/dreamgirls-broadway-revival.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mE8.0iFa.M5X45n9kWwhy&smid=nytcore-android-share

[7thbighero]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:22pm

johnny_g said: "s**t

Just realized 2026 will be the 20th anniversary of the movie. I bet that means it's almost guaranteed to use the movie-inspired alterations."

 

it’ll also be the 45th anniversary of the original Broadway production 

 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:24pm

johnny_g said: "s**t

Just realized 2026 will be the 20th anniversary of the movie. I bet that means it's almost guaranteed to use the movie-inspired alterations."

 

That's a pretty large leap to come to a conclusion like that.

[Ke3]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:24pm

I won't harp on my "please stop casting 35 year olds in Dreamgirls" thing cause I know I'm alone there. I would also love if someone actually darkskin was cast as Deena no offense to Joy. The colorism thing in Gypsy fell flat for me when the person you cast as the "darker" one is still lighter than the paper bag. The white creatives from the original production showed more intention behind that part of Dreamgirls than frankly anybody else since. 

But I also won't believe this is happening until the first preview voice notes are on my tik tok feed. Dreamgirls has been "coming back to Broadway" since soon after I was born. She still hasn't made it yet.

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:40pm

The8re phan said: "sorry, but attendance issues aside, Alex Newell has earned this role and would absolutely bring down the house whenever they go on as Effie. Just asI have earned being in the audience multiple times whenever they do so........"

Something I hope other people realize is that people can say no to a role. So you can think they are perfect, and will be perfect, but it ultimately comes down to so many factors that we aren't privy to. It may be scheduling, it may be contract negotiations, it could be that they simply don't want to do the role. So I hope people won't bully those who are cast if it's not Amber Riley or Alex Newell because you can not say how good they are or will be until you sit in that theater and see them in the role.. 

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 01:40 PM

[seaweedjstubbs]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 1:40pm

^ Y’know, you don’t have to type EVERY thought onto a message board and post it. Some opinions should be kept to yourself, especially when they come to an actor’s skin color not being dark enough for you.

Anyways, I’m thrilled Dreamgirls is coming back, and even MORE thrilled that it’s not the Casey Nicholaw revival. I’m still not over him having Curtis leave so early during “And I Am Telling You.” Or the whole “montage” in the finale that robbed the ending of its emotion. I’ve also got my fingers and toes crossed that this revival won’t use any screens for the set design. We don’t need to be overstimulated with all of that. Bring it back to the brilliant simplicity of the original. 

[P3PP3R]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 2:22pm

Up there with Alex Newell and Amber Riley, I would love to see Tiffany Mann get her flowers for this.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 2:45pm

Amber Riley couldn’t hack it in London.  Marisha Wallace got her start in London because they flew her over - to take over. 

[Angel of Harlem]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 2:51pm

P3PP3R said: "Up there with Alex Newell and Amber Riley, I would love to see Tiffany Mann get her flowers for this."

Amber couldn’t manage 3 shows a week in London and had to leave. 
not sure what she’s been up to for the intervening years but if she couldn’t handle the part back then at her peak there’s no chance now!

it’s vocally one of the hardest parts out there!

Alex Newell and Marisha Wallace would be great but agree they are now too old. (For the part not in life if you get my drift)

[binau]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 3:12pm

The8re phan said: "sorry, but attendance issues aside, Alex Newell has earned this role and would absolutely bring down the house whenever they go on as Effie. Just asI have earned being in the audience multiple times whenever they do so........"

I would be very keen to hear Alex Newell sing this score but isn't attendance especially for this kind of role a necessary condition for it to ever work? The role and score would also be a lot more demanding than Alex N has handled before which wouldn't be encouraging. 

[TBFL]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 4:08pm

CoffeeBreak said: "Amber Riley couldn’t hack it in London. Marisha Wallace got her start in London because they flew her over - to take over."

Its not that she couldn't hack it. Amber Riley got pneumonia and was out for a while. Marisha came in and alternated the role with someone else until Amber came back, though she did go down from 7 to 5 performances a week. Amber was great in the role. 

 

[The8re phan]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 4:19pm

witchoftheeast2 said: "The8re phan said: "sorry, but attendance issues aside, Alex Newell has earned this role and would absolutely bring down the house whenever they go on as Effie. Just asI have earned being in the audience multiple times whenever they do so........"

Something I hope other people realize is that people can say no to a role. So you can think they are perfect, and will be perfect, but it ultimately comes down to so many factors that we aren't privy to. It may be scheduling, it may be contract negotiations, it could be that they simply don't want to do the role. So I hope people won't bully those who are cast if it's not Amber Riley or Alex Newell because you can not say how good they are or will be until you sit in that theater and see them in the role.."

Please let me clarify --- i wasn't bashing or putting down anyone in contention for this plum role of a long-awaited revival.  I was only responding to several posts before mine to say I hope that Alex Newell's  'attendance issues' (which were in fact due to a serious medical condition during the last month of Shucked....), are NOT being held against them from being considered for this role. 

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 04:19 PM

[Ke3]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 5:02pm

seaweedjstubbs said: "^ Y’know, you don’t have to type EVERY thought onto a message board and post it. Some opinions should be kept to yourself, especially when they come to an actor’s skin color not being dark enough for you."

I’m sorry should I feel ashamed for discussing skin color when I’m talking about colorism? Why? What exactly do you think colorism is? The casting in Gypsy was meant to bring it to mind and, for me, it failed to do that successfully. If they didn’t want me to talk about it as part of the production they shouldn’t have done it. Just like casting lighter skin Black women in the role of Deena is often used by creatives to stand in for some sort of commentary on colorism and it fails. 

Bennett and crew cast all darkskin actresses as the Dreams and they had specific intention behind that choice. Intention that means casting a lighter skin person in the role can only ever provide subtext. Subtext that’s frankly boring and doesn’t justify taking away yet another role from darker skin actresses who are in fact discriminated against when casting. Even for roles that are meant for Black actors. 

So no, I don’t have to comment everything that comes to mind only that which I find relevant. And I found it relevant. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 5:54pm

The8re phan said: "witchoftheeast2 said: "The8re phan said: "sorry, but attendance issues aside, Alex Newell has earned this role and would absolutely bring down the house whenever they go on as Effie. Just asI have earned being in the audience multiple times whenever they do so........"

Something I hope other people realize is that people can say no to a role. So you can think they are perfect, and will be perfect, but it ultimately comes down to so many factors that we aren't privy to. It may be scheduling, it may be contract negotiations, it could be that they simply don't want to do the role. So I hope people won't bully those who are cast if it's not Amber Riley or Alex Newell because you can not say how good they are or will be until you sit in that theater and see them in the role.."

Please let me clarify --- i wasn't bashing or putting down anyone in contention for this plumrole of a long-awaited revival. I was only responding to several posts before mine to say I hope thatAlex Newell's'attendance issues' (which were in fact due to a serious medical condition during the last monthof Shucked....), areNOT being held against them from being considered for this role."

“Attendance issues aside”?

If you are going to cast someone who is a potentially bankable name, then I would be very concerned about their attendance, because when they don’t come in, everyday patrons will not be happy (removing those of us who don’t care if a U/S is on out of the equation).

Once Alex won their Tony, I know I saw the Understudies Twitter (before it expanded to a website) post that Miki Abraham was on for Lulu for at least 4 performances a week most weeks. And that was a role that, aside from the Big Number, was mostly ensemble singing and cracking jokes. To even consider Alex to be up to the task of being Effie White for (generously) 6-7 performances per week, belting their face multiple times per night, seems almost laughable.

It’s not a matter of skill. It’s a matter of stamina. And I would be more open if this was a limited 16 week run, but they’re gonna want someone who will be able to start in the fall and last until the Tonys

Updated On: 9/15/25 at 05:54 PM

[inception]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 6:01pm

This would be an excellent test case for using AI generated 3D hologram performers using perfect prerecorded autotuned vocals, while performing amazing feats of acrobatics physically impossible for a real humans. They could do 8 shows a day without ever needing to call out.