Posted: 8/27/17 at 2:08pm
RippedMan said: "Is the West End open ended?"
The West End production is currently booking until February.
Posted: 8/27/17 at 4:43pm
BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Dreamgirls is one of those lightning in a bottle shows: They were incredibly lucky to find Holliday as a replacement for Nell Carter. Her expressive voice and the dynamic in which she could sing made her Effie something that no other singer has quite captured again. It was raw.
Lillias White was close. She had a more metered approach to the vocal, but it was almost equally as exciting to listen to. Her vocal runs were different. She really made the role her own.
I had never heard that Jennifer Holliday replaced Nell Carter. What is the story there?
"
Posted: 8/27/17 at 4:45pm
The only way I would see this would be if Titus's Burgess is Effie
Posted: 8/27/17 at 8:33pm
Bronxfan said: "BenjaminNicholas2 said: "Dreamgirls is one of those lightning in a bottle shows: They were incredibly lucky to find Holliday as a replacement for Nell Carter. Her expressive voice and the dynamic in which she could sing made her Effie something that no other singer has quite captured again. It was raw.
Lillias White was close. She had a more metered approach to the vocal, but it was almost equally as exciting to listen to. Her vocal runs were different. She really made the role her own.
I had never heard that Jennifer Holliday replaced Nell Carter. What is the story there?
"
She was cast as Effie and left to take the television offer of Gimme A Break
A little taste of what she could have done with the role. A 1979 workshop of the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSwNGxYqEYk
"
Posted: 8/29/17 at 1:06pm
I saw it.... it was pretty bad.
First the good. Amber sings amazingly and surprisingly her acting is pretty good....
The bad.... Deena sounds like she is on the verge of tears the entire show. Something odd about her voice. Curtis comes across as, well um, a little gay on stage. Hard to believe he is romantic with Effie or Deena!
The costumes are cheesy and the wigs are even worse. The staging is NOTHING like Michael Bennett's and that hurts the production.
Dreamgirls was my very first Bway show and I have fond memories of the original cast and subsequent tours that I saw including Lillias White in the return engagement as Michael Bennett was passing away. I must have seen at least two dozen versions of the show and the West End production left me cold.
The opening number to the second Act is a downer.... why not just use the last Bway version? Quintet is cut. The Vogue sequence is cut and the final number is just bizarre with these alternate Dream throughout the years in the background . Background chorus overshadows the dreams in the Dreamgirls and One Night Only numbers....
I could go on and on but I left so angry that Casey ruined my favorite show
Posted: 8/29/17 at 1:38pm
BenjaminNicholas2 said: "(Nell Carter) was cast as Effie and left to take the television offer of Gimme A Break. A little taste of what she could have done with the role. A 1979 workshop of the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSwNGxYqEYk "
This is so good. So much soul. Would love to have seen her take.
Posted: 8/29/17 at 1:47pm
Deena Jones said: "I saw it.... it was pretty bad.
First the good. Amber sings amazingly and surprisingly her acting is pretty good....
The bad.... Deena sounds like she is on the verge of tears the entire show. Something odd about her voice. Curtis comes across as, well um, a little gay on stage. Hard to believe he is romantic with Effie or Deena!
The costumes are cheesy and the wigs are even worse. The staging is NOTHING like Michael Bennett's and that hurts the production.
Dreamgirls was my very first Bway show and I have fond memories of the original cast and subsequent tours that I saw including Lillias White in the return engagement as Michael Bennett was passing away. I must have seen at least two dozen versions of the show and the West End production left me cold.
The opening number to the second Act is a downer.... why not just use the last Bway version? Quintet is cut. The Vogue sequence is cut and the final number is just bizarre with these alternate Dream throughout the years in the background . Background chorus overshadows the dreams in the Dreamgirls and One Night Only numbers....
I could go on and on but I left so angry that Casey ruined my favorite show
"
Yikes. I am so sorry you didn't enjoy it. More trash coming our way.
Posted: 8/29/17 at 2:05pm
no rumor it's coming late winter-opening spring '18 but not confirmed also heard producer Sonia Friedman wants the Hudson
Posted: 8/29/17 at 2:10pm
Derrick Williams from Mormon was just on a Playbill podcast and said he had just come from a callback for Dreamgirls. It is all but confirmed.
Posted: 8/29/17 at 2:10pm
Robbie2 said: "no rumor it's coming late winter-opening spring '18 but not confirmed also heard producer Sonia Friedman wants the Hudson"
How are they planning to take the Hudson with The Parisian Woman there from November 7 to March 11?
Posted: 8/29/17 at 2:16pm
^i bet they can get a way with a short preview period. How long do load out load in periods usually last?
Posted: 8/29/17 at 2:21pm
Deena Jones said: "I saw it.... it was pretty bad.
First the good. Amber sings amazingly and surprisingly her acting is pretty good....
The bad.... Deena sounds like she is on the verge of tears the entire show. Something odd about her voice. Curtis comes across as, well um, a little gay on stage. Hard to believe he is romantic with Effie or Deena!
The costumes are cheesy and the wigs are even worse. The staging is NOTHING like Michael Bennett's and that hurts the production.
Dreamgirls was my very first Bway show and I have fond memories of the original cast and subsequent tours that I saw including Lillias White in the return engagement as Michael Bennett was passing away. I must have seen at least two dozen versions of the show and the West End production left me cold.
The opening number to the second Act is a downer.... why not just use the last Bway version? Quintet is cut. The Vogue sequence is cut and the final number is just bizarre with these alternate Dream throughout the years in the background . Background chorus overshadows the dreams in the Dreamgirls and One Night Only numbers....
I could go on and on but I left so angry that Casey ruined my favorite show
"Haven't see the show but what you state is pretty much from what I've heard from friends that have seen it.
Casey's staging is not that bad and still entertaining but if you saw the original then how can you forget Michael Bennett's breathtaking staging and all the design elements were a knock out!
Amber yes, Curtis, well...
Still, I am looking forward to this production back on Broadway next spring!
Posted: 8/29/17 at 3:09pm
I'm stunned with those negative comments about Dreamgirls, it's the first time that I read basically nothing positive.
The reviews were pretty great, the show has been selling very well, the UK boards that I follow are simply obsessed with the production... and I've seen and loved it!
It may not have a more ''sad/depressed/difficult ride'' to stardom that the original production had, but it's the most amazing ride you can get on a night in the theater, and it has a lot of sparkles!
Nicholaw gives you a grand show with an amazing staging, great production values and never let the rhythm slows a bit.
The cast is great, with shout out to J. Bernard and Huntley, but Riley is PERFECTION. Not only her belting is BEYOND, but she fully understands this role in a way that since scene 1 she already has the audience on the palm of her hand.
It will definitely be hit and a must see if comes to Broadway, and I doubt anyone can beat Riley for any award.
Posted: 8/8/18 at 10:34am
I’ve seen the staging in London and I have to tell you now it was one of the best nights out at the theatre I’ve ever had. Sorry for replying to an old thread.
Updated On: 8/8/18 at 10:34 AM
