IT'S ALL ABOUT *DREAMGIRLS*

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:10pm

~ i've had this playing on my ipod for most of the afternoon.
loving the fact that the entire score was preserved...
~ *but* lillias leaves alot to be desired with her version of and i am telling you. . .
i've heard her sing this song so much better than on this recording
~ i'm surprised heather headley didn't *pop* a vocal chord with all that straining during ain't no party...it is a painful listen
and as much as i love audra vocally she was all wrong for deena
~ her hard to say goodbye my love leaves *alot* to be desired
hope the film soundtrack's score is an improvement...
Updated On: 12/10/05 at 04:10 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:12pm

The men are better than the women on the recording. But still-it's nice to have parts of the score that went unrecorded in the much truncated OBC.

[Marquise]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:15pm

~ that is the only saving grace of the recording
i went to this and when i got the cd i remember billy porter's voice giving out on one of his numbers
~ the re-recorded it for the cd
i think it was fake your way to the top


~ yes, the men are better on the recording. funny for a show called dreamGIRLS Updated On: 11/26/05 at 04:15 PM

[jimmirae]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:45pm

I believe Billy was very ill that night.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 4:50pm

It's still worth having -- the score is absolutely brilliant, and deserved to be recorded -- but you're right, a lot of the vocal performances are lackluster. Lillias does well with a lot of the material but does a pretty poor "AIATY". Heather Headley, who acts the role very nicely, can't reach the notes required, and doesn't hold a candle to Loretta Devine. Audra also acts well, but gives too much vibrato. Norm is wonderful, as is Billy (a bit hoarse, but still great), and the chorus sounds quite good as well. It won't replace the OBC, but is a nice supplement.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 5:34pm

I adore "heavy" and have grown quite fond of AIATY. At first i wasn't happy with Lillias' performance, but it has definately grown on me.

[best12bars]

Posted: 11/26/05 at 6:09pm

I love Audra (in general). She sparkles in many things but she's just too "Julliard" for Dreamgirls. (I felt the same way about her Sarah in "Ragtime") But I actually like her as Deena here early on, before she takes over as lead singer for the Dreams. She just can't pull of the pop songs as lead vocalist after the switch. But her "acting" is great on the recording (now, there's a surprise).

This concert recording is great to have, although I wish they would have left the Vegas Hits Medley as is from the original show. This recording has the "re-written" Act 2 opening sequence that was used later on.

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:37pm

How did I miss this thread? I'm in an Dreamgirls all the time mode right now, so I thought I'd weigh in.

I agree with many who people whose sentiment is that it's great to have the complete show recorded, but some of the performances leave something to be desired. I know Billy Porter's voice was going, but I didn't care one whit for his interpretation of Jimmy.

Love Audra. I don't have the problem with her as Deena that a lot of people have. I understand the criticisms, though, but she's never really bothered me.

Heather's voice is wrong for Lorrell, but I thought she really did a fine job of mining the part for comedy.

As for Lillias White, I'm pretty okay with her interpretation of Effie on the recording, save for the two inexplicable "woo"s that come out of her mouth (one in "It's All Over" and the other during "AITY"). They drive me nuts. Especially the one in AITY.

I'm okay with them using the revised Act Two opening, but I really wish the Act Two press conference would be restored. I'm pretty sure it won't be in the film version, but all I gotta do is dream.

And "Heavy" is the best song ever.

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:40pm

I agree it's great to have the complete score preserved.

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:42pm

I was thinking last night about the production I saw in Atlanta a few years ago. I thought it was amazing. The St. Louis Black Rep is doing it here in the spring. If it's a decent production, I imagine I'll be seeing it many times.

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:49pm

That sounds great Kringas.
I wish I could see another staged production before the film gets released.
DREAMGIRLS was the show that introduced me to Broadway and musical theatre.
It's my ALL TIME FAVORITE SHOW...hands down!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:50pm

That Atlanta production was AMAZING and remains one of my fondest memories of going to the theatre
Jennifer Holliday, Norm Lewis and Ramona Keller are all fantastic and seeing Ms.Holliday doing Effie after growning up on the OBCR is an experience I will never forget

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 1:53pm

It's my favorite, too, Marquise. Such an amazing show. I was lucky enough to see Jennifer Holliday do it in Atlanta in 2002, and the experience of being in a packed theatre while she sang "And I'm Telling You," is something I'll never forget. People were screaming, hooting, cheering, crying. All that energy in one room. It was almost surreal. I get chills thinking about it now.

Make a trip to St Louis in June, Marquise. The Black Rep usually puts on really good shows, so I'm hoping that their Dreamgirls will be another jewel in their crown.

ETA: That's great that you saw the Atlanta production, too, broadwaystar2b. I pretty much sh*t my pants when I found out J Hol was going to be reprising Effie. We made a road trip down there to see it, but since I was in tech rehearsals for a show, we couldn't really make a long trip out of it. We left at six am on a Tuesday, drove straight through to Atlanta, met a friend for dinner, saw the show, and arrived back home at about seven am the next morning.

Updated On: 12/10/05 at 01:53 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:04pm

I own this recording, also and there are some moments that truly shine and some moments that...did not. Lillias's version of AIATY has truly grown on me-- when I first heard it I was schocked at her runs and melisma but it gets better over time.

I really love Heavy on this recording and the part where Lillias hits the high note and Heather sings above her is pure genius. I saw a production of Dreamgirls this summer in Baltimore-- and the woman playing Lorrell truly shined in the role. Heather did not have the vocal range at all for it-- though her acting was dead-on. Vocally, I think that LaChanze would have been a better pick or someone else-- but Heather's "Ain't No Party" is a song I skip over every time I listen to it.

All in all, I enjoy this recording becuase it preserves the wonderful score, though it is not perfect. It is truly a wonderful experience to see this live!! If there are any amateur preoductions around you this year SEE THIS SHOW!!

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:06pm

Was Ramona Keller Lorrell in Baltimore? I swear, she's played that role everywhere. Rightfully so, though, she was hella good.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:07pm

My family and I made a road trip out it too! Dreamgirls is my all time favourite musical and my family has a long history with the show; my dad actually took my mom on a date to see the show shortly before he proposed.
We drove in the night before, saw the matinee the next day and drove back to Orlando right after curtain call
I too had rehearsals the next day, but it was more than worth it

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:09pm

"Dreamgirls" is one of my favorite shows. Though the concert version isn't perfect, it's nice to have a recording of the entire score. I will definetly be making a trip to St. Louis to see the show. Thanks for the info Kringas!

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:13pm

I remember that whole production so vividly. I thought the cast was pretty much top notch across the board.

I'll never forget the man a few rows back from me during "AITY." In the midst of all the audience screaming, crying, etc I heard this lone voice behind me shouting out, "You better sing! You better sing!" It was totally surreal. It was the only time I ever saw a show getting a standing ovation at the end of the first act. The energy pulsating through the house at intermission was amazing.

Edited: No problem, Sidney. I thought tickets went on sale this week, but I called Metrotix and found out the Black Rep is handling their own ticket sales now. I called today, but they're only open Monday - Friday. Their number (if you need it) is 314-534-3810.

Updated On: 12/10/05 at 02:13 PM

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:13pm

I remember the first time I saw the show in '81.
it was a junior high school drama club trip...
one of the most AMAZING experiences i've had...
i was in awe!
the "minimal set pieces" and the look of the show was extraordinary!
~ i thought those four gliding steel towers were so cool, so was that wall of light used during "One Night Only"!
...and the image of jennifer holliday, arm outstreched being "pulled back" as the curtain descends on her and The Dreams strut on stage singing "Love, Love You Baby" will forever be embedded in my mind.
Updated On: 12/10/05 at 02:13 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:17pm

arm outstreched being "pulled back" as the curtain descends on her and The Dreams strut on stage singing "Love, Love You Baby" will forever be embedded in my mind.

That was my one quibble with the Atlanta production. I don't know if it was because Jennifer Holliday is who she is now, or if it was a set issue (the Atlanta set was a scaled down version of the Broadway original), but Effie stayed front and center for her last "love me," and curtains opened behind her, showing Deena and the Dreams onstage from behind. I wish they'd done it the original way.

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:23pm

oooh, i don't like that change.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:24pm

No, Ramona Keller was not Lorrell in Baltimore. It was an amatuer production-- the woman who played her (I think) was named Travinna Robinson.

The Effie that I saw was probably the most obnoxious, largest human being ever. Cynthia Wadell-Ragin. She had a big booming obnoxious voice, and the worst, most ill-constructed runs I have heard in a theatre. Her very apparent lisp was not helping the situation either. The entire cast shined, though Effe the leading lady was probably the weakest point of thes show. We all know that Effie is a bitch and very demanding-- but it is up to the actress playing her to give us some sort of affection for her character. By the time AIATY came around-- I wanted her to go.

Hopefully Jennifer Hudson will be able to capture the heart of Effie in her portrayal so we don't just see her as demanding.

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:25pm

~ all this DREAMGIRLS business has got me to thinking...
any word on who will be doing the movie's choreography?
~ will they be hiring someone that was close to Bennett to preserve some of those original moves...
~ or did they hire someone new to re-choreograph the entire piece..?

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:26pm

oooh, i don't like that change.

Yeah, I didn't either, but it was the only misstep in an otherwise glorious production. I wonder what Bill Condon will do for the moment in the film (if indeed that moment stays in). This is gonna be one long year. I just really hope the movie is true to the stage version. Sometimes I lay in bed at night and try to telepathically contact Bill Condon. Over and over, I chant, "Don't f--- it up, Bill, Don't f--- it up."

Updated On: 12/10/05 at 02:26 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/10/05 at 2:27pm

It's a new choreographer, and she's wonderful.