No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls...
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls...
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #1
Posted: 4/2/26 at 8:46am
On Instagram, in response to someone writing:
I'm sorry but NYC be running these theater actors ragged like they in the Marines. It can't be sustainable nor healthy!
"It's not. That's why when people hassle me about it, I say when the culture changes maybe I'll do it. But as of now, asking people to sing at the top of their range 8 shows a week without proper support or compensation, absolutely not. You can have all the training in the world, which I do, and you can STILL injure. It's not sustainable or healthy. Any ENT doctor will tell you that."
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/12/22
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #2
Posted: 4/2/26 at 9:40am
Magic2Do said: "On Instagram, in response to someone writing:
I'm sorry but NYC be running these theater actors ragged like they in the Marines. It can't be sustainable nor healthy!
"It's not. That's why when people hassle me about it, I say when the culture changes maybe I'll do it. But as of now, asking people to sing at the top of their range 8 shows a week without proper support or compensation, absolutely not. You can have all the training in the world, which I do, and you can STILL injure. It's not sustainable or healthy. Any ENT doctor will tell you that.""
I am willing to bet they would allow her to do maybe 6 shows a week and be off on matinees for example.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #3
Posted: 4/2/26 at 10:10am
She couldn't handle the role in London. It's that simple. In the original run, how often did Effie have an alternate?
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #4
Posted: 4/2/26 at 10:17am
I think Amber was only doing five shows a week by the end of her run in London.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #5
Posted: 4/2/26 at 10:51am
According to Sweaty I thought it was Tiffany Mann
Understudy Joined: 2/10/18
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #6
Posted: 4/2/26 at 12:32pm
So if properly compensated she would do it even if it is "not sustainable"?
And what does she think is support and proper compensation?
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #7
Posted: 4/2/26 at 1:40pm
As I answered in another thread, for them Magic2Do is one of a number of new (welcome) users who is not a previously banned user.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/1/23
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #8
Posted: 4/2/26 at 1:43pm
suzcap said: "So if properly compensated she would do it even if it is "not sustainable"?
And what does she think is support and proper compensation?
Every principal contract starts at the same AEA base rate, but they don't always require the same lift. Elphabas and Effies have to pull a lot more weight vocally than most principal contracts. What Eden Espinosa did in Brooklyn (which was amazing) obviously ripped her voice over time, hello Lempicka. Opera singers don't do consecutive performances for a reason. There's something to be said for what it takes to sing 8 times a week when the vocal demands continue to grow and the pay may not.
Understudy Joined: 2/10/18
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #9
Posted: 4/2/26 at 2:47pm
Ensemble1698878795 said: "suzcap said: "So if properly compensated she would do it even if it is "not sustainable"?
And what does she think is support and proper compensation?
Every principal contract starts at the same AEA base rate, but they don't always require the same lift. Elphabas and Effieshave to pull a lot more weight vocally than mostprincipal contracts. What Eden Espinosa did in Brooklyn (which was amazing) obviously ripped her voice over time, hello Lempicka.Opera singers don't do consecutive performances for a reason. There's something to be said for what it takes to sing8 times a week when the vocal demands continue to grow and the pay may not.
"
Yes of course there are different demand but the question was rhetorical. The point was does she have a price or it it more ethical concerns.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #10
Posted: 4/2/26 at 2:50pm
She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #11
Posted: 4/2/26 at 2:52pm
Dolly80 said: "She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway."
And with the proper vocal training to do 8 shows/week.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/11
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #12
Posted: 4/2/26 at 3:14pm
at her age she would get lucky to be cast as Effie's mother - a role with no vocal demands
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #13
Posted: 4/2/26 at 5:38pm
Dolly80 said: "She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway."
this is what it has always come down to with Amber. the work ethic. shes got the talent she's never wanted to put the work in but will happily resent those who do work hard and have success.
She starts to do albums, never finishes them, she never tours, and I think she would do well if she even did small little tours on a regular basis but the fact she never has suggests she isn't interested in the work involved.
All power to Marisha Wallace who began as one of Amber's alternates in Dreamgirls, took over the role when Amber left and has gone onto a very successful career in the UK and then doing Cabaret on Broadway as she isn't afraid of hard work.
That boot camp episode of Glee was very pointedly aimed at this work ethic issue.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #14
Posted: 4/2/26 at 5:45pm
She sounds like the Terrence Howard of musicals. Who needs 'em?
Broadway Star Joined: 8/11/05
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #15
Posted: 4/2/26 at 5:59pm
Sure, some shows are poorly written (Death Becomes Her, ahem). Dreamgirls isn’t one of them - and plenty of performers have managed eight Effies a week.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #16
Posted: 4/2/26 at 6:29pm
GirlFromOz68 said: "All power to Marissa Wallace who began as one of Amber's alternates in Dreamgirls, took over the role when Amber left and has gone onto a very successful career in the UK and then doing Cabaret on Broadway as she isn't afraid of hard work."
I'm only here for the Marisha Wallace love fest. She needs to come back on Broadway stat. Is there a role she's appropriate for in Dreamgirls?
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #17
Posted: 4/2/26 at 8:01pm
Amber, no one’s checkin’ for you right now, but thank you for confirming you are not currently working.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #18
Posted: 4/2/26 at 8:09pm
ACL2006 said: "She couldn't handle the role in London. It's that simple. In the original run, how often did Effie have an alternate?"
No, it really isn't that simple.
Getting pneumonia is very differnt to not being able to handle the role.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #19
Posted: 4/2/26 at 8:15pm
TBFL said: "ACL2006 said: "She couldn't handle the role in London. It's that simple. In the original run, how often did Effie have an alternate?"
No, it really isn't that simple.
Getting pneumonia is very differnt to not being able to handle the role."
if you can't handle doing 5 shows/week, you don't belong in theater. Has she worked since Dreamgirls?
Broadway Star Joined: 11/1/23
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #20
Posted: 4/2/26 at 8:24pm
ACL2006 said: "Dolly80 said: "She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway."
And with the proper vocal training to do 8 shows/week."
You're missing the point. Doing 8 shows a week of ACL is much different than Dreamgirls. Vocal demands vary from show to show regardless to how much training you have. Audra McDonald has had nodules before. Just because actors do the schedule doesn't make it healthy.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #21
Posted: 4/2/26 at 9:32pm
Ensemble1698878795 said: "ACL2006 said: "Dolly80 said: "She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway."
And with the proper vocal training to do 8 shows/week."
You're missing the point. Doing 8 shows a week of ACL is much different than Dreamgirls. Vocal demands vary from show to show regardless to how much training you have. Audra McDonald has had nodules before. Just because actors do the schedule doesn't makeit healthy."
Actors have alternates these days because of this. However, Riley clearly couldn't handle the role and hasn't worked since. She's not trained to handle any show 8 times a week.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #22
Posted: 4/2/26 at 10:01pm
Actors have alternates these days because of this. However, Riley clearly couldn't handle the role and hasn't worked since. She's not trained to handle any show 8 times a week.
Um, Amber has worked steadily post-DREAMGIRLS and is currently voicing Ursula in Disney Jr.’s ARIEL. She may have stopped doing theater but to say she hasn’t worked since DREAMGIRLS is a crude assumption. She works extensively on television.
Understudy Joined: 2/10/18
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #23
Posted: 4/2/26 at 10:31pm
ACL2006 said: "Ensemble1698878795 said: "ACL2006 said: "Dolly80 said: "She missed so many shows in London. She was wonderful when she turned up, but nah. Let someone else with a better work ethic do Broadway."
And with the proper vocal training to do 8 shows/week."
You're missing the point. Doing 8 shows a week of ACL is much different than Dreamgirls. Vocal demands vary from show to show regardless to how much training you have. Audra McDonald has had nodules before. Just because actors do the schedule doesn't makeit healthy."
Actors have alternates these days because of this. However, Riley clearly couldn't handle the role and hasn't worked since. She's not trained to handle any show 8 times a week."
She has done a few things like a short theater run of The Preacher's Wife in Atlanta or the cheesy single black female movies or the game show circuit. So take that for what you will.
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #24
Posted: 4/2/26 at 11:19pm
I had heard back around the time she was doing Little Shop that there were nights where her lines were pre-recorded? Any truth to that?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
No Amber Riley in Dreamgirls... #25
Posted: 4/3/26 at 12:26am
she did just play herself for one night at Spelling Bee.
https://www.tiktok.com/@spellingbeenyc/video/7616393269190069517
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