Sheryl Lee Ralph on the Toxic Environment of Dreamgirls

How is this news? It’s not only well known info but written in books. Giving up their rights for $1 also factored into Bennett’s A CHORUS LINE. This is the scenario of being part of workshops: your contribution goes uncredited.

If anything, the truly toxic situation was between Holliday and Bennett, who had a brother/sister/love/hate relationship all thru workshops and until she left the show. In fact, to spite her he took her huge applause away at the ending of “And I Am Telling You...” by having her set pull back and the Dreams cross the stage singing “Love, Love You, Baby” as a FU to her. The way it was staged, the audience felt awkward roaring and screaming for Holliday (now offstagel) as the Dreams are now center stage so it looked like they were getting the applause. Bennett took away Holliday’s shining moment in the show.

Updated On: 10/5/20 at 04:20 PM

joevitus said: "This constitutes "throwing Michael Bennett under the bus"? The gripes are fair (although obviously it ignoresthat their "suggestions" just happened to coincide with the story of the Supremes), but clearly this is how things are done, and had any of those castheld out for a part of the rights, they would have simply been replaced, or their suggestions ignored. No way was that pie going to be split anything like equally."

This may have been okay 39 years ago, but today; people are questioning the practice. Saying "this is how things are done," is not an excuse; it's being part of the problem.

A Director said: "joevitus said: "This constitutes "throwing Michael Bennett under the bus"? The gripes are fair (although obviously it ignoresthat their "suggestions" just happened to coincide with the story of the Supremes), but clearly this is how things are done, and had any of those castheld out for a part of the rights, they would have simply been replaced, or their suggestions ignored. No way was that pie going to be split anything like equally."

This may have been okay 39 years ago, but today;people are questioning the practice. Saying "this is how things are done," is not an excuse; it's being part of the problem.

"

I agree with you ethically, but there's also the financial reality to consider: if everyone contributes, and so there is no way to divide the proceeds so as to insure a profit for the producers, then there will be no show. I definitely want to see anyone who helps create a project share in the financial success, but I also understand how difficult it is to make that happen, and why what Bennett did is customary.

Tag said: "HERE she discusses the "toxic environment" of Dreamgirls, and throws Michael Bennett under the bus."

I don’t think you understand the meaning of the term “throw under the bus”.

Dear Lord, How could Bennett DO that? Holliday had to perform one of the most difficult songs EVER and to be upstaged nightly and robbed of her applause--that was so childish and petty.

I always wondered why it was written that way? Trust a bitchy queen to f^ck it up.

Comment removed for my insensitivity-sorry.

and...I have read comments below and MAYBE I was too hasty to judge. I did see the show in SF and it was my first experience being amongst a majority black audience and remember getting the fright of my life when the audience started calling back to the performers. What the hell is going on here??? I was young and boy! I will never forget that performance. 'Arms to short to box with/for? God' was another, don't know when.

Updated On: 10/6/20 at 01:32 AM

SweetLips22 said: "Dear Lord, How could Bennett DO that? Holliday had to perform one of the most difficult songs EVER and to be upstaged nightly and robbed of her applause--that was so childish and petty.

I always wondered why it was written that way? Trust a bitchy queen to f^ck it up.

Karma came around."

It's too bad the change was made for petty reasons, but I think it's the best way to close the act. It's the only way to make the reappearance of the Dreams with the new singer work as an ending tag for the act. If there was a pause, applause, and then that tiny bit, it would feel odd. Plus literally shutting off the ability for the performer playing Effie to get her due applause in that moment effectively demonstrates exactly what happens to Effie--she's cut off, no matter how good she is. It's a great theatrical moment. That feeling you have agonizing over her as the "new" Dreams go into their routine and continue their momentum of success if very, very effective. You feel totally alienated from them, and you don't enjoy seeing them, though up to this point you always have. It's, frankly, brilliant.

SweetLips22 said: "Dear Lord, How could Bennett DO that? Holliday had to perform one of the most difficult songs EVER and to be upstaged nightly and robbed of her applause--that was so childish and petty.

I always wondered why it was written that way? Trust a bitchy queen to f^ck it up.

Karma came around."

I don't think dying from AIDS is appropriate karmic retribution for denying a performer applause. Ymmv.

if anything, the truly toxic situation was between Holliday and Bennett, who had a brother/sister/love/hate relationship all thru workshops and until she left the show. In fact, to spite her he took her huge applause away at the ending of “And I Am Telling You...” by having her set pull back and the Dreams cross the stage singing “Love, Love You, Baby” as a FU to her.

I had never heard this before. Is there a source where I can read more about this? I've always read that the reason the Dreams came out was because otherwise the audience would have never stopped endlessly applauding Holliday.

He knew Holliday would tear the roof off at the end of the number so he purposely had her dressing table slide upstage out of view so the Dreams can boast in the applause. Heck, he even had a faux curtain come down to cover her as the applause is going. Holliday would not be the one to bring down the Act 1 curtain as long as he could help it.

But I never heard that the reason it was staged this way was in order to spite (or punish) Holliday.

It's also interesting that the end of Effie's portion of One Night Only was also staged in a way that muted the audience's response.