dreamgirls question

[children&art]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 1:24pm

i've never seen this show and listened to the CD off and on. i know it bears a passing resemblance to the supremes, but who is supposed to be who?

is effie supposed to be diana ross? or is deena the diana stand-in?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 1:28pm

Deena -- Diana
Effie -- Flo Ballard
Curtis -- Berry Gordy

But they're all EXTREMELY loosely based on the real life people and what happened in Act II is totally different from what happened to the actual people. Think of the story being "inspired by" the Supremes, not totally based on their story.

Updated On: 2/23/06 at 01:28 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 1:48pm

and I've always taken jimmy early to be the "james brown" character.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 2:04pm

Well, Jimmy Early could be any one of a number of male soul singers with flamboyant stage acts -- Brown, Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding and several others. In real life, the Supremes worked with several of them at one time or another (though probably not Brown since he was never signed to Motown), though none played as central a role to them as Jimmy does with the Dreamettes. Early is a fictional combination of a lot of different people.

[whateverman]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:02pm

Margot were u part of the original creative staff???

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:04pm

I believe Margo was Jennifer Holliday's feeder.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:07pm

awwwww. now that is just mean.

[Kringas]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:15pm

"You're lyin', you're lyin', I've never been so thin!"

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:18pm

Damn that was cold, BSO

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:22pm

Yes - but look at the girl now!

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:24pm

That's cause Margo sucks at its job and withheld food.

I believe the afformentioned best line of the show. "you're lyin'...I've never been so thin" came right from a convo (or fight) Margo and Holliday were having.

"No you cannot have another leg of lamb. You're getting a little big."
"Now you lyin'! I never been so thin!"

Updated On: 2/23/06 at 04:24 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 4:27pm

I still have a scar from where she cut me when I tried to take away her shopping bag of fried chicken in between shows of SING MAHALIA SING! back in the 80s.

[DG]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:11pm

Threadjack:

Margo, have I asked you before if there was a recording made of SING MAHALIA, SING!?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 5:46pm

No official cast recording was ever made. Jennifer dropped out of the show on the road before Broadway.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 6:02pm

When Diana Ross saw the show, she left at intermission. Obviously during Act 1 she had remembered a previous engagement.

[Urban]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 7:33pm

The one big thing I always thought seperated it from the real Supremes was Deena was actually likeable! I always found there to be very little redeaming features to Miss Diana Ross. Updated On: 2/23/06 at 07:33 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/23/06 at 8:27pm

I HIGHLY recommend the Concert version. It has the ENTIRE score and tells you SO MUCH more information that what is on the OBR.

I remember Sheryl Lee Ralph telling me about a 'listening party' they went to when the album came out and they all laughed and then thgrew it away.

Although I do think Audra McDonald is the weakest link in the concert, it is still a spine chilling listen.