Dreamgirls is in Manchester for one night two weeks only!
Whilst the musical premiered on Broadway in 1981, it did not have its West End premiere until 2016 – a whole decade after the release of the film adaptation. Only now, over forty years since it premiered, is it embarking on its first ever UK tour!
Based on the showbusiness aspirations and successes of The Supremes – as well as other R&B acts, such as The Shirelles, James Brown, and Jackie Wilson – the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio called The Dreams.
The Dreams is made up of Effie, Lorrell and Deena (and later Michelle) – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. The musical follows the group as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune, and the ruthless realities of showbusiness, testing their friendships to the very limit.
The original Broadway production starred Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney, Cleavant Derricks, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Obba Babatundé. The film adaptation’s cast is even more impressive: Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, and Keith Robinson. The Broadway production won six Tony Awards out of 13 nominations, including Best Musical; the film adaptation also won, and was nominated for, numerous accolades.
Direct from the West End, with an extraordinary story and the unforgettable, spine-tingling vocals that send audiences wild, this spectacular musical production features the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’, ‘I Am Changing’, and ‘One Night Only’ – as well as ‘Listen’, an addition to the film which was later added to the stage musical (albeit with some changes).
Whilst the West End production was originally lead by Amber Riley, the UK tour is headed by Nicole Raquel Dennis, who previously starred in the West End productions of Dreamsgirls and Dear Evan Hansen. She is also known for being a finalist of The Voice UK (series 8), where she wowed viewers and judges singing ‘And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going’ with team mentor Jennifer Hudson (who won an Oscar for playing Effie in the film).
Incredible – though not quite as impressive as the time Alexandra Burke performed ‘Listen’ with Beyoncé on series 5 of The X Factor!
As a huge fan of Diana Ross and the Supremes (this summer, I covered ms Ross’ in both
Manchester and
Lytham), I am so excited to finally see this stage musical. It is, after all, one of my favourite musical films!
So, go to the Palace Theatre for one night only and listen to one of the best scores in the history of musical theatre. The good times will leave you forever changed!
