Producer John Breglio and Time Warner Broadway at the Marcus Center announced casting today for the national tour of DREAMGIRLS, coming to Milwaukee January 5-10, 2010. Tickets go on sale on November 8 at Noon at the Marcus Center Box Office.
DREAMGIRLS will introduce Moya Angela as Effie White and feature, as The Dreams, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, and Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris with Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Chester Gregory is James "Thunder" Early, Trevon Davis as C.C. White, Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison in a cast of 26 that also features Tallia Brinson, Felicia Boswell, Ronald Duncan, Patrice Covington, Talitha Farrow, Brittney Griffin, James Harkness, Robert Hartwell, Eric Jackson, Chauncey Jenkins, Jared Joseph, Nikki Kimbrough, Brittany Lewis, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Jarran Muse, Amaker Smith and Marc Spaulding.
Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. Hopeful talents Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White are performing as The Dreamettes when ambitious agent Curtis Taylor, Jr. discovers them. He lands them a job as backup singers for the soul and rock 'n' roll sensation James "Thunder" Early and begins to guide their quickly rising career. However, when the beautiful Deena emerges as the star of the group rather than the full-voiced Effie, the girls are brought to personal and professional crossroads.
DREAMGIRLS is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with co-choreography by Shane Sparks, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound deign by Acme Sound Partners, and media design by Howard Werner for Lightswitch. DREAMGIRLS features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen with additional material by Willy Reale. DREAMGIRLS is produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions.
The original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS opened December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre and won six Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards in 1982. It closed on Broadway August 11, 1985, after 1,521 performances. The original Broadway production was directed by Michael Bennett and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. DREAMGIRLS was adapted into a motion picture by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, and opened in December 2006. The film won two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and two Screen Actor's Guild Awards in 2007 in addition to a Grammy Award for Best Song written for a Motion Picture ("Love You I Do"). The most popular song from the film, "Listen," has been incorporated into the new stage version of DREAMGIRLS as a stirring Act II duet for Deena and Effie. This all-new production of DREAMGIRLS premiered at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater in New York City on November 22, 2009, before embarking on an international tour.
DREAMGIRLS will play January 5 through 10 at the Marcus Center. Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. Prices start at $25 and vary depending on performance, seat location, and date of purchase. Tickets go on sale Sunday, November 8 at Noon at the Marcus Center Box Office, 929 N Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee, by calling the box office at (414) 273-7206, online at www.MarcusCenter.org, online at Ticketmaster.com or call (800) 982-2787. Group orders of 10 or more maybe placed by calling 414-273-7121 ext.210. This Milwaukee engagement of DREAMGIRLS is presented by Broadway Across America- Milwaukee and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Time Warner Cable Broadway at the Marcus Center.
