Lorrell attempts to keep peace between her bandmates, but the task seems difficult. She suspects Curtis and Deena of having an affair. As Deena is increasingly feted as a star, Effie becomes temperamental and unpredictable. Over the next few years, the Dreams become a mainstream success with hit singles ("Heavy"). Curtis declares to Deena, "I'm going to make you the most famous woman who's ever lived," as the slighted Effie asks "What about me?" ("Only the Beginning"). After a triumphant show, the press is eager to meet the newly minted stars ("Press Conference"). The Dreams make their club debut in the Crystal Room in Cleveland, Ohio, singing their first single ("Dreamgirls"). After a fight between Marty and Curtis, Marty quits as Jimmy's manager and Curtis takes over. convinces her to go along with Curtis's plan ("Family"). Effie is resentful of her change in status within the group. The most crucial of these changes is the establishment of Deena as lead singer, instead of Effie. Curtis attempts to transform Jimmy Early into a Perry Como-esque pop singer ("I Want You Baby"), and concentrates on establishing the Dreamettes as their own act, renaming them The Dreams, changing their act to give them a more sophisticated and pop-friendly look and sound. Things become more complicated when Effie begins dating Curtis, and Jimmy, a married man, begins an affair with Lorrell ("Party, Party").Ĭurtis replaces him, strongly determined to make his black singers household names. Conflict arises between Marty and Curtis when Curtis moves in on Marty's turf: Jimmy Early. As a result, the record becomes a major pop hit. Angered by "Cadillac Car"'s usurpation, Curtis, C.C., and Jimmy's producer, Wayne, resort to payola, bribing disc jockeys across the nation to play Jimmy Early and the Dreamettes' next single, "Steppin' to the Bad Side". "Cadillac Car" makes its way up the pop charts, but a cover version by white pop singers Dave and the Sweethearts ("Cadillac Car" (Reprise)) steals the original recording's thunder. composes "Cadillac Car" for Jimmy and the Dreamettes, who tour ("Cadillac Car (On the Road)") and record the single upon their return ("Cadillac Car (In the Recording Studio)"). Curtis convinces Jimmy and Marty that they should venture beyond traditional rhythm and blues and soul audiences and aim for the pop market. Though Jimmy Early and the Dreamettes' first performance together is successful ("Fake Your Way to the Top"), Jimmy is desperate for new material. meet Curtis Taylor Jr., a car salesman who becomes the Dreamettes' manager.Ĭurtis convinces James "Thunder" Early, a popular R&B star, and his manager, Marty, to hire The Dreamettes as backup singers. Unfortunately, they lose the talent show, but backstage, the girls and C.C. For the contest, the Dreamettes sing "Move (You're Steppin' on My Heart)", a song written by Effie's brother, C.C., who accompanies them to the talent show. The group is composed of full-figured lead singer Effie White and best friends, Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson. In 1962, The Dreamettes, a hopeful black girl group from Chicago, enter the famous Amateur Night talent competition at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York ("I'm Lookin' for Something", "Goin' Downtown", "Takin' the Long Way Home"). 3.2 2001 Actors Fund of America Concert.The film starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, and Keith Robinson. It was later adapted into a motion picture from DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures in 2006. The musical was then nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. Staged with a mostly African-American cast and originally starring Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney, Cleavant Derricks, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Obba Babatundé, the musical opened on December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called "The Dreams", who become music superstars. Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen.
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