MAKING YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE…

MAKING YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE…

F. J. Hartland 

           It’s splashy…it’s spectacular…it’s Dreamgirls, the “fictionalized” story of a girl group from its humble beginnings in the 1960’s through it’s rise and fall in the 1970’s.

            The group is The Dreams with its lead singer Deena Jones (read “Diana Ross and the Supremes), and it makes for one amazing show.

            Now re-vamped with new choreography, music from the successful film adaptation and computer technology, it remains true to the theme of what lengths some people will go to on the way to reaching their dreams.

            Shane Sparks has done a superb job updating the original Michael Bennett choreography.  The new set stays true to designer Robin Wagner’s concept of moving towers of lights.  William Ivey Long’s costumes are even more glamorous than in the original Broadway production (which I saw—as a baby in my mother’s arms.  Right.)  Rivaling the beauty of the costumes are the lightning-swift costume changes from one sparkling gown to the next!

            Syesha Mercado does a magnificent job as Deena—making a most believable transition from innocent back-up singer to superstar.  She is probably at her best n the powerful duet “Listen” (which was lifted from the film).

            I have seen Dreamgirls several time—but this was the first occasion that I really liked James “Thunder” Early, a wild and crazy James Brown-type performer.  Chester Gregory is an amazing singer and gymnastic dancer.  He is a true show man—working the audience with every note and move.

           Adrienne Warren brings humor to the show in the role of “Lorelle.”  She, too, does a fine job—but during some of her numbers, it is difficult to understand what she is saying.

            Handsome Trevon David plays songwriter C.C. White with fire and compassion.

            But “the” role in Dreamgirls is that of Effie, the lead singer who loses not only the spotlight—but her man as well.  Jennifer Holliday became a Tony Award-winning Broadway star in the original production, and Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar for the film…and Moya Angela easily fills the shoes of her predecessors.  She embodies “attitude” and is a vocal powerful who brings the audience to its feet during the searing “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going.”  Bravo, Moya!

          Why doesn’t Act One just end on that emotional note?  No, there is an anticlimactic cross-over scene that dilutes all that raw emotion.

            The production is far from perfect.  Some actors insist on upstaging either themselves or their fellow performers.  (Come on, people…that’s like from Basic Acting 101)

            Chaz Lamar Shepherd is rather flat as con-man agent Curtis Taylor, Jr.

            Sound is a major problem.  I do not know if the fault belongs to Heinz Hall or this particularly production.  The opening five minutes of the show are muffled and quite difficult to understand.  There were horrible malfunctions during the “Dreamgirls” number.  And frequently Syesha Mercado’s microphone was turned off.

            Very bright lights are often turned into the auditorium—causing many patrons in the rows in front of me to shield their eyes with their programs.

            Act One tumbles seamlessly from scene to scene.  Act Two does not flow as well. 

           But overall, this is a visually stunning production with several key performances not to be missed!

            Dreamgirls continues through January 3.

CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR THE RESULTS OF “THE BEST OF 2009″

This entry was posted on 30. December 2009 at 16:51 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

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