We are sought out and lauded for athletic prowess and for entertainment, but when we access a facet of our identity that leads us into activism and advocacy, we are smacked down by the dominant culture – told to shut up and dribble. For black Americans, we are often told in explicit and implicit ways when our acknowledgement and celebration of our blackness is welcome, and when it is not. There’s another truth revealed here, too. They were able to reach across and unite previously divided audiences. In fact, girl groups just like our fictional Dreamgirls, played an important role in integrating pop culture. In other words, while Dreamgirls is a fictionalized story based loosely on the real-life story of the Supremes, the musical nonetheless highlights an indelible truth: during the 60s, white recording artists frequently took credit for black art. What is unfortunately true is that in many cases, as in the case of popular white singers of the 50s and 60s, dreams that black singers had for the success of their careers were cut short due to white artists’ covering their songs without giving black artists credit or royalties. The title track of the musical Dreamgirls croons that “every man has his own special dream, and that dream’s just about to come true.” #Dreamgirls effie movieFinally, we cry with Magic, Effie’s daughter, as the movie ends with a briefly reunited quartet of Dreamgirls serenading us with the song that launched their success story at the beginning of their career. We the audience laugh and sing and cry and dance our way through the eventual dissolution of the group, the demise of Jimmy Early, the revelation of Curtis’s underhanded methods of ensuring his success, and the liberation of Deena from his stifling control. Curtis sees in the Dreamgirls what he never could see in Jimmy Early: the possibility of a racially integrated, incredibly lucrative revenue stream. #Dreamgirls effie professionalIn Curtis’s professional opinion, Deena’s replacement of Effie as the face of the group is necessary for the group to be able to reach white kids and thereby expand the demographics of their audience. We are swept up in a whirlwind of R&B music that pauses briefly, only to illuminate that the band’s struggles to maintain success are due to white artists stealing and re-recording their music.Įventually, the band’s struggles grow too large, and under the guidance of Curtis, their manager and Effie’s beau, the Dreamettes re-structure and emerge as a group all their own: the Dreamgirls, with Deena, who is soft-spoken and thinner than Effie, as lead singer. We continue twirling and singing with the trio as they fake their way to the top with Jimmy, watching as young, innocent Lorell at first resists and then gives in to Jimmy’s advances. *Fees may apply.And we keep dancing with the Dreamettes as they luck into becoming background singers for an already established James Thunder Early. Online Booking: ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes* Performances: Tue 25 Jan – Sat at 2:30pm and 7:30pm The 2006 motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirls starred Jennifer Hudson (winning her an Oscar ® for Best Supporting Actress), Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit. Meet the Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. įeaturing the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’, this sensational production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End première in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway. Milton Keynes actress Natalie Kassanga will play the role of Deena Jones at Milton Keynes Theatre, her hometown venue. The dazzling, multi award-winning musical Dreamgirls, embarks on its first ever tour of the UK, arriving at Milton Keynes Theatre on Tuesday 25 January.ĭreamgirls stars Nicole Raquel Dennis as Effie White with Sharlene Hector performing the role at certain performances.
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