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— Karen Holness, Aurianna Angelique, and Starr Domingue. Photo by David Cooper. DREAMGIRLS Arts Club Theatre Company’s DREAMGIRLS May 9–July 7,2013 The Motown musical. Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, the musical Dreamgirls tells the rags-to-riches tale of a 1960s girl group, loosely based on The Supremes. Young, black, and with talent to burn, the hopeful divas Effie, Deena, and Lorrell fantasize about playing the Apollo Theater. After getting their big break, The Dreamettes seem unstoppable—until rivalry and betrayal enter the group. Share their elation and tribulations on the road to stardom, told through the unforgettable sounds of Motown. Without Motown, Dreamgirls is nothing. “Our production of the smash-hit Broadway musical is a testament to the enduring popularity and power of Motown,” said director Bill Millerd. “Dreamgirls speaks to the particular sound of the era that continues to influence popular music and culture to this day. Several big talents that are new to our stages, along with the many returning Arts Club performers, will have audiences singing along and dancing in their seats.” In the mid-1970s, Tom Eyen conceived of a musical, based on The Supremes and sounds of Motown, that would become the work he is best known for: Dreamgirls. He directed its earliest workshops before handing the show over to Michael Bennett for the Broadway production. The musical opened in 1981 and garnered rave reviews, ran for 1522 performances, and earned Eyen a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, along with a nomination for Best Original Score with Henry Krieger. Eyen shared a Grammy for Best Cast Show Album with Krieger and record producer David Foster. Krieger was also honoured with a Grammy for Best Cast Show Album. Krieger was involved with the 2006 film adaptation of Dreamgirls, and three of the film’s original songs earned him nominations for the Academy Award for Original Song, with “Love You I Do,” winning him a Grammy. Book and lyrics by Tom Eyen. Music by Henry Krieger. Starring Aurianna Angelique, Starr Domingue, Karen Holness, and Ian Yuri Gardner, Daren Herbert, Hector Johnson, Tom Pickett, Alvin Sanders, with Crystal Balint, Lydia T. Campbell, Krystle Dos Santos, Keisha Haines, Shayna Jones, Troy McLaughlin, Hal Wesley Rogers, Matt Ward, Garfield Wilson. Director Bill Millerd. Musical Director Ken Cormier. Musicians Graham Boyle, Henry Christian, Tom Colclough, Neil Nicholson, Sasha Niechoda. Choreographer Valerie Easton. Set Designer Ted Roberts. Costume Designer Sheila White. Lighting Designer Marsha Sibthorpe. Sound Designer Andrew Tugwell. Stage Manager Caryn Fehr. Assistant Stage Manager Pamela Jakobs. Apprentice Stage Manager Emma Hammond.
An Arts Club Theatre Company production: Dreamgirls at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (2750 Granville St., at 12thAve) from May 9 to July 7, 2013 (MEDIA OPENING: May 15).
ABOUT THE ARTS CLUB Website: artsclub.com
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