Full casting announced for Tour of Dreamgirls

Sonia Friedman Productions has just revealed the full cast of the  multi award-winning musical Dreamgirls, as it embarks on its first ever tour of the UK, opening at the Liverpool Empire Theatre this December before visiting cities right across the country throughout 2022 and into 2023

Nicole Racquel Dennis (Dear Evan Hansen, Waitress, Dreamgirls, and The Book of Mormon) will play Effie White with Sharlene Hector performing the iconic role at certain performances, Natalie Kassanga as Deena Jones, Paige Peddie as Lorrell Robinson, Dom Hartley-Harris as Curtis Taylor Jr., Brandon Lee Sears as Jimmy Early, Shem Omari James as C.C. White, Jo Servi as Marty and Brianna Ogunbawo as Michelle Morris.

The full company will include Shonah Buwu, Harvey Ebbage, Olivia Foster-Browne, Kellianna Jay, Ryan Kayode, Holly Liburd, Ross Meagrow, Samuel Nicholas, Nicole Nyarambi, Ilana Richardson and Josh Singleton.

Dreamgirls London to close in January with UK tour to follow

Dreamgirls Musical, which opened in December 2016 at the Savoy Theatre  is to give its final performance on Saturday 12th January 2019 completing a run of more than two years. Details of a UK tour are to follow.

Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, the piece tells the story of Eddie, Lorrell and Deena, a singing group from the '60s and is based on the true story of The Supremes.

Amber Riley originally starred as Effie White in the UK premiere, alongside Liisi Lafontaine as Deena and Ibinabo Jack as Lorrell. Moya Angela, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Brennyn Lark and Marisha Wallace all now star. The show won six Tony Awards as well as two Grammy Awards and Riley took home an Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award for her performance. .

The Original London Cast Recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls is available via Sony Masterworks Broadway.

Dreamgirls cast changes just announced

Amber Riley will make her last performance as Effie  in Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre on 18th November, with new Effies Marisha Wallace, Moya Angela, and Karen Mav alternating the role from 20th November. Angela played the role during its North American revival tour. Wallace joined the show earlier this year, while Mav made her professional debut as the character in London last year.

Other cast changes from 20th November  include  Tosh Wanogho-Maud (currently first cover Jimmy) playing James Thunder Early and Brennyn Lark as Deena Jones. Asmeret Ghebremichael will continue to play Lorrell Robinson, with Joe Aaron Reid continuing in the role of Curtis Taylor Jr. Joining them will be Durone Stokes as C.C. White, Delroy Brown as Marty and Kimmy Edwards as Michelle Morris.

The new cast of Dreamgirls will also include Michael Afemaré, Callum Aylott, Georgia Bradshaw, Jabari Braham, Ashford Campbell, Sanchia Amber Clarke, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Nicole Deon, Rhiane Drummond, Ashlee Irish, Emma Louise Jones, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Samira Mighty, Jayde Nelson, Aston New, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Ryan Reid, Rohan Richards and Joshua Robinson.

The show has also extended its booking period  to June 2nd 2018.

Asmeret Ghebremichael takes over role of Lorrell in Dreamgirls

Broadway's Asmeret Ghebremichael has joined the  cast of Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre playing Lorrell Robinson. She is  taking over the role from  Ibinabo Jack who  has withdrawn from the production due to health reasons

Her Broadway credits include Legally Blonde, Elf The Musical, Spamalot and Wicked. She also starred in The Book of Mormon in the West End and on Broadway, and appeared in the US television production The Wiz Live!

Dreamgirls London cast recording to be released in April

A cast recording of the hi musical  Dreamgirls, featuring Amber Riley as Effie and the original London cast (including Liisi LaFontaine, Ibinabo Jack and Tyrone Huntley), is due to  be released on 14th  April.

The double-album was recorded live during a performance at the Savoy Theatre last month, and features hit songs from the musical including "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going", "I Am Changing", "Listen" and "One Night Only".

Click here to pre-order the Dreamgirls album

Latest artwork for The Dreamgirls

Latest artwork for The Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre which is currently in rehearsals with previews beginning Saturday 19th November and an opening is scheduled for 14th December.

The new image shows Ibinabo Jack, Liisi LaFontaine and Amber Riley who play girl group the Dreams.

More Casting News for Dreamgirls Musical

Further casting has just been revealed for the West End premiere of the musical Dreamgirls.

Joining the previously announced Amber Riley as Effie are Joe Aaron Reid ((In The Heights) as Curtis(the manager who ruthlessly pushes the Dreams to international stardom using sex as a business tool), American Liisi LaFontaine as Deena, London-based  Ibinabo Jack as Lorrell, Adam J Bernard (Thriller Live!, UK Tour) as Jimmy  "Thunder" Early (a James Brown-type singer) , Nicholas Bailey /EastEnders, Jackie the Musical) as Marty Jimmy's manager and Tyrone Huntley (The Book of Mormon,) as C.C.White (Effie’s songwriting brother),

They will be joined by Jocasta Almgill, Callum Aylott, Hugo Batista, Samara Casteallo, Chloe Chambers, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Joelle Dyson, Kimmy Edwards, Candace Furbert, Nathan Graham, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Gabriel Mokake, Abiola Ogunbiyi, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Ryan Reid, Rohan Richards, Noel Samuels, Durone Stokes and Tosh Wanogho-Maud.

Riley stars as  Effie Melody White. But back-up singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson will be played by LaFontaine and Jack, respectively. LaFontaine lives in Los Angeles, as does Riley.

Producer Sonia Friedman and director Casey Nicholaw started holding auditions a year ago, in London, and then began looking further afield for an Effie because there are few performers able to handle the powerful numbers she has to sing.Ruth Brown and Karen Mav are Effie alternates who will take the role on Wednesday nights.

Nicholaw said that Dreamgirls composer Henry Krieger has written a new song for the beginning of the second act. There used to be a Las Vegas-style medley and that was replaced with something else;now we're putting a brand new number in

Alternates for Amber Riley's role of Effie in Dreamgirls Announced

Reality stars  Voice UK's Ruth Brown and The X Factor's Karen Mav will alternate the role of Effie in the musical Dreamgirls sharing  Wednesday evening performances. As previously announced, Glee's Amber Riley will star as Effie in the West End production. Directed by Casey Nicholaw, Dreamgirls opens at the Savoy Theatre on 14th December 2016 (previews from 19th November).




Effie has two huge numbers: And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going and I’m Changing and Dreamgirls producer Sonia Friedman said she, Casey Nicholaw (the show’s director and choreographer) and Nick Finlow (the musical supervisor) knew that whoever won the role of Effie would not be able to perform all eight shows, every week saying the role is absolutely massive and whoever you are, however great your voice is, however experienced and vocally strong you are, you are going to need to rest it’ Finlow added Effie is one of the most demanding vocals in musical theatre, and  the show is incredibly lucky to have the amazing Amber Riley.He said both Mav and Brown have the vocal range to play Effie and boasted that Dreamgirls had three unique young ladies preparing for the role of a lifetime.

More casting news is to follow. The original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, opened in 1981 starring Jennifer Holliday and won six Tony Awards. In 2006 Dreamgirls was adapted into an Oscar winning film starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.

Dreamgirls to open in the West End

Some great breaking news this morning, the fabulous musical Dreamgirls is finally heading to London's West End.  Glee and The Wiz Live! star Amber Riley will play Effie when the musical makes its UK debut at the Savoy Theatre with previews in November and an openging shceuled for December. Tickets will go on sale in the  spring.

Riley performed the signature tunes "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "I Am Changing" from Dreamgirls while playing 'Mercedes Jones' in Fox's Glee. She said working on the London stage is "a dream realized" and "I just feel like this is going to be something special!"

Producer Sonia Friedman told the Mail that when Riley auditioned she "was crying, because I was overwhelmed by the emotion and passion she put into the number. And also crying with utter excitement and pure joy, relief and happiness that this girl was going to be able to give this performance in the UK. Her voice is a gift from God!"

Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Something Rotten!) will direct and choreograph the production with award winning designers Tim Hatley & Gregg Barnes creating the sets and costumes

The London show will open more than 30 years after the original Broadway production, which was directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett and starred Jennifer Holliday as 'Effie'. It won six 1982 Tony Awards, for Best Book (Tom Eyen), Best Actor (Ben Harney), Best Actress (Holliday), Best Featured Actor (Cleavant Derricks), Best Lighting Design (Tharon Musser), and Best Choreography (Bennett & Michael Peters). Bill Condon's 2006 film adaptation featured Jennifer Hudson as 'Effie' with an all star cast including Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy

With music by Henry Krieger and book & lyrics by Tom Eyen and nspired by R&B music acts in 1960s America,  DREAMGIRLS charts the tumultuous journey of a young female singing trio, from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams', as they learn the hard lesson that show business is as tough as it is fabulous and features the fabulous classic songs "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "I Am Changing" and "One Night Only."




  
   

Open Auditions for Dreamgirls Musical

Casey Nicholaw, will direct the first UK production of the musical Dreamgirls which is rumoured to  open next year in London outside the West End. His impressive Broadway credits include Aladdin, Elf, The Book of Mormon (which earned him a Tony in 2011), All About Me and The Drowsy Chaperone. He also choreographed Spamalot  for its West End run and US national tour.

He is  working with producer Sonia Friedman and casting director Pippa Ailion to hold open auditions for black and mixed race singers with strong soul/pop voices for lead roles in the show about a Supremes-like girl group working for a Motown-esque mogul.

The open call will be on May 5th at Glasshill Studios, 20-24 Kings Bench Street, London, SE1 0QX. Registration is from 10:00am-1.30pm.

Take a CV and recent photo, stapled together; sheet music — but NO backing track (there will be a piano).

Dreamgirls heading for West End?

According to the Daily Mail, producer Sonia Friedman has the rights for a  full West End production of the musical Dreamgirls  with  Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon and Aladdin) in talks to direct.

The London show will open more than 30 yers  after the original Broadway production, which  starred Jennifer Holliday as 'Effie' and  won six  Tony Awardsfor Best Book  Best Actor  Best Actress  Best Featured Actor , Best Lighting Design , and Best Choreography. The 2006 film adaptation featured Beyonce, Eddie Murphy  and Oscar winning Jennifer Hudson as Effie White who sings the fabulous powerful  number "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.  Would be great if this happens!