Dreamgirls

Imperial Theatre, (12/20/1981 - 8/11/1985)

First Preview:	Dec 09, 1981	Total Previews:	10
Opening Date:	Dec 20, 1981
Closing Date:	Aug 11, 1985	Total Performances:	1521

Category: Musical, Original, Broadway

Setting: Act I: The early sixties. Act II: The early seventies. Various cities throughout the U.S.

Production Staff [See More]
Theatre Owned / Operated by The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
Produced by Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
Music by Henry Krieger; Book by Tom Eyen; Lyrics by Tom Eyen; Music orchestrated by Harold Wheeler; Musical Director: Yolanda Segovia; Vocal arrangements by Cleavant Derricks
Directed by Michael Bennett; Choreographed by Michael Bennett; Co - Choreographer: Michael Peters
Scenic Design by Robin Wagner; Costume Design by Theoni V. Aldredge; Associate Costume Designer: Frank Krenz; Lighting Design by Tharon Musser; Sound Design by Otts Munderloh; Hair Design by Ted Azar
General Manager: Marvin A. Krauss Associates, Inc., Eric M. Angelson, Gary Gunas and Steven C. Callahan; Management Associate: Joey Parnes
Production Stage Manager: Jeff Hamlin; Stage Manager: Zane Weiner and Frank di Filia; Technical Coordinator: Arthur Siccardi
Musical Supervisor: Harold Wheeler; Music Contractor: Seymour "Red" Press; Keyboards: Myles Chase; Drums: Brian Brake; Bass: Tinker Barfield; Guitars: Andrew Schwartz and Peter Strode; Music Preparation Supervisor: Mathilde Pincus, Al Miller and Bob Holloway
General Press Representative: Merle Debuskey; Press Representative: Diane Judge; Advertising: Serino, Coyne & Nappi; Casting: OLAIYA; Casting Consultant: Johnson-Liff Associates; Dance Captain: Brenda Braxton

Cast

Obba Babatundé	C.C. White
Cleavant Derricks	James Thunder Early
Loretta Devine	Lorrell Robinson
Ben Harney	Curtis Taylor, Jr.
Jennifer Holliday	Effie Melody White
Sheryl Lee Ralph	Deena Jones
Deborah Burrell	Michelle Morris
	One of "The Stepp Sisters"
Vondie Curtis-Hall	Marty
Tony Franklin	Wayne
David Thomé	Frank a press agent
	Ensemble
Cheryl Alexander	Charlene
	One of "Les Style"
	Ensemble
Phylicia Ayers-Allen	Ensemble
Vanessa Bell	One of "The Stepp Sisters"
	Ensemble
Charles Bernard	One of "Little Albert and the Tru-Tones"
	One of "The James Early Band"
	One of "The Five Tuxedoes"
	Ensemble
Paul Binotto	Dave
	Film Executive
	Ensemble
Candy Darling	One of "The Sweethearts"
	Ensemble
Ronald Dunham	Ensemble
Stephanie Eley	One of "The Sweethearts"
	Ensemble
Sheila Ellis	Edna Burke
	Ensemble
Thomas Scott Gordon	One of "The James Early Band"
Tenita Jordan	One of "The Stepp Sisters"
	One of "Les Style"
	Ensemble
Linda Lloyd	Joanne
	One of "Les Style"
	Ensemble
Carol Logen	One of "The Sweethearts"
Joe Lynn	Tiny Joe Dixon
	Jerry a nightclub owner
	Ensemble
Frank Mastrocola	Ensemble
Jamie Patterson	One of "Little Albert and the Tru-Tones"
	One of "The James Early Band"
	One of "The Five Tuxedoes"
	Ensemble
Wellington Perkins	One of "Little Albert and the Tru-Tones"
	One of "The James Early Band"
	Ensemble
Scott Plank	One of "The James Early Band"
	Film Executive
	Ensemble
Brenda Pressley	One of "The Stepp Sisters"
	One of "Les Style"
	Ensemble
Charles Randolph-Wright	One of "Little Albert and the Tru-Tones"
	One of "The James Early Band"
	One of "The Five Tuxedoes"
	Ensemble
Larry Stewart	The M.C.
	One of "The Five Tuxedoes"
	Mr. Morgan
	Ensemble
Weyman Thompson	One of "Little Albert and the Tru-Tones"
	One of "The James Early Band"
	One of "The Five Tuxedoes"
	Film Executive
	Ensemble

Swings: Brenda Braxton and Milton Craig Nealy

Understudies: Cheryl Alexander (Lorrell Robinson), Phylicia Ayers-Allen (Deena Jones), Vondie Curtis-Hall (Curtis Taylor, Jr.), Sheila Ellis (Effie Melody White), Tony Franklin (C.C. White), Linda Lloyd (Michelle Morris), Milton Craig Nealy (Jerry, Marty), Scott Plank (Frank), Larry Stewart (James Thunder Early) and Weyman Thompson (Wayne)

Tony Award^®
1982 Best Musical [nominee]
Produced by Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
1982 Best Book of a Musical [winner]
Book by Tom Eyen
1982 Best Original Score [nominee]
Music by Henry Krieger; Lyrics by Tom Eyen
1982 Best Actor in a Musical [winner]
Ben Harney
1982 Best Actress in a Musical [winner]
Jennifer Holliday
1982 Best Actress in a Musical [nominee]
Sheryl Lee Ralph
1982 Best Featured Actor in a Musical [winner]
Cleavant Derricks
1982 Best Featured Actor in a Musical [nominee]
Obba Babatundé
1982 Best Scenic Design [nominee]
Robin Wagner
1982 Best Costume Design [nominee]
Theoni V. Aldredge
1982 Best Lighting Design [winner]
Tharon Musser
1982 Best Choreography [winner]
Michael Bennett
1982 Best Choreography [winner]
Michael Peters
1982 Best Direction of a Musical [nominee]
Michael Bennett
Drama Desk Award
1982 Outstanding Musical [nominee]
Produced by Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization (Gerald Schoenfeld: Chairman; Bernard B. Jacobs: President)
1982 Outstanding Actress in a Musical [winner]
Jennifer Holliday
1982 Outstanding Actress in a Musical [nominee]
Sheryl Lee Ralph
1982 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical [winner]
Cleavant Derricks
1982 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical [nominee]
Ben Harney
1982 Outstanding Director of a Musical [nominee]
Directed by Michael Bennett
1982 Outstanding Lyrics [nominee]
Lyrics by Tom Eyen
1982 Outstanding Costume Design [nominee]
Theoni V. Aldredge
1982 Outstanding Lighting Design [winner]
Tharon Musser
1982 Outstanding Set Design [winner]
Scenic Design by Robin Wagner
Theatre World
1982 Award [recipient]
Jennifer Holliday

music by Henry Krieger; lyrics by Tom Eyen

ACT 1	Sung By
I'm Looking for Something	The Stepp Sisters
Goin' Downtown	Little Albert and the Tru-Tones
Takin' the Long Way Home	Tiny Joe Dixon
Move (You're Steppin' on My Heart)	Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson and Deena Jones
Fake Your Way to the Top	James Thunder Early, Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson, Deena Jones and The James Early Band
Cadillac Car	Curtis Taylor, Jr., James Thunder Early, C.C. White, Marty and The Company
Cadillac Car (Reprise)	The Company
Cadillac Car (Reprise)	The Company
Cadillac Car (Reprise)	Dave and the Sweethearts
Steppin' to the Bad Side	Curtis Taylor, Jr., C.C. White, James Thunder Early, Wayne, Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson, Deena Jones and The Company
Party, Party	The Company
I Want You Baby	James Thunder Early, Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson and Deena Jones
Family	C.C. White, Curtis Taylor, Jr., James Thunder Early, Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson
Dreamgirls	Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson and Deena Jones
Press Conference	The Company
Only the Beginning	Curtis Taylor, Jr., Deena Jones and Effie Melody White
Heavy	Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson and Deena Jones
Heavy (Reprise)	Effie Melody White, Lorrell Robinson and Deena Jones
It's All Over	Curtis Taylor, Jr., Effie Melody White, Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, C.C. White, Michelle Morris and James Thunder Early
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going	Effie Melody White
Love Love You Baby	Lorrell Robinson, Deena Jones and Michelle Morris
ACT 2	Sung By
"Dreams" Medley	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris and The Company
Dreamgirls (replaced "Dreams Medley" during run) (Reprise)	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris and The Company
I Am Changing	Effie Melody White
One More Picture Please	The Company
When I First Saw You	Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Deena Jones
Got to Be Good Times	The Five Tuxedos
Ain't No Party	Lorrell Robinson and James Thunder Early
I Meant You No Harm	James Thunder Early
Quintette	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, C.C. White, Michelle Morris and James Thunder Early
The Rap	James Thunder Early, C.C. White, Marty, Frank, Lorrell Robinson and The Company
I Miss You Old Friend	Effie Melody White, Marty, C.C. White and Les Style
One Night Only	Effie Melody White
One Night Only (Reprise)	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, Michelle Morris and The Company
I'm Somebody	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Michelle Morris
Faith in Myself	Effie Melody White
Hard to Say Goodbye, My Love	Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Michelle Morris