Rehearsals are underway for the Muny production of the hit, Tony-nominated musical Dreamgirls, which will be presented June 27–July 3 on the James S. McDonnell Stage in Forest Park, Missouri.
Robert Clater directs the upcoming production with choreography by Lesia Kaye and music direction by Anne Shuttlesworth. The cast will be led by Tiffany Mann as Effie Melody White, Aisha Jackson as Deena Jones, Courtnee Carter as Lorrell Robinson, Charl Brown as Curtis Taylor Jr., Nick Rashad Burroughs as James "Jimmy" Thunder Early, Ron Himes as Marty, Aramie Payton as C.C. White, Robby Clater as Wayne, and Natalie Kaye Clater as Michelle Morris.
In the video above, watch Mann belt out "One Night Only" in rehearsal.
The company will also feature Travante S. Baker, Lamont Brown, Ian Campayno, Kylie Edwards, Lexie Faith, Julia Grondin, Sophia Hillman, Kennedy Holmes, Dan Horn, Gabriel Kearns, ZaKeyia Lacey, Nathaniel Mahone, Collin Milfort, Pershard Owens, Alanna Porter, Kayla Rush, Ranease Ryann, Owen Scales, Duncan Smith, TJ Staten, and Richard E. Waits. The company also will be joined by the Muny Teen Youth Ensemble.
Dreamgirls, with a book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, was previously produced at The Muny in 2012.
Krieger and Eyen's Dreamgirls won six Tony Awards in its 1982 Broadway premiere. The late Michael Bennett took home the award for Best Choreography alongside collaborator Michael Peters. Jennifer Holliday memorably created the role of Effie to Tony-winning effect, stopping the show nightly with "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." The 2006 film, adapted and directed by Bill Condon, earned Jennifer Hudson the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for her portrayal of Effie.
The upcoming production will also have associate choreography by Devin Tyler Hatch, scenic design by Edward E. Haynes, Jr., costume design by Leon Dobkowski, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Elaine McCarthy, wig design by Kelley Jordan, and production stage management by Michael J. Passaro.
The Telsey Office is the casting partner of The Muny.
The Muny artistic staff includes Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson and Associate Artistic Director Michael Baxter. The production manager is Tracy Utzmyers, and the music supervisor is Michael Horsley.
The 2024 summer season at The Muny includes Les Misérables (through June 23), Dreamgirls (June 27-July 3), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (July 8-16), Fiddler on the Roof (July 19-25), Waitress (July 30-August 5), In the Heights (August 9-15), and Anything Goes (August 19-25).
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