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LIVEMAGS.NET MARCH>>10 21 WRITER>>TAVA MORRISON I t is synchronistic. The world tour premier of the revival production of Dreamgirls opened on November 22, 2009, in Harlem, at the landmark Apollo Theatre – where talent and dreams merge into reality. Staging the first show at the Apollo gives credence to the major themes in Dreamgirls: fame and success, race relations, family and friendship. It also reinforces a pivotal moment in the story when the starry-eyed 1960s girl group trio, The Dreamettes, perform at Apollo's Amateur Night. As well, Syesha Mercado, who portrays Deena, was an American Idol runner up in season seven! Now, five months into the tour, the brilliant Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center will host the new and improved Broadway musical sensation from April 20 to May 2, 2010. "I hope audiences love this musical as much as I have loved producing it. In a time when people throughout the world are facing tough economic challenges, it is heart warming to experience the profound message of this show of triumph for anyone and everyone who can live his or her own special dream – even against the greatest odds and adversity," producer John Breglio stated. Dreamgirls follows the lives of three young women singers who form a girl group in the 1960s. Deena Jones (Syesha Mercado), Effie White (Moya Angela) and Lorrell Robinson (Adrienne Warren) belt out their souls in their first performance at the Apollo when business savvy talent agent Curtis Taylor Jr. (Chaz Lamar Shepherd) discovers them. He helps them become back up singers for the flamboyant soul and rock n' roller James "Thunder" Early (Chester Gregory), and this propels them to stardom. Bringing them under his watch, Taylor Jr. begins to mold the women into what he envisions to be a marketable musical unit. But when the trio's dynamic changes and Deena emerges as the star singer, the group's professional goals and personal life become complicated and tricky. Dreamgirls' muse is the historical backstage and center stage anecdotes from the original Motown divas, The Supremes. This is an emotionally intense and musically moving story about friends, lovers and the quest for artistic expression and show biz success. It is also about the detrimental effects of grasping after fame and wealth at the expense of loved ones. Building on the multiple Tony Award® winning musical's greatness are original scenic designer, Robin Wagner and composer Henry Krieger. As well, fresh artistic designers were brought in to create anew Broadway's Dreamgirls. Wagner renovates the original scenes with a system of high tech stage design that relies on moving, reflecting and projecting panels and LED lighting. And, Krieger wrote a new song for the latest stage production. The sexy-groovy 1960s time period costumes, created by designer William Ivey Long, are updated, with all of the bling that modern fabrics bring. The cast includes 26 on- stage performers who dance and sing in the musical's chorus. Robert Longbottom is the cohesive agent, as director and main choreographer. Dreamgirls first opened on Broadway in 1981 at the Imperial Theatre. It swept the 1982 Tony Awards® ceremony with 13 nominations, taking home six awards. Dreamgirls won for Outstanding Choreography, Tom Eyen won for Best Book of a Musical and Jennifer Holliday won the Outstanding Actress in a Musical for playing Effie. The production had an almost four year run on Broadway with 1,521 performances at its close. In 2006, when Dreamgirls hit the silver screen in an adaptation staring Beyonce Knowles as Deena and Jennifer Hudson as Effie; its popularity grew as the awards continued to pour in. It won two Oscars, including Jennifer Hudson's win for Best Supporting Actress, five Golden Globes, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. And the original song "Love You I Do" won a Grammy Award. The movie's most popular song "Listen" is in the new stage version; it is a duet in Act II featuring Effie and Deena. As a venue, the regal 3000-seat Segerstrom Hall is the best theatre around. The Orange County Performing Arts Center continually brings the most sought after performers and ensembles to the area for entertainment and education that is rich in culture and intellectual stimulation. Wells Fargo is generously sponsoring this season's 2009 – 2010 Broadway and Curtain Call Series, which includes the production of Dreamgirls. DREAMGIRLS Orange County Performing Arts Center – Segerstrom Hall 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 April 20 – May 2, 2010 The Saturday May 1 show will be sign-language interpreted. Tickets start at $20 714-556-2787 Group tickets: 714-755-0236 www.OCPAC.org Dreamgirls: The Revival of Divas at Segerstrom Hall APRIL 21-MAY 2 THE MARCH TODO LIST