Photo Coverage: Opening Night of DREAMGIRLS at the Apollo After Party

Producer John Breglio and the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. are presenting the premiere engagement of Dreamgirls at the Apollo Theater, prior to the national tour of the groundbreaking musical. Dreamgirls introduces Moya Angela as Effie White and features, as The Dreams, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, and Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris with Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Chester Gregory is James "Thunder" Early ,Trevon Davis as C.C. White, Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison in a cast of 26 that also features Tallia Brinson, Felicia Boswell, Patrice Covington, Ronald Duncan, Talitha Farrow, Brittney Griffin, James Harkness, Robert Hartwell, Eric Jackson, Chauncey Jenkins, Jared Joseph, Nikki Kimbrough, Brittany Lewis, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Jarran Muse, Amaker Smith and Marc Spaulding.

The national tour of Dreamgirls premieres at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater (253 West 125 Street), previews began Saturday, November 7, 2009, and opened Sunday, November 22, 2009, for 5 weeks only, through December, 12, 2009. Dreamgirls will be a highlight of the Apollo Theater's 75th Anniversary celebration in 2009. The national tour has announced a series of cities and dates where the musical will visit, the current listing can be found by clicking here.

Dreamgirls is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with co-choreography by Shane Sparks, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, media design by Howard Werner for Lightswitch and is produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions. Following the Apollo Theater engagement, the national tour of Dreamgirls will play Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Costa Mesa, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and more.

Dreamgirls tells the rags-to-riches story of an up-and-coming 1960's girl group from Chicago, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. The original Broadway production of Dreamgirls opened December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre and won six 1982 Tony Awards. Dreamgirls closed on Broadway August 11, 1985, after 1,522 performances. Dreamgirls features music by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy-Award winner Tom Eyen. The original Broadway production was directed byMichael Bennett and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. Dreamgirls was adapted into a motion picture by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, and opened in December 2006.

For further information, visit www.apollotheater.org. For more information, please visitwww.dreamgirlsonstage.com.

Syesha Mercado

Syesha Mercado

Adrienne Warren

Adrienne Warren

Moya Angela

Moya Angela

Margaret Hoffman

Chester Gregory

Chester Gregory

Chester Gregory and Chaz Lamar Shepherd

Chaz Lamar Shepherd

Milton Craig Nealy

Jared Joseph and James Harkness

Margaret Hoffman and Patrice Covington

Robert Longbottom and Henry Krieger

Felicia Boswell

Adrienne Warren, Moya Angela,Syesha Mercado 

Margaret Hoffman, Adrienne Warren, Moya Angela and Syesha Mercado

Brittney Griffin and Eric Jackson

The Dreamgirls Ensemble!

Trevon Davis

Stepping to the bad side with the men of DREAMGIRLS!

Milton Craig Nealy and guest

Margaret Hoffman, Adrienne Warren, Jonelle Procope,
John Breglio, Moya Angela & Syesha Mercado

Adrienne Warren, Moya Angela and Syesha Mercado

They're your DREAMGIRLS! Adrienne Warren, Moya Angela and Syesha Mercado