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DreamWorks Promotes Dreamgirls by Waiving Amateur Production Fees

By: Nov. 21, 2005
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DreamWorks Pictures, which is co-producing the highly-anticipated Dreamgirls film along with Paramount Pictures, has put forth an offer that will encourage amateur productions of the musical.

The new website of the film states that beginning on January 1st, 2006, "DreamWorks pictures will pay all the licensing fees for amateur productions of the award-winning musical Dreamgirls in the United States and Canada."  The offer encompasses high school, college and community theatre productions, but does not extend to dinner theatres and professional theatres.  The offer was initiated with the "goal of introducing a new generation of theatregoers to Dreamgirls" before the film's release in December of 2006.  The movie musical commences filming in January.

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"American Idol"'s Jennifer Hudson will play Effie Melody White, the phenomenally talented vocalist who is considered unmarketable as the lead singer of the Supremes-like Motown group The Dreams, and who is dropped in favor of the glamorous Deena Jones. In addition, the Internet Movie Database is reporting that Sharon Leal (Rent, "Guiding Light," "Boston Public") as Michelle, who replaces Effie in the Dreams. Beyoncé Knowles will play Deena, while the cast also includes Eddie Murphy as soul superstar James "Thunder" Early, Danny Glover as Early's manager Marty Madison, Academy-Award winner Jamie Foxx as Dreams manager Curtis Taylor Jr., three-time Tony Award-winner Hinton Battle as Wayne, and Tony Award-winner Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson, the vivacious third member of the Dreams.

Dreamgirls will be directed by Bill Condon, the Academy Award-winner who received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for the film version of Chicago. He will also adapt the screenplay from Tom Eyen's book (Eyen also wrote the lyrics to Henry Kreiger's music).
 
Dreamgirls opened at the Imperial Theatre on December 20th, 1981. A smash hit, it ran for 1521 performances and won 8 of it 15 Tony nominations. The show featured a score by Henry Krieger and Tow Ewen, a book by Ewen, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge and lighting design by Tharon Musser. Dazzlingly staged by Michael Bennett, the show nonetheless lost the Best Musical Tony to Nine. Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine were the three Dreams, and Cleavant Derricks, Ben Harney and Obba Babatunde were also featured. Dreamgirls was revived in 1987 with Lillias White, Alisa Gyse and Arnetia Walker. Heather Headley, Audra McDonald and White headlined the 2001 Actors' Fund benefit concert..



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