Photo Flash: DREAMGIRLS at the Apollo Theater

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, 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 opens Sunday, November 22, 2009, for 4 weeks only, through Sunday December, 6, 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.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary season in 2009-2010, the legendary Apollo Theater has been a driving force in shaping America's music and cultural landscape and has played a major role in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul and hip-hop. The Apollo Theater Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1991, is dedicated to the preservation and development of the Apollo Theater. The Apollo is located in the heart of Harlem at 253 West 125 Street, between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd (7th Ave.) and Frederick Douglass Blvd (8th Ave.), and is easily accessible by public transportation via the A, B, C, D, 2, and 3 trains. For further information, visit www.apollotheater.org. For more information, please visit www.dreamgirlsonstage.com.

Photos by Joan Marcus

Syesha Mercado, Moya Angela and Adrienne Warren

Moya Angela

Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Moya Angela

Chester Gregory and the cast

Margaret Hoffman, Adrienne Warren and Syesha Mercado with the ensemble

Chester Gregory and Adrienne Warren

Margaret Hoffman, Syesha Mercado and Adrienne Warren

Chester Gregory, Syesha Mercado, Moya Angela and Adrienne Warren

Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Adrienne Warren, Syesha Mercado, Moya Angela, Chester Gregory and Trevon Davis