BWW Reviews: Musical Monday Features the Songs of DREAMGIRLS in Kansas City

Some of the strongest, most dynamic voices in Kansas City resounded Monday night February 17 onto the stage of the Off Center Theatre in Crown Center. Dreamgirls, the theme for Musical Theatre Heritage's Musical Monday, featured some songs from the musical by composer Henry Krieger.

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures made the Broadway musical Dreamgirls into a musical drama film in 2006. The story of Dreamgirls follows a girl group known as the Dreams and an unscrupulous record executive in Motown. Critics described it as a history of Motown and in particular, the Supremes, a concept that Krieger adamantly denied. At $80 million Dreamgirls is the most expensive film starring an all Africa American cast in cinema history.

Tim Scott hosted the musical spectacular and with the help of George Harter, host of the nationally syndicated radio series "A Night on the Town," supplied an insight into the making of the play, movie, and Musical Monday production. The Musical Monday production included songs from Dreamgirls mixed with numbers from Beaches and Working among others. The program opened with Scott and the girls singing "One Night Only" from Dreamgirls an appropriate song as the program runs just once.

Jessalyn Kincaid offered the audience a glimpse of her tremendous vocal versatility with "Otto Titsling," from the movie Beaches. She later explained she had to select a song that would highlight her vocals among the strong talented cast selected to perform. Later in the program, she performed "Let's Go Crazy," a song she sang 10 years ago in Late Night Theatre's production of Purple Rain, in which she portrayed Prince.

Act one ended with the strong powerful voice of Ron Lackey singing "Hold Me in Your Heart" then followed by Linnaia MacKenzie with "I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls. Anyone who has watched her perform should agree with a line from the song that pronounces her immense talent, "You're gonna love me, yes you are."

Act Two featured an opening number from Matthew King accompanied by members of the cast of Godspell singing "Save the People." Currently in rehearsal with Steven Eubanks and Egads! Theatre Company, Godspell opens on March 1.

Stefanie Wienecke treated the audience to a remarkable performance of "Avalanche." Previously she appeared in Hello Again and Carrie the Musical. In March, she performs in the Musical Theatre Heritage production of Bernstein's Broadway.

Other members of the fabulous cast included Damron Armstrong, Enjoli Gavin, Teal Holiday, and one lottery winner.

Scheduled for April 14 the next Musical Monday will run a rare second day on Tuesday the 15. Each program features an opportunity for local entertainers to sing one song. Seven to ten days before the show opens a lottery is held and winners are invited to perform. Purchase tickets for Musical Mondays and other Musical Theater Heritage performances by vising the website.

Photo courtesy of Tim Scott.

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