Richard E. Waits is DREAMGIRLS' Dream Guy at The Miramar Cultural Center

On Saturday, July 22 at 8:00pm and Sunday, July 23 at 2:00pm, Florida's preeminent Miramar Cultural Center (2400 Civic Center Place, Miramar FL) will present DREAMGIRLS the award-drenched musical triumph that became the most successful Broadway export on record.

Directed and choreographed by Ron Hutchins, this anticipated production will be presented in concert putting the glorious score in the spotlight where it belongs.

Written by Tom Eyen (lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music), DREAMGIRLS follows the impossibly hard-won rise and heart-breaking fall of a 1960's girl group whose myopically driven and success-obsessed manager, Curtis Taylor, Jr., single-handedly pulls them to the top of the heretofore Caucasian-controlled music charts.

Curtis Taylor's white-hot passion is color-blind. His ambition is amoral. He is consumed with creating a "new sound" and is convinced his Dreamgirls have got the chops to change the world - one platinum record at a time.

Curtis is the first African-American Talent Manager in what is becoming the most lucrative industry on Earth.

He is Machiavellian beyond his enemy's comprehension.

His business acumen is staggeringly clairvoyant.

His determination is brutal.

His talent is unprecedented.

His heart is made of stone.

But he builds his "wall of sound," and becomes a household name in millions and millions of houses that hadn't yet equated fame with color.

And as he rises to the top of Mount Olympus he has no problem balancing himself on anyone's neck that can get him one step higher - including Miss Effie Melody White's Grammy Award worthy throat.

Richard E. Waits plays Curtis Taylor, Jr. with a volcanic lust for all that Curtis has pre-ordained as his own.

And as is always the case with the Iconic Antagonists in the American Theatrical Lexicon; Curtis Taylor, Jr. gets what he wants - at least for now.

Richard E. Waits has previously playEd Curtis. He knows him inside and out.

And it's an exhilarating portrayal.

Mr. Waits understands what fuels Curtis as he burns through the Music Industry, his family and his friends.

But.

As Curtis would say, "It's business."

Show business.

Tickets for DREAMGIRLS are $35 and $45. A Special Package is available for $65 which includes Priority Seating and an invite to an Opening Night Cast Party following the performance on July 22 or a Post Show Reception on July 23. $25 tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more or students with ID (in person only). Please call 954-602-4500 or visit www.miramarculturalcenter.org.

About
DREAMGIRLS

DREAMGIRLS has a book and lyrics by Tom Eyen, with music by Henry Krieger. The original Broadway production was directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, with orchestrations by Harold Wheeler. DREAMGIRLS was produced on Broadway by Michael Bennett, Robert Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization and is presented by arrangement with TAMS-WITMARK MUSIC LIBRARY, INC., 560 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10022.

This program is supported in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Funding for this event is provided in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Additional support is provided by Rubenstein Law.

About
Richard E. Waits

Richard E. Waits is a proud member of both the Actors Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA. He was born in Buffalo, New York where he started his career dancing in a television commercial with the legendary Ginger Rogers after which he left for Broadway, Off-Broadway and the opportunity to tour nationally and throughout Europe. He has garnered rave notices for his acclaimed character portrayals of 'The Cop' in The View UpStairs, 'The Master Gardener' in Orchid, the Show, 'George' in Uncle Tom's Cabin, 'The Lion' in The Wizard of Oz, 'Boy Sam' in The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, 'Horse' in The Full Monty, and 'Sweet Daddy' in Best of Both Worlds directed by Tony Award winning Diane Paulus. His Pre-Broadway productions include First Wives Club, The Scottsboro Boys, Born Blue and A Tale of two Cities. In Concert on Broadway Mr. Waits has been featured in I Am Harvey Milk, Dreamgirls, Chess and Together Again. His Touring and international credits include Ragtime, the acclaimed Parisian productions of La Cage Aux Folles and Ain't Misbehavin', Swing, the record-smashing-long-running San Francisco production of Beach Blanket Babylon and the heralded Showboat at Goodspeed Opera House. His solo concert work has sold out in Paris, Frankfurt, Rome and Zurich. On Television he was featured on "Nash Bridges" with Don Johnson. Mr. Waits has also performed at the US Embassy in Holland, for President Jimmy Carter at the NAACP convention in Miami and for Kofi Annan at the 50th Year Anniversary celebration of the United Nations. His most recent Off-Broadway sojourn was the acclaimed The View Upstairs. His short film, Big T, is garnering critical praise and laurels at Film Festivals worldwide. As a playwright, his one-man show, Mama Rose, for which he also wrote the score, received the kind of notices that will usher it uptown. As a composer, his work has been commissioned by Maxwell House Coffee. As a committed philanthropist he has helped to raise over $10,000,000 for Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids. Social Media handle: @RichardEWaits

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