Milwaukee Rep to Present DREAMGIRLS, Starring Nova Y. Payton, This Fall

Milwaukee Repertory Theater launches the Quadracci Powerhouse season with its highly anticipated production of the Tony Award-winning musical DREAMGIRLS.

Following sold-out runs of Ragtime and The Color Purple, Artistic Director Mark Clements reunites the production team for this groundbreaking musical about the rise and fall of three African-American women trying to make it in the music industry of the 1960's. As they soon discover, friendship and betrayal all come at the price of fame.

The all-star cast includes Nova Y. Payton, (DREAMGIRLS Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Award nomination; Hairspray Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Award) who "burns bright as Effie" (Washingtonian); Trisha Jeffrey (Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors; 2013 Broadway World Chicago Best Actress, Black Excellence Award, Black Theatre Alliance Award for "Celie" in The Color Purple at Mercury Theater Chicago) as Deena; and Dan'yelle Williamson (Broadway: Memphis; National Tour: The Lion King) as Lorrell- together known as "The Dreamettes."

Rounding out the principal cast is Jared Joseph (Broadway: Holler if Ya Hear Me) as Curtis Taylor Jr.; Richard Crandle (National Tour: Hairspray) as CC White and Cedric Neal (Broadway: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) as James "Thunder" Early a role that won him the Helen Hayes Award in Washington, D.C. for the Signature Theatre production; and Nathaniel Stampley (Broadway: The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, The Lion King; The Color Purple at Milwaukee Rep) as Marty.

"DREAMGIRLS is such a meaningful piece and one that I have wanted to direct for a long time," said Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements. "We have a stellar cast with voices that just soar. Listening to them sing the music of the 60s and 70s in rehearsal each day is such a joy and I can't wait for our patrons in Milwaukee to experience this powerful production in our intimate Quadracci Powerhouse space."

DREAMGIRLS runs in the Quadracci Powerhouse from September 22 - November 1 (Opening Night is September 26). Tickets (starting at $30 and subject to change) can be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490 or at the Ticket Office (108 E Wells Street). DREAMGIRLS is presented by BMO Private Bank. Executive Producers for the production are Jackie Herd-Barber and Michael Barber. Additional support is provided by Visit Milwaukee and Woo Connections. The Rep is sponsored in part by The United Performing Arts Fund.

The creative team for DREAMGIRLS includes: Mark Clements (artistic director/director); Dan Kazemi (music director); Stephen Mear (choreographer); Todd Edward Ivins (scenic designer); Alexander B. Tecoma (costumer designer); Thomas C. Hase (lighting designer); Barry G. Funderburg (sound designer); John Tanner (music supervisor); Jamie Cheatham (fight choreographer); JC Clementz (casting director); Mark Johnson (stage manager). For full bios of the entire cast of 25 and the creative team, click here.

Talks and Events:

- Rep-in-Depth: a pre-show conversation with DREAMGIRLS actors and Milwaukee's own Stampley siblings - Malkia Stampley and Nate Stampley. Rep-in-Depth occurs 45 minutes before curtain for every performance.
- TalkBacks: with the cast occur after the show on Friday evening performances (excluding previews).
- Community Conversations: occur primarily on Thursdays after the production:
-- Making It in the Music Industry: Milwaukee's Music Scene- Thursday, October 1
-- Empowering Women- Thursday, October 8
-- Women in the Arts -Sunday, October 11
-- Celebrating Female Singers - Thursday, October 29

For more information on these events and to see a list of panelists for our Community Conversations, follow this link.

Milwaukee Rep is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works, full-scale musicals, housed in its three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol, celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2015, at the beautiful and historic Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee's rich diversity.

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