Review: They Are Your DREAMGIRLS, They'll Make Ya Happy--Mostly

In the show's titular song, the cast of Dreamgirls, currently on tour and playing at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, promises to make you happy. And despite the faults of both this show and this particular production, that promise was upheld. More than anything, the characters' enthusiasm, especially early in the show, was infectious and exciting. Add in incredible performances and an interesting set, and the recipe has the potential to add up to a good night of theater.

Overall, the performers in this production have the vocal chops to live up to the show's famous score, but Moya Angela (Effie White), in particular, brought the house down. One of the best choices made for this production was to leave her standing alone on a bare stage with nothing but a black backdrop as she sang the famous showstopper 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going'. Nothing more was needed in that moment, and the starkness of the set perfectly complimented the rawness of her portrayal, allowing her voice and emotive performance to shine. She continued to own the stage beyond just that iconic song; her rendition of 'I Am Changing' in the second act was just as moving and just as powerful, and Angela commanded attention every time she opened her mouth.

Though she may have been the standout, Angela was hardly the only impressive member of the cast. Chester Gregory as Jimmy Early brought sympathy to a character who would be easy to write off or dislike. His vocals and dance moves were both impressive and entertaining. Adrienne Warren (Lorrell Robinson) seemed to grow into her character as Lorrell was growing into herself, although her voice was strong enough to match up to her costars' from the beginning. Syesha Mercado as Deena Johnson stumbled a bit through her character's inconsistencies, but especially came into her own in 'Listen', a new song written for the recent movie adaptation of Dreamgirls that has been added into the current stage revival. And Milton Craig Nealy's Marty was an appreciatEd Strong but understated counterpart to the other loud and wild personalities onstage.

The sets themselves were another highlight of the show. Five floor-to-ceiling LED panels twisted, turned, rose, and fell to highlight the emotive yet minimalist atmosphere. The panels were the perfect compliment to a fast-paced show that would hardly allow for long set-changes, and successfully portrayed the passage of both time and space while lending a cohesive feel to the production. There were a few moments with slightly overzealous LED displays that distracted from the performances going on in front of them, but for the most part, they supported the show beautifully.

Unfortunately, what could have added up to a great show fell short in a few places. Minneapolis' opening night was littered with technical difficulties, from loud feedback screeching through and overpowering the singing, to microphones that cut out entirely. William Ivey Long's costumes were impressive, but at times the fit of the wigs was downright distracting. Likewise, the frenzied pace of the show was occasionally overwhelming and hard to follow; extraneous characters and details appeared briefly and without explanation, and a few numbers seem not to fit the rest of the show at all. While the characters' joy was contagious, and Effie's anger and angst were heartbreaking, the rest of their emotional journey was sometimes less sympathetic.

While neither this show itself nor this production are flawless, the outstanding performances of Moya Angela and her castmates easily compensate for its shortcomings. It's not a perfect musical, nor even one of the best that has come through Minneapolis recently; that said, theatergoers will find it difficult to not enjoy what this cast has to offer.

Dreamgirls plays the Orpheum Theater through Sunday, January 17th.  For more information, visit http://www.hennepintheatretrust.org/ or http://www.dreamgirlsonstage.com/

Photo credit: Joan Marcus

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