Review: DREAMGIRLS at The Muny

DREAMGIRLS premiered on Broadway in December of 1981 and ran for nearly 4-years. The music was composed by Henry Krieger with book and lyrics by Tom Eyen. Nominated for 11 Tony awards, the production won six including Performance by a Leading Actress, Leading Actor, Featured Actor, Best Book, Choreography, and Lighting Design of a Musical. It tells the story of the rise of The Dreams, a 1960s girl group led by the fictional Effie White, a singer with a huge voice that is replaced by another singer who the producer believes has more commercial appeal. 

Jennifer Holliday won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Effie in the original Broadway production. Her Grammy-winning recording of the now classic “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” made her a household name. Twenty-five years later, Jennifer Hudson won the supporting actress OSCAR for playing Effie in the film of the same name. Stepping into Effie’s shoes on The Muny stage is Tiffany Mann who was last seen in The Muny’s 2021 production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe.  

Mann is a powerhouse performer with riveting stage presence and gigantic voice. Her heartbroken, resentful, and bitter portrayal painted a determined Effie who would not be pushed aside. The Muny audience eagerly anticipated her performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” and she did not disappoint. Mann delivered a majestic vocal performance wrought with desperation that built to a dramatic crescendo, elicited mid-song applause, and seized the biggest moment of the show to create an unforgettable Effie. Her soulful “I Am Changing,” and “One Night Only” solidified her place among the actors who have preceded her in this role. Mann was magnificent. 

Charl Brown, Mann’s castmate from Smokey Joe’s Cafe, played The Dreams manager Curtis Taylor, Jr. Mann, Brown, and Aisha Jackson as Deena had perceptible chemistry. Effie's heartbreak was evident when she realized the man she loved was replacing her with Deena. Brown’s Curtis coldly pushed Effie aside to further his vision for The Dreams and pursue his desire for Deena. 

Jackson and Courtnee Carter (Lorrell) matured from their wide-eyed naiveté as the Effie’s back-up singers into confident and self-assured performers. Jackson, Carter, and Effie’s replacement Natalie Kay Clater (Michelle) looked like Motown royalty adorned in their matching gowns. They showed how their maturity gave them the requisite strength to take on the angry Effie, the cold Curtis, and the philandering Jimmy Early.  

Nick Rashad Burroughs created a memorable James “Jimmy” Early Thunder in the vein of James Brown. His cocky arrogance, strut, and gritty R & B timbre sold “Steppin’ to the Bad Side” and “Jimmy’s Rap.” Burroughs painfully conveyed Jimmy’s anger and despondence when Curtis dumps him because he is losing his relevance and ability to function in the music business. 

St. Louis Black Rep Founder and Artistic Director Ron Himes (Marty) created a strong portrayal of an ethical record producer and promoter. His work with Brown was stellar as he placed principles and values ahead of business success. It is a joy to see one of the preeminent St. Louis theater artists collaborating across companies and performing on The Muny stage. Armie Payton rounded out the principal cast in his role of Effie’s younger brother and songwriter C.C. White.  

The Muny’s costume design shop, led by Costume Designer Leon Dobkowski and Wig Designer Kelley Jordan, created stylish looks for The Dreams and the other singing groups. The hundreds of costumes and wigs were beautifully executed. The vintage looks captured the style of the decade. The costumes and wigs were the best of the technical work on the show, creating a beautiful on-stage look. 

The majority of the action in DREAMGIRLS takes place behind the stage or in dressing rooms. Scenic Designer Edward E. Haynes, Jr.'s minimalist set, and Elaine J. McCarthy’s video design created an intimate backstage feel. In the beginning of the second act, Haynes attempted to capture the glitz of an old Vegas Showroom with a glittering staircase center stage. The scene went on for far too long. It was intended to be the fabulous Vegas debut of Deena Jones and The Dreams, but the drawn-out scene was plagued by Lesia Kaye’s clunky choreography, the chorus’ inability to traverse the side staircases decked in their Vegas showgirl costumes, and the funereal look of the floral pieces adorning the staircase. It created a slow start to Act Two.  

In addition to the pacing problems at the beginning of the second act, the storytelling crawled through the first half of Act 1. Director Robert Clater’s tempo was sluggish. Twelve lackluster songs start the first act and create an abyss that can cause the show to sink before it gets started. The action in DREAMGIRLS does not pick up until The Dreams are established as a stand-alone act and the relationship between Effie, Curtis and the other women begin to implode. There was a missed opportunity for Clater to accelerate the rapidity of storytelling versus wallowing in the weightiness of the script and score in the first 40 minutes. 

There were instances where Conductor Ann Shuttleworth’s Music Direction and the orchestra overwhelmed the voices on stage. Last week’s exceptional sound design for Les Misérables by John Shivers and David Patridge was not matched by this week’s effort with DREAMGIRLS. At times, both the spoken and sung text were lost.  

Despite the issues with pacing, choreography, and sound, The Muny has staged a flashy and polished-looking production of DREAMGIRLS, with vivacious and energetic performances from Tiffany Mann, Aisha Jackson, Courtnee Carter, and Nick Rashad Burroughs. Diehard fans of DREAMGIRLS will enjoy this production, especially for Mann's powerful vocal performance, the work of the rest of the cast, and the costume/wig designs. DREAMGIRLS continues through July 3rd at The Muny in Forest Park. Click the link below to purchase tickets.

PHOTO CREDIT: Phillip Hamer

To post a comment, you must register and login.