Star Power seemed just about the perfect fractal for a review of the latest touring company of Dreamgirls. While the cast aren't "quite" stars--they certainly have a lot of power. Read on if you want to know more.
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The Producers of Dreamgirls did a lot of things right: they spent their money where it would do the most good--in top notch vocal talent, elegant, effective (and abundant) costumes and a massive, five-panel LCD background. This show is all about the music and they showcased it beautifully. I didn't even miss the fact that there were no virtually no props and only one set-piece for the entire play. It helped a lot that the show had fourteen musicians (instead of the usual five maximum) common in most touring productions.
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If you've been living under a rock--here's a quick plot review. Dreamgirls parallels the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes (with just enough factual changes to keep the Writers and Producers out of court). The story begins at the Apollo Theater in 1962 where the "Dreamettes" are trying to break into Show Business by winning a talent contest. Their "Manager" (Used Car Salesman) Curtis Taylor Jr. talks them into a gig as backup singer for Jimmy "Thunder" Early (clearly a reference to James Brown). Through hard work (and Payola) Curtis gets the Dreamettes R&B Stardom and a presence on the (then all white) Pop Charts where the "real money" was. Along the way lead singer Effie White (a vocal powerhouse but a fat girl) is replaced by prettier but less-talented Deena Jones. A resentful Effie is pushed out and has to start again. When Effie scores a minor hit a spiteful Curtis has it squashed--which leads to his downfall and a tacked-on happy ending.
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Patrice Covington (the alternate) has all the chops: her runs and the musical tricks she can do are nothing short of spectacular. Still, I found her performance vergining on the desperate in I am Telling You--the closer of Act One. (In all honesty though--that might simply have been her trying to coax some energy out of a listless matiness audience.) Even so, her character Effie suffers from not being particularly likeable (and the best actress in the world can't overcome that. Effoe os a chroic complainer and after a while I just wished she shut up and go away!
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American Idol alum Syeesha Mercado has the looks and a pretty good voice to boot. In fact, the whole cast is pretty damn good--whether they are singing solo or in tight, sweet harmony. What little choreography there is (mostly posing while singing) is done well. Only Chester Gregory as Jimmy gets to do much moving and his voicals are often as blistering as the female leads: his arc from swaggering prince to about-to-be-has-been is totally believeable. Still, I found myself growing bored after nearly three hours: yes, they can SING! but it's just not music I want to listen to for prolonged periods.
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And I did have a few problems with the show. As Curtis, Chaz Lamar Shepherd has a relatively weak voice compared to the rest of the cast. I was able to pick out glaring voical mistakes on no fewer than five occasions (and no non-professional should be able to do that.) I also had problems with the script: luckily I had already seen the movie adaptation so I knew the story but I'd have been lost a few times if I'd come to this play
ithout that background. Lastly, there are some leaps in logic in the script that left me going "say what???" more than once. Still and all, Dreamgirls is a worthy effort--if only for the music up on that stage. Fans of big voices, show-stopping numbers and sweet soul music should definitely make the effort to check out the show live.
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FINAL GRADE: A-
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