Laura and Samara spend their days as non-profit unicorns and fill every spare minute exploring the world of musical theatre as BFFs (that’s Broadway Friends Forever). Follow @bffs613 on X , Instagram and Facebook.
Orpheus Musical Theatre brings us the second show in their 2023/2024 season, with Dreamgirls hitting the Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe stages from March 1–10. Dreamgirls follows the story of the all-girl singing trio the Dreamettes and the trials and tribulations of their rise to fame.
Filled with talent, ambition and big dreams, Effie, Deena and Lorrell set their eyes on stardom. When Curtis Taylor takes on the trio as their manager, he does whatever he can to push them into the spotlight. As the group starts to make changes, trying to build and keep their success, friction forms and relationships fall apart.
Photo by Maria Vartanova
Inspired by groups like The Supremes and The Shirelles, the show brings a taste of 60s and 70s R&B music to the stage, fully immersing audiences into one of the most iconic eras of Motown. Even if you’ve never seen Dreamgirls you most likely have heard some of the iconic tunes from the show. Dreamgirls, And I’m Telling You (I’m Not Going) and One Night Only among many others, are musical theatre staples. The talented Orpheus cast has ensured you’ll be humming these hits long after you leave the theatre!
Orpheus always has a fantastic cast for its shows, but they turned it up a notch for this one. Patrice Xavier as Effie, Jerusha Lewis as Deena and Emmanuel Simon as Jimmy ‘James Thunder’ Early lead a powerful cast of very strong singers—which is great for a show known for having one of the most difficult songs on Broadway.
Photo by Maria Vartanova
Also turned up a notch for this production are the set and costumes. We won’t ruin it for you, but there’s a fantastic set piece that is not common to see in community theatre productions—it adds to the staging of this show beautifully. And with so many fantastic costumes and a huge cast to dress, the stunning suits, dresses and outfits stand out throughout the show.
Led by Sabrina Tang, the orchestra musicians also did a stellar job of bringing these incredible tunes to life. The human ear enjoys live music more than recorded, and we love it when productions ensure to use live musicians!
Step back into the world of Motown and grab your Dreamgirls ticket while you can because you, and you, and you, are gonna love it!
Orpheus Musical Theatre’s presentation of Dreamgirls takes place from March 1–10. Shows are Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Tickets start at $38, with reduced student and 29 & under tickets and $20 in-person rush tickets.
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