Dreamgirls (1982 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tom Eyen, Ben Harney, Henry Krieger, Loretta Devine, Obba Babatunde, Cleavant Derricks, Dreamgirls (Related Recordings), Jennifer Holliday | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1982
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Decca U.S.
• ASIN: B000000OM9
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,546 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Contemporary Musicals

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars not perfect but still the best, April 4, 2003

By 

eclectictastes "eclectictastes" (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamgirls (1982 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

This came out as an LP when I was a freshman in high school and still gets regular play as an upgraded CD on my player today. It wasn't until I actually saw the Broadway musical that I realized how truncated this version was. The recent live release with Audra McDonald, Lillias White and Heather Headley rectifies that problem by including all of the missing material but it's still not as fresh and fiery as the original cast recording.

From the cowbells leading into Move (You're Stepping On My Heart) to the harmony of Hard to Say Goodbye My Love, this recording hits all the right notes. Jennifer Holliday is superb as are Sheryl Lee Ralph and the woefully underutilized Loretta Devine. All three women have gone onto varying degrees of success in television and music but it's pure magic here. These three could have given any real life female singing group a run for it's money. With the recent success of Chicago the movie, there are rumors that Dreamgirls might finally make it to the big screen. Too bad the studios didn't do it when Holliday, Devine and Ralph were all still young enough to play the roles they originated.

Let's not forget the Dream Guys either...Ben Harney, Cleavant Derricks, Obba Babatunde and Vondie Curtis Hall. Like the women, the men have had varying degrees of success although Harney seems to have disappeared. Fake Your Way to the Top and Steppin to the Bad Side will have you moving.

This is the CD to get.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Did The Original Dreamgirls Sound Like?, December 16, 2006

By 

Living Soul 1982 (Hollywood, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamgirls (1982 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

With the interest in the film version, a new generation of listeners will eventually discover that `Dreamgirls' has a rich legacy in American theater and pop music. If you're one of those who was wondering what the original `Dreamgirls' sounded like you've come to the right place. Although this original Broadway soundtrack has nowhere near the amount of songs contained on the film soundtrack, its principle compositions are included in this concise yet unforgettable piece of American music.

Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine as the original `Dreamgirls' deliver the energy and enthusiasm authors Henry Kreiger and Tom Eyen intended. On the masculine side Ben Harney, Cleavant Derricks anchor the funky `Steppin' To The Bad Side', while Obba Babatunde tenderly pleads for unity in `Family'.

While you'll appreciate all of the fine vocals on the 1981 Broadway score, the focus of this album is Jennifer Holliday. `Dreamgirls' owes its' longevity in large part to the devastating God-given talents of Ms. Holliday. She won the Tony award for Best Actress playing `Effie' and her performance on the shows' signature song `And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' is one of the finest moments ever recorded in American music. Few, if anyone, in Broadway or in the music industry have ever had the passion, power and presence Jennifer Holliday displayed as the original Dreamgirl.

[...]

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, thrilling, inspiring, December 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Dreamgirls (1982 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

And I am telling you, you will love this! DREAMGIRLS is a fictional story of the rise and rise of a sixties crossover girl group (parallels to Diana Ross and the Supremes are purely coincidental, wink wink). This is one of the all-time great musical scores-if you love Motown, you will love this CD. The entire cast-Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Obba Babatunda, many more-is superb. So why only 4 stars instead of 5? They recorded less than half the score! The show is practically an opera, and more than an hour of great music is missing from this recording. Of all the shows being re-recorded nowadays, this is the one that most deserves a double CD complete recording. Theatre lovers everywhere: write your congressman and demand a DREAMGIRLS reunion concert!! Until then, this CD is pure joy.