Customer Reviews

Dreamgirls in Concert (2001 Concert Cast)

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

DREAMGIRLS may be the closest thing Broadway has ever come to an authentic and richly textured pop/R&B opera. There are more than three dozen numbers in the show, which is almost entirely sung through.Not only do the songs reflect a variety of musical traditions, but they have a kind of musical sophistication, with key musical and verbal leitmotifs ("You were wonderful Miss Jones," "You're bringing us down," "It's just showbiz") accruing new meanings as they're repeated throughout the show. Most of the songs are sung as numbers by the Dreams and the R&B groups they meet, but they comment in fascinatingly textured ways upon the action of the show's major characters. Unfortunately the original show was given an extremely truncated cast recording that beautifully demonstrated the skills of the legendary Jennifer Holiday in the central role of Effie, but didn't give the marvelous libretto and score their due.

Twenty years later, we finally have a full recording of DREAMGIRLS--with all of its complexity restored. It is hard to imagine that for a score of years people who were not lucky enough to have seen the original show on Broadway had no idea of the terrifically complex ensemble numbers such as "It's All Over" and "Heavy," which add so much to the characterization and meaning of the work. Some of the Dreams' hit numbers from when they become famous which exist only in a few tantalizing musical phrases--"Step On Over," "I'm Somebody"--are now available for the first time on recording. This is really a superb show, and more than worthy of a fullscale revival.

And what a dream of a cast we have on this concert recording! Lilias White is a superb Effie White: although her voice, while magnificent in its own right, doesn't have quite the power of Jennifer Holliday's (but then, whose does?), she still manages to make the role her own in this performance. But the real miracles are the other two stars, Heather Headley (Broadway's Aida) as Lorrell and the inestimable Audra McDonald as Deena.

Headley is really a revelation in her role: as expected, she makes Lorrell's great Act II number "Aint' No Party" a showstopper, but she also acts the hell out of the role's other moments in this recording, making her coltish and vulnerable Lorrell a real delight. As for McDonald, this may be the best performance she's ever given, which (given her exceptional work elsewhere) is really saying something. When this production was announced McDonald mentioned to the press that Deena Jones was a role she had always longed to play, and this production shows exactly why: the part is perfectly suited for McDonald's talents. She's superb conveying both Deena's sweet ingenuousness in the first act and her growing confidence in the second, and even tinges the role at the appropriate points with the right note of mounting panic (catch the Garlandesque rising gasp of near-hysteria in her voice when she announces in the Act II opening medley she's "bought out Europe"). And she's in splendid voice: her first rendition of the show's title number is the recording's true highlight, even considering the other treats here. Indeed, it's almost fortunate we have MacDonald's performance here for this one-time concert version because she's SO good that her Deena would never work onstage (given that Deena isn't supposed to be as good a singer as Effie--here, all three Dreams are equally superb singers).

Given that this is a concert recording, there are a few minor glitches here and there that aren't what one would wish for: the actor who sings the Pat Boone-like final reprise of "Cadillac Car," for example, is pretty flat. But that's a small quibble. This is a production one could never hope to see onstage, and we are lucky to have it available on cd.

This Dreamgirls Benefit Concert was a DREAM come true. Hundreds of Broadway Divas lined the stage to belt their hearts out for this "One Night Only" event.

In turn we are now blessed with this definitive, complete recording of this cult classic, dialogue and all. This is one of my favorite cds to listen to on long road trips because you take the entire journey, or highs and lows along with them. And there are MANY highs and lows on this cd!

Let me start at the beginnging. The excitement, the energy is all reflected on this cd. Every interpretation is rich and sincere. It sounds like you're listening to a reading. All the actor's performances are nearly flawless, and that's not shocking seeing the AMAZING cast that was assembled for this event.

Lilias White, the Diva behind "The Life" among others is Effie Melody White and a force to be reckoned with. Her Effie is night and day to Holliday's Effie. Holliday held back all throughout Act One with the exception of "Move" and then knocked us out in "And I'm Telling You" but White does not hold ANYTHING back! She's brassy, she's pushy, she's the Diva Effie. Now who knows which interpretation is preferred, but I prefer White's entire interpretation as opposed to Holliday's. White can also act and emote rings around Holliday's powerhouse voice. You can feel White all throughout the story. From the meeker subtle diva, to the diva fighting for her place in the group, and secretly fighting to keep the father of her child. It's White's nonchalant ghetto-divaness that makes this all work. We feel hometown, mo-town, singing doo wops on the fire hydrants.

The hometown feel is amplified by Heather Headley's hilarious portrayal of Lorell. Although Headley's vocals are far from the ease and intensity of Devine's Lorell, Headley is heads above on the acting and performace. Her transformation from shy middle girl to pissed off group member to independant woman is awesome! Headley's strongest moments are the fighting dialogue scenes and the songs where the Dreams are singing together. Headley is not afraid to be the top belter and hit those impossible harmonies. Her "Ain't No Party" isn't very strong, and flat at some points, yet is still effective because of her performance and acting for the song. Most effective in the fight scene towards the end of Act I. She hits the most amazing notes.

I am STILL amazed at how much I LIKE Audra's Deena Jones. I, like so many others, didn't think she was right for the part, but I think Audra proved us all wrong. What part IS she wrong for!!?! Her acting is probably the best on this cd. Audra's intensity shines through, from her meek beginning to Superstar Deena-Diva. "I Don't Keep dragging everybody down! I Keep Working for you baby!" Her acting is fierce. And her smooth vocals seem so appropriate for Deena, much more so than the original. All three Dreamgirls seemed to take much more of a journey when brought to life by these three Tony Ward Winning knock-outs.

The men on this cd are just as good as the woman. Curtis is played by the sensational Norm Lewis of Side Show. An intense actor with a golden voice and sincere deliveries. Billy Porter's over the top portrayal of the James Brown-esque Jimmy is amazing. You really know why all of these characters are famous for their voices and performances. Not only can Billy sing like no other, but his acting was very strong too, starting off as the hilariously bawdy "It-Man" to the begging and scrounging, lost and struggling performer. Darius De Haas plays the smooth sounding CC, and gets to play around with the vocals to show off his amazing range.

The ensemble is a Who's Who of Broadway newcomers! Alice Ripley, Emily Skinner, Patrick Wilson, Orpheh, Shoshanna Bean to name a few, which gives us the full impact of the powerful score. The Pit Singers add all the intensity and the excitement to the scene, and man, what voices these women have got.

All in all Dreamgirls the Benefit concert is a must have. Some might say it will never be better than the original cast recording, that may be so, but this is the full score, the full show, with an amazingly talented, well acted and performed cast. You couldn't ask for anything better.

What a Dream... to record ALL the music and ALL the dialogue with ALL these stars! I did not realize how much of the original production I have forgotten by only having the first cast recording as the living memory.

The three Dreams are dreams... Audra McDonald, Lillias White, and Heather Headley. Add the voices of Darius de Haas and Norm Lewis and there's nothing left to say but to repeat Deena Jones herself... "Wonderful... What can I say but wonderful... Yes it's Wonderful"

Lillias White makes "I am changing" and "One Night Only" the cornerstones of Effie's performances, which I think is wise so as not to invite the inevitable comparison to Jennifer Holidays' magnificent "And I am telling you I'm not Going". I like Billy Porter very much, but on this recording his voice was not at its normal, powerful level. Not to worry, because Darius de Haas' "Family" and Norm Lewis' "When I first Saw You" hold up the male side of the CD beautifully. I do not know these two performers, but I hope to hear more from them. De Haas' duet with White, "I miss you old Friend" is imbued with power and sensitivity.

The dialogue also allows Audra McDonald's and Heather Headley's acting to shine through. And we get to take full character journeys in McDondald's Deena, Lewis' Curtis, and de Haas' CC. And I totally forgot that the character of Michelle actually has a story line, but thankfully Tamara Tunie serves the character well.

Buy this and spend a night at a full broadway show!

DREAMGIRLS is simply the best, most exciting, and most moving backstage musical to appear since GYPSY in 1959.

The original Broadway cast album was meticulously produced at the very end of the LP era with the flawless original cast, but for obscure reasons (having to do with LP sound quality) only a fraction of the score made it onto record.

Anyone who saw DREAMGIRLS on Broadway or elsewhere knows how much great material is missing from that album, so it's a blessing to now have something close to Eyen, Krieger, and Bennett's masterpiece complete on two CDs.

This is a live recording, so the vocals sometimes lack the polish of the studio version, but the electricity of the occasion, the smart casting, and the thrilling playing of the orchestra more than make up for the occasional vocal glitch.

MacDonald's voice isn't really right for Deena (listen to Sheryl Lee Ralph's brilliant near-impersonation of Diana Ross on the Broadway version) but this resourceful singer nearly always makes you forget this. White is terrific, though sometimes lacking Holliday's unique combination of brute force and subtle shadings of tone. Heather Headley is fine as Lorelle, but doesn't banish memories of Loretta Devine's original.

Every member of the cast is a superb singing actor, but their strenuous efforts make you realize how wickedly difficult this score is to sing. I think this wonderful show is rarely produced only because it's so hard to find performers who are up to singing it.

A CHORUS LINE may have been a phenomenon, but DREAMGIRLS was Bennett's masterpiece -- and not just because Krieger's music is so much better than Hamlisch's. The story, the lyrics, the characters all fuse into a perfect whole, thrilling and funny and finally incredibly moving. This is a show overflowing with honest, deep, powerful emotions -- something conspicuously lacking in both the brittle, self-conscious works of Sondheim and his imitators and the prefab mega-musicals Broadway has seen in recent years.

Musical lovers should own both albums -- the Broadway recording for the awesome, legendary performances of Holliday and the rest of the unbeatable cast, and this new one for its completeness and its one-night-only excitement.

This new DREAMGIRLS, if less vocally perfect, is even more affecting than the original -- because we get the full emotional impact of the story and the characters, driving a sell-out crowd nearly out of its mind with excitement.

Love of the show. Love of the music. Love of the performers. Love of the audience and of musical theatre itself. LOVE is what this wonderful new recording is all about. Buy it and hear for yourself.

Dreamgirls is a masterpiece, period. It's songs spin from Motown recitative to powerhouse ballads. It's an ambitious score that evokes an era of American music history where true talent was discovered and music was well-crafted. Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen captured the heart and soul of Motown and gave it dramatic context. Seth Rudetsky commands this challenging score masterfully. He keeps it clipping along and maintains a tightness over a score that is so well-written it seems like improvisation.

Dreamgirls is a showbiz musical and it seems appropriate that this new recording is live. The excitement, and uncontrollable energy of both performers and audience is palpable. Each performer is in great voice and hits the ground running with the music. Heather Headly, Audra McDonald and Lillias White all offer fiery performances that create real people, a world, and conflict -- this recording achieves what most cast recordings only dream of -- and something the original recording failed to do, because of it's truncation. The handful of songs captured for the original cast recording stood on their own. However, with this new recording, the songs come flying out of emotionally charged song/scenes and become part of a larger dramatic tapestry -- allowing them a fuller glory.

Fans of the original Jennifer Holliday version -- do not fear. No one can be Jennifer Holliday -- and as any good actor should, Lillias White makes Effie all her own. There is something entirely new and unique offered here and it is successful. The original recording left fans hungry for more in the form of a fuller preservation of the score -- and so does this recording -- but now we beg for a major revival.

Henry Krieger is a phenomenal talent and it is shameful that his work does not play Broadway more often. Perhaps this recording will push people to investigate his work and to take another look at SideShow, which was unfortunatley rushed off the Broadway stage all too swiftly.

I am thirlled to have the show in its entirity now, including the dialoque. And while I agree with other reviewers here that Audra McDonald was not perfectly cast (her voice is too good for Deana), her stong acting ability makes up for the casting, and on this CD acting counts! Heather Headly brings a new, bolder perspective to Lorel that I ilke very much. And Lillias White's "I am Changing" and "One Night Only" trulely showcase what this amazing voice can do solo! Yet Lillias is still very generous in sharing the limelight in other songs, like "Miss you Old Friend" with Darius de Haas' CC. And de Haas' versital voice and sensitivity make "Family" a show stopper. Then there is golden throated Norm Lewis... he even sounds sexy, which is important for the role of Curtis! Billy Porter's normally great voice seemed off a bit, but again, not the best casting choice for Thunder Early.

I still love the original, but this 2001 concert brings new colors to the show without deminishing the greatness of the team of Holiday, Devine, or Ralph. Get this new CD for the whole show, for the voices of White, Lewis, and de Haas, and the character interpretations of Headley and McDonald... All dream girls and boys!

...this Actor's Fund benefit was so ... good, they're reviving it on Broadway in 2004. Audra McDonald is her usual gorgeous self (physically and vocally) and once Lilias White gets through "And I Am Telling You...." (who can compete with the Holliday memories, anyway), she relaxes and takes off like a rocket. And Norm Lewis must be the most undervalued Broadway performer today. But, kids, the rocket in the pocket of this show is Mr. Billy Porter -- a transcendent, sexy, roof-blowing, star-making performance. Jimmy's got SOUL indeed. I show a video of this in a class I teach on musical theater and even my Western Michigan students (in an area where there are, like, 5 black people altogether) are blown away by this video and these performers. Highest recommendation.

Dreamgirls is a fantastic musical and definitely should have won the Tony the year it was nominated. I saw the revival in 1987 (I think) when it returned to Broadway after its national tour. The staging was incredible...who'd ever think that costume changes could make for stunning, exhilarating, theater; and not once, but twice! Arnetia Walker was incredible as Lorelle and blew everyone else off of the stage. And the last scene of the first act leading into and out of, "And I Am..." is unbelievable. This show has everything going for it.

Unfortunately, this recording doesn't. The best thing about it is that it finally, finally, brings the whole score to an audience that will only be exposed to it via a recording. It's five-star material. The main feeling you are left with, though, after listening to this, is what an absolute crime it was that the original cast album wasn't captured in its entirety as this is.

The women range from okay to embarrassing. Lillias White is the best of the distaff lot and has her best moment in "I Am Changing", but it's impossible not to hear and see the untouchable Jennifer Holliday in your head.

Audra McDonald may be a talented singer and actress, when cast correctly as with "Ragtime", but, I'm sorry, she is way out of her element here and can't touch Sheryl Lee Ralph's original interpretation. No matter how talented a person may be, that doesn't mean they are right for every part, and she isn't anywhere close to right for this one. Her vocal quality is completely unsuitable for this role.

Even lower on the scale is Heather Headley. I know she is considered a darling of the Broadway scene as well, but I find most of her work here almost shockingly bad. She absolutely destroys "Ain't No Party". Granted, it's the hardest song in the whole show because the entire thing is set in a high, screaming, chest-voice tessitura, but that's no excuse for the butchery done to it here. And to make it unanimous, she's no Loretta Devine either.

As for Tamara Tunie in the smaller role as Michelle, the fourth Dreamgirl...well, the less said the better. Awful. Simply awful. Her voice actually cracks in multiple places.

Luckily, all of the men fare far better, and are at least comparable to the original cast. Norm Lewis, especially, holds his own. (And if you haven't purchased the original cast recording of "Side Show" go immediately to that link and purchase it after finishing reading this! He and Emily Scott and Alice Ripley are incredible, and there are several absolute knock-out numbers in that score.)

Setting aside its disappointments, it's definitely still worth owning just to have a recording of the whole show. But, ultimately, you're left to wonder what might have been.

Never having had the opportunity of seeing the show performed and having just about worn out my copy of the original cast recording, it is wonderful to finally be able to hear the show in its entirety. Things certainly make a lot more sense now. This is a wonderful aural experience even without the incomparable Jennifer Holliday. Lillias White is very good but let's face it, noone can compare with Jennifer's reading of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going. The magnificent Billy Porter seems a little down on some tracks but his I Want You, Baby and the extended Firing Of Jimmy are sensational. The other standout performances are Heather Headley as Lorrell and Darius de Haas as C.C. The production is not as full as the earlier studio recording with some of the instrumentation sounding a little thin but that's to be expected given that it was recorded live in concert. Still a great recording.

Having seen the original Broadway production and being very familiar with that soundtrack, I was disappointed by this. While I'm glad to have a complete recording, I just felt like it lacked the spark of both the Broadway and movie recordings, especially Audra McDonald's performance (which surprised me). I'm not talking about the difference in quality because it's a live recording - I'm talking about the performances themselves. The feeling behind the words and music wasn't really there.