Polished, high-energy production directed by Kenny Moten runs through Oct. 29
With the captivating musical Dreamgirls, Lone Tree Arts Center has returned to producing live theatrical productions for the first time in several years. Having shuttered theatrical events because of the pandemic, Lone Tree has chosen this behind-the-scenes show business story, directed by Kenny Moten, to recapture the magic of live stage presentations. With the book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, Dreamgirls opened on Broadway in 1981 under the direction of Michael Bennett (A Chorus Line) and was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, winning six awards.
Dreamgirls is the story of the singing group The Dreams as they move through a lifetime of emotions in several short years attempting to succeed in the super competitive world of girl groups. Loosely based on the story of Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Dreams hail from Chicago and includes lead singer Effie White (Shena Renee,) Deena Jones (Fairin Moon Hightower,) and Lorrell Robinson (Cha’Rel Wright.) The group’s mentor is the already-established R&B singer James “Thunder” Early (Lawrence Flowers), the group’s manager is Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Brian Boyd,) and C.C. White (Russell J. Scott) – Effie’s younger brother – is the main songwriter for The Dreams.
As Lorrell and Deena pair up romantically with Early and Taylor, Jr., there Is a seismic event playing out just beneath the surface. Effie is being replaced as the lead singer of The Dreams by Deena, who is considered conventionally more beautiful than Effie. Act One closes with the show-stopping musical number “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going,” sung by the overly distraught Effie upon losing her headlining status (and her man) while being replaced by singer Michelle Morris (Heidi Carann Snider.) However, in true show-biz fashion, the musical has a slightly hopeful yet bittersweet ending when all four Dreams, Deena, Lorrell, Michelle, and yes, Effie sing their final song together “Hard to Say Goodbye, My Love.”
Renee brings a solid vocal presence to the role of Effie with her Act One finale and the song “I Am Changing,” both of which nearly stop the show. Her character is understandably upset by being bounced from The Dreams; however, it is not totally unexpected, having brought much of it upon herself. Renee does not play the role of Effie as a victim, but rather someone who has the best intentions for the group but is frequently misunderstood.
In the roles of Deena and Lorell, Hightower, and Wright both have the right moves as a member of a traditional girl group of the 1960s. Their singing voices are strong and highlighted throughout the production. Hightower is appropriately destined for stardom while Wright fits neatly into the category of backup singer as part of The Dreams. Snider slides into the role of Morris without much fanfare, however, she is a welcome addition to the group.
Playing a pivotal role in Dreamgirls, Boyd brings to the production a strong sense of direction to the role of Curtis, Jr. He is in love with Deena but knows he must keep Effie happy to maintain the status quo of the group. Ultimately, he is not successful, but he doesn’t waver from his prime intention of making Deena a superstar by giving a first-rate performance worthy of the audience’s attention. Both Flowers as Early and Scott as White round out the cast with effective and meaningful performances.
Kenny Moten, an award-winning director, vocalist and writer, has directed a polished and high-energy production of Dreamgirls with strong characters and musical numbers. The action moves swiftly from scene to scene with little time for the audience to reflect on the action just passed, however, this intensity works well in telling the story from start to finish. With a variety of musical styles making up the score to Dreamgirls, music director Trent Hines and vocal coach Mary Louise Lee have guided the cast through their paces with great success.
Both the scenic design by Kevin Nelson and the costume design by Emily Valley add an impressive element to the production with the playing area being multi-level and the costumes reflective of the period.
Lone Tree is having a successful reemergence with the theatrical production of Dreamgirls. It is an outstanding presentation and successful musical with all the elements coming together for a memorable time in the theatre.
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