People still argue over whether Dreamgirls is or isn’t about the Supremes and Diana Ross. The story only has some parallels, and there was an abundance of girl groups in the years before and during Motown’s golden era. But it really makes no difference. Go see Dreamgirls at Stray Dog Theatre because it sounds glorious.
Director Justin Been and artistic director Gary Bell have almost outdone themselves with this show. Careful casting has given first-rate results for the eye and, more importantly, the ear. It’s a large cast, with 22 people, yet the stage never seems stuffed, probably because they take full advantage of the aisles and the temporary thrust, or stage extension, added for the show.
Effie White, the lead singer of the Dreamettes, who’ve come to Harlem’s famed Apollo Theatre for their amateur contest, is always cast as a young woman of size. SDT has given us Ebony Easter, who absolutely owns the role. She rocks it. The other original members of the Dreamettes are Deena, who eventually becomes the sort-of Diana Ross, played by Eleanor Humphrey, more restrained and perhaps more elegant, and Lorrell, Tateonna Thompson. Michelle, who replaces Effie after she gets the boot, is Diamon Lester. The latter two surely hold their own performing in this good company.
The guys do well, too. Omega Jones steps up to play James “Thunder” Early, the already-popular singer who’s lost his backup singers that night in Harlem. Who knew Jones was such a fine hoofer? Sounds good, and as always a superb actor. Curtis Taylor, who becomes their manager that night at the Apollo, is Abraham Shaw. Curtis turns out to be a metaphorical snake oil salesman, and Shaw’s perfect, charming, determined and very subtle – most of the time – about his immense self-interest. I was also charmed by Don McClendon’s Marty, “Thunder” Early’s manager, calm and poised throughout the storms.
It’s a large band, too, tucked on a second level of the stage, nine members led by Jennifer Buchheit. If they aren’t having a good time, you could have fooled me, because it certainly sounds like it.
I’m always amazed when a glam show is better in a small venue than it is in a large traditional theater, and that’s the case here. The set is the work of Josh Smith and the painting of Myles Bledsoe, complimented by Tyler Duenow’s lighting. The intimacy makes a difference in a story that isn’t just a jukebox musical. It is indeed about dreams, fighting for them, realizing them and, most importantly in my opinion, having them. (Bloody Mary of South Pacific was right.)
The letdown is in the women‘s costumes. There are problems in several places and it’s most notable on the costumes for Effie, which seem thrown together, are remarkably ill-fitting and careless. A raveled, unhemmed hemline on a dress for a show, unlike the dresses for the other two members of the group, was the most obvious but the difference appears early and often.
Nevertheless, it’s a fine show, and tickets are apparently moving fast. Get your groove on.
Dreamgirls
through April 20
Stray Dog Theatre
2336 Tennessee Ave.
314-865-1995