Arsht Center: Dreamgirls (reviews)

The National Tour of Dreamgirls made its brief stop Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing arts October 20 - 24, 2010.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune, resounding with unforgettable hits including "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" "One Night Only," and "Listen." This Tony® and Academy® Award-winning musical sparkles like never before!

Robert Longbottom directed and choreographed a cast that included Milton Craig Nealy, Talitha Farro, Brittany Lewis, Chaz Lamar Sheperd, Syesha Mercado, Adrienne Warron, Trevon  Davis, Moya Angela, Marc Spaulding, and Chester Gregory.

Mary Damiano reviewed for The South Florida Theater Review:

While the costumes are still gloriously ornate and over the top, in this updated, stripped-down version of Dreamgirls, lighting and projections take the place of scenery and set pieces. The result is alternately dazzling and dizzying...

Made famous on Broadway by Jennifer Holliday, who won a Tony Award for playing Effie, and in the film by Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for the role, Moya Angela has some big shoes. Her performance lives up to legend, yet she also makes the song her own, delivering a rendition so impassioned and desperate it’s almost difficult to watch. Angela is dynamic, charismatic, and that song is only one of the star-is-born moments she has over the course of the show.

The best moments in Dreamgirls belong to Moya and Chester Gregory, whose Jimmy boasts Little Richard’s scream and pompadour and James Brown’s raw sexuality. Gregory is a delight in every scene,

The rest of the cast is terrific. Shepherd brings dimension to Curtis, the stereotypical greedy manager, Warren’s Lorrell shows off her pipes in her second act moment in the spotlight, and Mercado, as Deena, is at her finest when in her moment of transformation from girl to woman.

It’s a must-see for any musical theatre fan.

Dreamgirls plays at the Arsht Center through this Sunday, October 24.