The dazzling, multi-award-winning West End production of Dreamgirls comes to Northampton on its first ever UK tour
Thedazzling, multi-award-winning musical Dreamgirls comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 November as part of its first ever UK tour.
Featuring the classic songs And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,ListenandOne Night Only, this sensational production ofDreamgirlshad its critically acclaimed West End première in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway.
Meet the Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit.
Dreamgirls will star Nicole Raquel Dennis as Effie White with Sharlene Hector performing the iconic role at certain performances, Natalie Kassanga as Deena Jones and Paige Peddie as Lorrell Robinson.
This award-winning production of Dreamgirls is directed and choreographed by Olivier® and Tony® Award-winning Casey Nicholaw, whose credits include The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!.
The original Broadway production opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony® Awards. The 2006 motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirlsstarred Jennifer Hudson (winning her an Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress), Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.
Dreamgirls takes to the Derngate stage from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 November at 7.30pm nightly, with matinees at 2.30pm on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets – priced from £21.50* – can be booked by calling Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.
* A charge of £3.50 applies for all transactions of £20 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Members or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.
Casting information:
Dreamgirls will star Nicole Raquel Dennis as Effie White with Sharlene Hector performing the iconic role at certain performances, Natalie Kassanga as Deena Jones, Paige Peddie as Lorrell Robinson, Matt Mills as Curtis Taylor Jr., Brandon Lee Sears as Jimmy Early, Shem Omari James as C.C. White, Jo Servi as Marty and Brianna Ogunbawo as Michelle Morris.
A finalist on ITV’s The Voice in 2019, Nicole Raquel Dennis wowed viewers and judges at her blind audition, performing Dreamgirls mega-hit ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ alongside team mentor Jennifer Hudson. Her London stage credits include Alana Beck in the original West End cast of Dear Evan Hansen (BBTA winner – Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), the original West End cast of Waitress (Adelphi Theatre), The Book Of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre) and Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre).
Soul, Gospel and Blues artist Sharlene Hector has been the singer withGrammy® Award-winning electronic music duo Basement Jaxx as well as providing backing vocals for Sam Sparro, Natasha Bedingfield, Boy George and Mary J. Blige.
Natalie Kassanga’sWest End theatre credits include playing Diana Ross in Motown: The Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre), Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre), Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward Theatre) and Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane).
A graduate from the Royal Academy of Music, Paige Peddie was the ‘Unexpected Star’ on BBC1’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on Christmas Day, 2018. Theatre credits include Disney’s The Lion King (UK Tour), Equus and Enron (Nottingham Playhouse).
Creative Team and Production Credits:
This award-winning production of Dreamgirls is Directed and Choreographed by Olivier® and Tony® Award winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Sound Design by Richard Brooker, Hair Design by Josh Marquette, Music Supervision by Nick Finlow and Casting by Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion Casting CDG. The Associate Director is Alison Pollard, the Associate Choreographer is Sean Parkins and the Resident Director is Ricardo Coke-Thomas.
With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger, with Additional Material by Willie Reale, the original Broadway production of Dreamgirlswas Directed by Michael Bennett who Co-Choreographed the show with Michael Peters. The production opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony® Awards with the original cast recording winning two Grammy® Awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.’
The 2006 motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirlsstarred Jennifer Hudson (winning her an Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress), Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.
The Original London Cast Recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls is available via Sony Masterworks Broadway.
The UK and Ireland tour of Dreamgirls is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Greenleaf Productions, Fakston Productions, Rupert Gavin/Mallory Factor, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Griffin Dohr in association with 1001 Nights Productions, Steven Rivellino.
LISTINGS
East Midlands Theatre. 