The staging will be helmed by Robert Clater, veteran of the 1987 Broadway revival of Dreamgirls, who has also staged numerous national tours and regional mountings of the production. Clater's wife, Lesia Kaye, will choreograph the Motown-set musical for TUTS.
Dreamgirls, which follows the rocky rise to stardom of a Motown girl group, will star Aurelia Williams (Effie), Karla Mosley (Deena Jones), Brian Evaret Chandler (Curtis Taylor, Jr.), Ron Kellum (C.C. White), Milton Craig Nealy (Marty), Manoly Farrell (Michelle Morris), Crystal Joy (Lorrell Robinson) and Eugene Fleming (James Thunder Early). The ensemble cast includes Randy Aaron, Melvin Bell III, Chante Carmel, Darryl E. Calmese Jr., David LaDuca, Nkrumah M. Gatling, William Hubert II, Logan Keslar, Ano Okera, Ian Paget, Cassandra Palacio, Will Perez, Kayla Repan, Briana Resa, Marc Spaulding, Teacake Ferguson, Lyndsay Thomas, Marvin Thorton and Holland Vavra.
Tony-nominated designers from the original Broadway production, costume designer Theoni V. Aldredge and scenic designer Robin Wagner, will provide their work for the TUTS mounting with lighting by Richard Winkler, sound design by Christopher "Kit" Bond and musical direction by Robert Strickland.
Tickets for the TUTS presentation of Dreamgirls are available by calling (888) 558-3882 or by visiting www.TUTS.org
* Dreamgirls, by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen, won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in its 1982 Broadway premiere. The late Michael Bennett would take home awards for Best Direction and Best Choreography alongside collaborator Michael Peters. Jennifer Holliday created the memorable role of Effie White, stopping the show nightly with her Tony-winning performance of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going." The recent film, adapted and directed by Bill Condon, earned newcomer Jennifer Hudson the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for her portrayal of Effie White. Tony winner Anika Noni Rose and recording artist Beyonce Knowles co-starred.
