Other theatre vets receiving awards include Cate Blanchett (Hedda Gabler at Brooklyn Academy of Music), who won Best Supporting Actress for "Notes on a Scandal," and Helen Mirren (Broadway's Dance of Death), who added to her string of Best Actress wins for "The Queen." Hudson, the former "American Idol" finalist who plays Effie Melody White in the adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical, has also been honored as Best Supporting Actress by the New York Film Critics Circle, Best Breakthrough Performance from the National Board of Review, runner up for the Los Angeles Critics Association's Supporting Actress prize. She also received a nomination for a Golden Globe.

Hudson makes her solo New York concert debut at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Dec. 30, singing songs from "Dreamgirls" and "American Idol."

Directed by Bill Condon, "Dreamgirls" also stars Beyoncé Knowles as Deena Jones, Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson, Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor Jr., Eddie Murphy as James "Thunder Early" and Danny Glover as Marty. Condon also wrote the film's screenplay based on the late Tom Eyen's book. The film employs most of the original score by Eyen and Henry Krieger as well as four new tunes.