On July 19 Jennifer Holliday returns to the role that earned her a 1982 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Holliday will reprise her performance as up-n-coming singer Effie White in a production of Dreamgirls for the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. production of the classic .

Joining Holliday in the mounting of the Henry Krieger-Tom Eyen-Michael Bennett musical are Ramona Keller (Lorrell Robinson), Alisa Gyse (Deena Jones), Norm Lewis (Curtis), Eugene Fleming (James Thunder Early), Joe Wilson Jr. (C.C. White) and Ginai Curti (Michelle). The chorus comprises Sondra Bonitto, Conisha Wade, Tracee Beazer, Nikki Renee Daniels, Stacey Harris, Manoly Farrell, Marvin Thornton, Ivory McKay, Andravy, Gary Kilmer, Paul Castree and Richard E. Waits.

Robert Clater directs this production of the Tony-nominated musical, which features choreography by Lesia Kaye. The National Black Arts Festival presents the musical in collaboration with Theater of the Stars at the Fox Theatre through July 27.

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A native of Houston, Texas, Jennifer Holliday made her professional New York theatre debut in 1980 in the revival of Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. That role led to her Tony-winning performance in Dreamgirls, and her rendition of that show's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" earned the singer-actress her first Grammy Award. She has also appeared on Broadway in the revivals of Grease! and Chicago, and her television credits include "Ellen," "Touched By an Angel" and a recurring role on "Ally McBeal." Holliday earned another Grammy Award for her recording of Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday." Tickets for Dreamgirls are priced between $16 and $60. Go to www.nbaf.org for more information.

—By Andrew Gans