A simple story set to music with much dancing and other movement becomes an extravaganza in Dreamgirls at Westcoast Black Theater Troupe. It has gone all out technically to present this show, even by employing renowned Asolo Rep Scenic Studios to construct the colorful scenery. Along with WBTT’s usual sumptuous costuming, designed by Darci Collins, the musical drama couldn’t look any better nor could its cast. And all the sound matches the sight.
As for Dreamgirls’s story, it concentrates on a trio of women singers trying to break into show biz at a big amateur contest at the Apollo Theater in New York. They don’t win but realize they can use help from a manager and get it from Curtis Taylor. He’s able to have them replace a girl group that just quit R&R star James (Jimmy) “Thunder” Early, who also wants new material in his act.
Effie White, hefty lead singer of the trio (probably based on The Supremes), is seriously romanced by Curtis. Next, callously, he decides to have the slimmer Deena be central, and Effie progressively rebels with absences. Quitting and pregnant, she gets Marty as a manager. Curtis replaces her with Kyla, takes Deena as a lover and has her head the trio now known as “Deena and the Dreams.” In time, Effie wins her own fame as a single, helped by both manager Marty and performer Frank.
The characters’ progress leads to many performances as well as managerial connivances (including payola) that further Dreamgirls’s plot. Jimmy’ s status personally (as a married man but cheater) and as dynamic professional (going beyond R&R) comes to fruition. There must be a settling of Curtis’ affair with Deena. She has to meet up with Effie. Happily all these characters, including those in the varying “dreamy” trio and Frank, an equalizer, are well portrayed by their WBBT stars. Among the audience favorite numbers the night I attended were “Cadillac Car,” first done as an aria by Curtis, C.C., Jimmy, Marty, then brought on tour with trio Effie, Deena, Lorell. Finally, the “Cadillac Car” featured a dual Pat Boone imitation. Highlights of the quite lengthy Act I included the title tune by the trio and “Walkin’ Down the Strip” (of La Vegas specials) by Jimmy.
Act II, shorter but seeming a bit repetitive, featured a soaring “I Am Changing” by Effie, next done as a separate number by all the lead women with the Ensemble. There were a rousing “Rap” by the whole cast with Effie giving her all on “One Night Only” and a following “One Night Only Disco” with Effie’s opposites.
Director Nate Jacobs’s previous experiences in command of Dreamgirls are manifest throughout this one. I particularly enjoyed noting Donald Frison so prominent in the cast as well as his big choreographer’s talent in evidence. I was happy to see the return of Brian L. Boyd and Michael Kinsey (who’s been keeping busy with professional photography), and Raleigh Mosely II as WBTT leads. It seems to me, though, that there’s not an unimportant member of the company’s cast and crew.
