[L-R] Natalie Kassanga, Nicole Raquel Dennis and Paige Peddie have been cast in the touring production of Dreamgirls. Picture: Matt Crockett
As previously announced, Nicole Raquel Dennis (Dear Evan Hansen, Nöel Coward Theatre, Waitress, Adelphi Theatre) will revisit her chair-turning performance of ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ on ITV’s The Voice in 2019, by taking to the stage across the UK as Effie White. The award-winning actress who famously duetted with The Voice mentor and the big screen’s Oscar-winning Effie, Jennifer Hudson on the TV talent show, will star alongside Natalie Kassanga (Motown: The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre, Disney’s The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre) as Deena Jones and Paige Peddie (Disney’s The Lion King UK tour) as Lorrell Robinson. Soul, gospel and blues artist Sharlene Hector will take on the demanding role of Effie at certain performances.
The touring ‘Dreamgirls’ will be joined by Dom Hartley-Harris (Bat Out of Hell The Musical, Dominion Theatre, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre) as Curtis Taylor Jr., Brandon Lee Sears (Come From Away, Phoenix Theatre, Heathers, Theatre Royal Haymarket) as Jimmy Early, Shem Omari James (The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Leicester Curve, Songs For A New World, Vaudeville Theatre) as C.C. White, Jo Servi (Dirty Dancing UK tour, Sunny Afternoon, Harold Pinter Theatre) as Marty and Brianna Ogunbawo (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre, Hairspray UK tour) as Michelle Morris.
The full company will include Shonah Buwu, Harvey Ebbage, Olivia Foster-Browne, Kellianna Jay, Ryan Kayode, Holly Liburd, Ross Meagrow, Samuel Nicholas, Nicole Nyarambi, Ilana Richardson and Josh Singleton.
Launching at the Liverpool Empire Theatre in December, the first UK tour of Dreamgirls will visit venues across the UK throughout 2022 and into 2023.
The critically-acclaimed and award-winning UK premiere run of Dreamgirls opened at London’s Savoy Theatre in December 2016, 35 years after the musical debuted on Broadway.
Directed and choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Disney’s Aladdin), the award-winning production team’s creative team includes set and costume designer Tim Hatley, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, sound designer Richard Brooker, hair designer Josh Marquette, and musical supervisor Nick Finlow. Casting is by Natalie Gallacher for Pippa Ailion Casting. The associate director is Alison Pollard, the associate choreographer is Sean Parkins and the resident director is Ricardo Coke-Thomas.
Featuring book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger with additional material by Willie Reale, the 1981 original Broadway production of Dreamgirls was directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett. The production won six Tony Awards, and the original cast recording won the Grammy Awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s showstopping ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’.
In 2006 it was adapted into an Oscar-winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx, and featured a star-making and Oscar-winning performance from Jennifer Hudson.
The UK 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.
Angela Thomas
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