Dreamgirls
June 27 – July 3
A smash-hit Broadway musical that became an Oscar-nominated film, Dreamgirls follows an all-girl Motown singing group on the path from obscurity to superstardom in the 1960s and ’70s. Along the way, the rising stars must question the price of their success and the meaning of family. It’s a whirlwind ride through the highs and lows of showbiz in an era of change in American pop music.
Book and Lyrics by TOM EYEN • Music by HENRY KRIEGER
Cast
TIFFANY MANN
Effie Melody White
The Muny: Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Broadway: Be More Chill, Waitress. Off-Broadway: Jelly’s Last Jam, The Life, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Cabin in the Sky, Invisible Thread. Selected other theatre: Hercules and Live From Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd. TV: Orange Is the New Black, New Amsterdam. Film: The Color Purple (2023), You Go Girl!
AISHA JACKSON
Deena Jones
Broadway credits include Once Upon a One More Time; Paradise Square; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; Waitress; and Frozen, where she made history as the first Black woman to portray Anna on Broadway. She was most recently seen on the Asian tour of Disney Princess: The Concert in Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and China. Voiceover: Central Park (Apple TV+), Melon’s House Party (Wondery Kids). Soundtrack vocalist for the films Spirited, Dear Evan Hansen and Tick, Tick … Boom! TV: Harlem (Amazon Prime), Up Here (Hulu).
COURTNEE CARTER
Lorrell Robinson
Broadway: Parade, Once on This Island. National tours/Regional: Once on This Island, Sing Street: A New Musical. TV/film: And Just Like That (Max), Harlem (Amazon), Charmed (CW), Pose (FX), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), The Path (Hulu) and Anything’s Possible (MGM/Orion Pictures). Courtnee is a graduate of the UNCSA.
CHARL BROWN
Curtis Taylor, Jr.
was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Smokey Robinson in Motown: The Musical on Broadway. He also opened London’s West End production and is featured on the Grammy-nominated original Broadway cast recording. Other Broadway: Jersey Boys, Sister Act. Most recently he appeared in the Broadway-aimed world premiere of Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For (Aaron Bridgers) at Pittsburgh Public Theater. Other credits: Smokey Joe’s Cafe (The Muny), The Who’s Tommy (Captain Walker, Denver Center), The Who’s Tommy in Concert (The Specialist, The Kennedy Center), Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr., Moonlight Stage), Children of Eden in Concert (Adam/Noah, The Kennedy Center), Ever After (Laurent, Paper Mill Playhouse, world premiere). Charl is frequently seen on tour with his all-star Broadway group, The Doo Wop Project, whose special airs across America on PBS. TV: FBI, Evil, Madam Secretary.
NICK RASHAD BURROUGHS
James “Jimmy” Thunder Early
Broadway: Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (Ike Turner, OBC), Kinky Boots, King Kong. National tours: Moulin Rouge (Toulouse-Lautrec) and Something Rotten! (Minstrel). Pop Smash Radio Music Award winner for his album, Groove Machine. Broadway World Award winner for Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas). Shrek The Musical (Donkey), Sister Act (Eddie), Company (Bobby). TV: The Get Down (CJ, Netflix), Run the World (Jeremy, Starz).
RON HIMES
Marty
Founder and producing director of The Black Rep. Acting credits include The Black Rep production of Death of a Salesman (Circle Award, Outstanding Performer in a Drama), Two Trains Running, Fences, (Circle Award, Outstanding Achievement as an Actor in a Drama), Seven Guitars, Sunset Baby, The Whipping Man, On Golden Pond, Romeo and Juliet, Death and the King’s Horseman, Boesman and Lena and Gem of the Ocean. Additional credits: King Hedley II (King), Macbeth (Banquo), Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Herald Loomis), Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil (Robert Johnson, Woodie Award for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role), Sty of the Blind Pig (Blind Jordan), Jitney (Booster), and The Meeting and When the Chickens Come Home to Roost (Malcolm X). Himes created the role of Joe Lee in Conversations on a Dirt Road. Other St. Louis acting credits include HotCity, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and The Muny.
ARAMIE PAYTON
C.C. White
made his Broadway debut with MJ the Musical as the original MJ standby. Tours: Dreamgirls, Flashdance and Cruel Intentions. New York: Bat Out of Hell (NY City Center). Regional: After Midnight (Paper Mill Playhouse), The Scottsboro Boys (Helen Hayes Award, Signature Theatre), Hairspray (Starlight Theatre) and Mamma Mia! (Marriott Theatre). Film/TV: Run the World, The Equalizer, Triple Threat and Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
ROBBY CLATER
Wayne
Favorite credits include The Muny’s 2012 Dreamgirls with Jennifer Holliday (Ensemble), Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway (David Morse, OBC), Connected (Jeremy) in New York and A Christmas Carol (Fred) at People’s Light. TV/film: As We See It (Austin, Amazon Prime), Almost Family (Miles).
NATALIE KAYE CLATER
Michelle Morris
Past Muny credits include Grease (Marty), Tarzan, West Side Story and Dreamgirls in 2012. Other theatrical credits include Disney’s Aladdin (Broadway), Rock & Roll Man (off-Broadway), Hamilton (first national tour). TV/film: Better Nate Than Ever (Disney+), The Equalizer, Godfather of Harlem, Killision Course, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show and Columbus (Big Apple Film Festival winner, 2020). Some of Natalie’s favorite works are original productions/workshops on which she has collaborated, including Hermès’ Love Around the Block, The Time of Nick and The Prom. Natalie is probably best recognized by her tiny fans from Ms. Rachel’s YouTube show, Songs for Littles.
Creative Team
ROBERT CLATER
Director
This award-winning director is associated with multiple entertainment honors including two Emmys, Tonys, Ovations and Garland awards, as well as having worked with a wealth of celebrated performers and industry professionals including Michael Bennett, Jennifer Holliday and Norm Lewis. He has directed at The Kennedy Center, Pittsburgh CLO, Starlight Theatre, Dallas Summer Musicals, TOTS, TUTS, Civic Light Opera of South Bay and twice for the National Black Arts Festival. Clater loves the workshopping of new shows and original musicals, including the debut of First Kids, The Imaginary and The Stephen Schwartz Project. He is the producer/director of the new holiday classic The Time of Nick. claterkaye.com
LESIA KAYE
Choreographer
Lesia’s choreography has been seen at The Kennedy Center, National Black Arts Festival, Pittsburgh CLO, The Children’s Theatre Festival in Houston and national tours. She was a Los Angeles Ovation Award nominee as Best Choreographer for Ragtime, along with multiple best-production and choreography awards for Dreamgirls. Her work on The Producers and Chicago garnered Best Choreography recognition by the Metrolina Theatre Association. Kaye’s passion for theatre includes developing new works and professional training; thus, she utilizes her master’s degree in performing arts management, working for nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles and New York, and as executive director for arts organizations in North Carolina. She is currently producer/co-director/choreographer for the new Christmas musical The Time of Nick.
ANNE SHUTTLESWORTH
Music Director
Broadway: Annie, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon. National tours: Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Dreamgirls, Annie. Regional: Thoroughly Modern Millie; La Cage aux Folles; Carousel; Evita; Gypsy; Hello, Dolly!; My Fair Lady; Mamma Mia!; Legally Blonde and more (music supervisor, music director, Florida’s Riverside Theatre). Anne is an IRNE nominee and Carbonell Award winner for The Music Man (MD, Maltz Jupiter Theatre). Her work as pianist, conductor and transcriber has taken her from Meat Loaf to Engelbert Humperdinck to Metallica and beyond. Recently she was associate conductor and pianist for The Bridges of Madison County with Kate Baldwin and Aaron Lazar. Current music director for TINA – The Tina Turner Musical (first national tour).