who are the characters in dreamgirls based on

In any case, neither Franklin nor James ever belonged to the Supremes. In Motown, Gordy hired finishing school teacher Maxine Powell to teach the girls how to walk and talk. [84] The Dreamgirls soundtrack was also nominated for the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album. But Krieger has said the songs "are nowhere close to the Motown sound." Furthermore, Dreamgirls was nominated for eleven 2007 International Press Academy Satellite Awards, and won four of the awards: Best Picture Comedy or Musical, Best Director (Bill Condon), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jennifer Hudson), and Best Sound (Mixing & Editing). In any case, neither Franklin nor James ever belonged to the Supremes. [49] Both DVD versions featured alternative and extended versions of the musical numbers from the film as extras, including the "Effie, Sing My Song" scene deleted during previews. Gordy did work on the Ford assembly line in his early days (the Gordy figure in the movie, Curtis Taylor Jr., played by Jamie Foxx, runs a car dealership), and he worked his way up in the music business starting as a songwriter for Jackie Wilson. But in Motown, Berry Gordy knew he could achieve both the musical and social aspect of crossover with well-groomed, sweet young girls. However, Deena clandestinely hopes the film will never come to be, pursuing other acting gigs. In Motown, founder Berry Gordy aimed to make music with widespread pop charts appeal. [20] Condon did not start work on the Dreamgirls script until after making the Alfred Kinsey biographical film Kinsey (2004). Among the more direct references are the uses of adapted Supremes album cover designs for albums recorded in the film by the Dreams. Certainly whites (particularly young people) had been listening to black music before girl groups came on the. Devine was a regular cast in stage plays, before landing a big role in the 1981 musical, Dreamgirls. Diana Ross left the Supremes in 1970 to pursue other projects such as film work, in 1972 she starred in her first motion picture, the Motown-produced Lady Sings the Blues. Detroit, the early 1960s. "I was just overcome every week by this, these incredible visions, they were just such beautiful girls in these beautiful gowns, singing the music that I was listening to all week on the radio. [36] Originally scheduled to be shot in one day, Condon was forced to ask for extra time and money to finish shooting the "And I Am Telling You" scene, as Hudson's voice would give out after four hours of shooting the musical number, and she was unable to plausibly lip-sync while hoarse. Gottfried, Marvin (2007). Presenting himself as their new manager, he recruits them as backup singers for Chitlin' Circuit R&B star Jimmy "Thunder" Early. David Geffen, the stage musical's co-financier, retained the film rights to Dreamgirls and turned down many offers to adapt the story for the screen. Cookie Policy [42] Among this footage was one whole musical number, C.C. Yet The Supremes aren't necessarily representative of the rest of girl group culture. 2012. Some might even remember the 1981 Broadway production with Jennifer Holliday. The movie, based on the 1981 Broadway play, tells the story of a small black record label and its star singers whose success crosses over to the pop charts. [78], At the Academy Awards ceremony on February 25, 2007, Dreamgirls won Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Sound Mixing. Later that night, Hudson won the BET Award for Best Actress. The kind of dance styles employed by R&B acts hardly lend themselves to the choreography commonly found in Broadway productions. She died broke, at age 32, in 1976. When Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for her performance as Effie in the film version ( Dreamgirls (2006)), she dedicated the award to Ballard, describing her as "a lady who never got a fair chance". This was not what Martha Reeves thought of when she sang the song. "There are girl group songs that are based on blues progressions But there's also some that sound more like Tin Pan Alley songsalmost like Broadway numbers.". Towards the end, Curtis notices Magic in the front row, realizing she is his daughter. When my brother went into the military, I know how anxious I or my mother or sister would be looking for a letter or something like that from him. In the oral history Women of Motown by veteran music critic Susan Whitall, former Marvelette Katherine Anderson Schaffner talks about her group's Motown break: "We all sang in the [Inkster High] School glee club; that was one of the classes we had together. Dreamgirls also garnered Screen Actors Guild Awards for Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), as well as a nomination for its ensemble cast. Movie. Although loosely based on The Supremes, the movie is a work of fiction. But then again, hindsight is that there was a lot going on when 'Postman' was released. Character Lorrell Robinson Show Dreamgirls Gender Female Age Range Young Adult, Adult Role Size Lead Dancing Mover Voice Soprano High Note G5 Low Note D#4/Eb4 Vocal Technique Belting, Pop Time & Place Various cities throughout the U.S., 1960s-1970s Tags The movie is a big, splashy Hollywood/Broadway treatment of the R&B world, a breathtaking panorama of song, dance, personalities and drama tossed into the centrifuge of '60s black pop music. He feels Effie's plus size figure and distinctive, soulful voice will not attract white audiences, (as Deena's voice, although more basic and generic, is more marketable). As much as Deena Jones, Beyonc Knowles' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to composer Henry Krieger. The Dreamgirls cast of the Broadway version namely Jennifer Holiday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine were the original members of "The Dreamettes" (later "The Dreams). "[59], On the December 10, 2006 episode of the television show Ebert & Roeper, Richard Roeper and guest critic Aisha Tyler (filling in for Roger Ebert, who was recovering from cancer-related surgery) gave the film "two thumbs up", with Roeper's reservations that it was "a little short on heart and soul" and "deeply conventional". Little Richard's song 'Tutti Frutti' [could] access that white suburban middle-class audience, but Little Richard himself [couldn't] do that. "Dreamgirls" draws its story from the relationship between the Supremes and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr., although the end result is pure fiction, cinema and musical theater. Teenage life became synonymous with pop culture, and with many of these teenagers having money to spend, the record market flourished. In addition to the original compositions by composer Henry Krieger and lyricist/librettist Tom Eyen, four new songs, composed by Krieger with various lyricists, were added for the film. And we were fourth. They're pictured during a routine they'll do on an upcoming Red Skelton television show. Hudson was required to be rude and come in late both on set and off, and she and Condon went over Effie's lines and scenes throughout the week. "[54] Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 rating, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Offstage, Effie falls in love with Curtis while the married Jimmy does likewise with Lorrell. Terms of Use On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Gaye was not only Motown's chief solo male vocal star, he was married to Gordy's sister. [19] When offered the part of Curtis, Foxx initially declined because DreamWorks could not meet his salary demands. We sang one of The Chantels' numbersI'm thinking it was 'Maybe.' He created a thick, roaring, echoing sound, like The Ronettes' recording of "Be My Baby. The single-disc version of the soundtrack peaked at number-one on the Billboard 200 during a slow sales week in early January 2007. Teenagers listening to popular music during this time heard songs with voices that sounded like their own. Dreamgirls - Musical 2 Lorrell Robinson Dreamgirls - Musical 1 Curtis Taylor, Jr. Dreamgirls - Musical 0 View All Characters in Dreamgirls Auditons for AMDA (Virtual) New York, NY Ages 12-17: NY Pops Birthday Gala Concert New York, NY Miss Saigon New York, NY Half-Price Tickets Dec 12 - Apr 2 Drunk Shakespeare New York, NY $55 - $89 Our Price [22] A total of 783 singing actresses auditioned for the role of Effie White, among them American Idol alumnae Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson, former Disney star Raven-Symon, and Broadway stars Capathia Jenkins and Patina Miller. Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name, Dreamgirls is a film clef, a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and one of its acts, the Supremes. "The most surprised was Motown. The girls rarely wrote their own songs, but neither did the male groups of the time. "[34], After Hudson was cast in November 2005, the Dreamgirls cast began extensive rehearsals with Condon and choreographers Fatima Robinson and Aakomon "AJ" Jones, veterans of the music video industry. But for many girls, fame also offered an array of new opportunities. BOOKING [62] University of Sydney academic Timothy Laurie was critical of the film's social message, noting that "the worthy receive just desserts by working even [21] Murphy, on the other hand, accepted the role of Jimmy Early after being convinced to do so by DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg. "[77] Reports emerged of significant behind-the-scenes in-fighting between the DreamWorks and Paramount camps, in particular between DreamWorks' David Geffen and Paramount CEO Brad Grey, over decision making and credit-claiming during the Dreamgirls awards campaign. Early's evolution is also marvelously reflected in his changing tonsorial and sartorial styles. This seemingly passive attitude and general lack of depth in song subject matter makes it easy to dismiss girl groups music as trivial and, in contemporary terms, less than radical. And he did have a long-standing affair with Ross. [5][47][48] The film's national release, at regular prices, began on December 25. [7] "Listen", with additional music by Scott Cutler and Beyonc, and lyrics by Anne Preven, is presented as a defining moment for Deena's character late in the film. The site's critics consensus states: "Dreamgirls' simple characters and plot hardly detract from the movie's real feats: the electrifying performances and the dazzling musical numbers. As much as Deena Jones, Beyonc Knowles ' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to composer Henry. [105][106] Several references are also made to Mafia-backed loans Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records. "Dreamgirls" is the fictionalized story of the creation of The Supremes and the rise of Berry Gordy and Motown. As much as Deena Jones, Beyonc Knowles' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to composer Henry Krieger. Characters Dreamgirls Curtis Taylor, Jr. Curtis Taylor, Jr. Dreamgirls See more characters from Tom Eyen Henry Krieger Breakdown Key Information Character Curtis Taylor, Jr. Show Dreamgirls Gender Male Age Range Adult Role Size Lead Dancing Mover Voice Tenor, Baritone Vocal Technique Legit, Pop Time & Place [102] He repeated these concerns in a later interview with Access Hollywood, adding that he felt DreamWorks and Paramount owed Gordy an apology. . [40] Several musical numbers from the Broadway score were not included in the film version, in particular Lorrell's solo "Ain't No Party". Dreamgirls . [25] After briefly considering R&B singer Omarion,[26] singer/actor Keith Robinson was eventually cast in the role. Everywhere they went on tour that summer, there were riots. [16] Upon learning that Knowles and Murphy had signed on, Foxx rethought his original decision and accepted the Curtis role at DreamWorks' lower salary. American Idol's Jennifer Hudson as the Supremes' Florence Ballard? "If you think about the Little Rock Nine in Arkansas in 1967," she says, "of nine black teenagers chosen to integrate the schools, six of them were girls. Khylah Eure, Mariah Goiran, Clara Alford and Kayla Carrington are tremendous as Featured Dancers. He stuck with a select group of songwriters who were told to write songs in first person and present tense. 18 no. Disillusioned by Jimmy's death and Curtis' cold reaction to the news, C.C. Hudson to Upgrade "And I Am Telling You" Video: Dreamgirls director Condon wants clip to attract wider audience. Releases in other countries began on various dates between January and early March. Soon people started talking about how the group's hit song "Dancing in the Streets" was about social uprising. Hundreds of girl groups recorded songs during the sixties, but hardly any of them were seasoned musicians. In the 1950s and 1960s, the R&B (Rhythm and Blues) charts were "black" charts and the pop charts were "white." Though a music video with all-original footage was once planned,[44] the video eventually released for "And I Am Telling You" comprised the entire corresponding scene in the actual film. 214,187 people follow this. Schaffner of The Marvelettes talks about the song's political significance in Marc Taylor's book The Original Marvelettes: Motown's Mystery Girl Group. [7], After preview screenings during the summer of 2006, several minutes worth of musical footage were deleted from the film due to negative audience reactions to the amount of music. dreamgirls.movie. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Most of us are familiar with "Dreamgirls" through the 2006 film that garnered Jennifer Hudson an Oscar. The character of Deena Jones leaves the Dreams in 1972 to pursue a career as an actress. It also employed call-and-response vocals and heavy use of tambourine. [43] "Listen" was the first official single from the soundtrack, supported by a music video featuring Beyonc. Dreamgirls premiered on December 4, 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, where it received a standing ovation. [73] The film's failure to gain a Best Picture or Best Director nod was widely viewed by the entertainment press as a "snub" by the Academy. Deena Jones is based on the Supremes' lead singer Diana Ross and two former Supremes members Scherrie Payne and Jean Terrell. (Black Public Relations Wire) ", Christian, Margena A (Dec. 7, 2006). . [101], However, Smokey Robinson was less than pleased about the film's allusions to Motown history. [68] Three months later, twenty minutes of the film specifically, the musical sequences "Fake Your Way to the Top", "Family", "When I First Saw You", and "Dreamgirls" were screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, with most of the cast and crew in attendance. Joyner, Tom, Wilkes, Sybil, and Brown, J. Anthony (Dec. 12, 2006). They announced that they were having a talent show. In Motown, founder Berry Gordy aimed to make music with widespread pop charts appeal. [95][96] The photo shoot montage which accompanies "When I First Saw You", as well as the subplot of Deena being forced to star in Curtis' Cleopatra film against her will, reflect both scenes from and the production of Mahogany, a 1975 Motown film starring Diana Ross and directed by Motown CEO Berry Gordy. [16] The completed film had a production budget of $75 million, making Dreamgirls the most expensive film with an all-black starring cast in cinema history. What is the Dreamgirls story based on? Outside of the U.S., Dreamgirls opened in Australia on January 18, and in the United Kingdom on February 2. [61] Ed Gonzales of Slant magazine found the entire picture too glossy, and declared that "the film doesn't care to articulate the emotions that haunt its characters". However, after casting was completed, the film was budgeted at $73 million and Warner backed out of the production. [31] The presentation of Knowles over Hudson as the sole Best Actress candidate had interesting parallels with the film itself. Original Broadway Cast of 'Dreamgirls' Feels Left Out of Movie History. [46], Similar to the releases of older Hollywood musicals such as The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story, Dreamgirls debuted with three special ten-day roadshow engagements beginning on December 15, 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, and the AMC Metreon 15 in San Francisco. And even if it gets much more right than it does wrong, "Dreamgirls" is still an imagining of the rough and gritty life of the R&B performer, a pop musical divertissement rather than an earthy, true-to-life account. URL: Nader, Juli (Nov. 21, 2006). In the movie, the Dreams' album covers look like specific old Supremes albums. By 1975, The Dreams give a farewell performance at the Detroit Theater, inviting Effie for the final song.

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