Exegesis
Definition: Dream
"an aspiration; goal; aim
a wild or vain fancy.
something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence."
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dream
Definition: Kaboodle
"take your cat, kit, and kaboodle
take your broken down car, your smelly cigar
and just move, move right out of my life" (lyrics for Move)
"–noun Informal.
the lot, pack, or crowd: I have no use for the whole caboodle.
—Idiom
kit and caboodle"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/caboodle
Meaning of the name: Claridge (C.C. is short for Claridge Conrad White)
"Claridge:
from the Middle English, Old French female personal name Clarice (Latin Claritia meaning ‘fame’, ‘brightness’, a derivative of clarus ‘famous’, ‘bright’).
habitational name from Clearhedge Wood in Sussex, which is probably named with Old English cl?fre ‘clover’ + hrycg ‘ridge’. "
http://www.ancestry.com/facts/Claridge-name-meaning.ashx
Exploitation of African American Music
Happens all the time, baby! Pat Boone had the big hit with Fats'
"Ain't That A Shame" and Elvis covered Big Mama Thornton's "Hound
Dog." That's the way it happens in the world of R&B."(Marty quote)
"In her 2002 article in The Guardian, Helen Kolawole claimed, “Black music never stays underground. White people always seek it out, dilute it and eventually claim it as their own … This is fine, but be honest about it.” But Elvis Presley, in his public statements at least, consistently was “honest” about the debt his style of singing owed to black rhythm and blues."
http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis-racism_2.html
History of Soul Music
"Style of U.S. popular music sung and performed primarily by African American musicians, having its roots in gospel music, and rhythm and blues. The term was first used in the 1960s to describe music that combined rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and rock music and that was characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness. In its earliest stages, soul music was found most commonly in the South, but many of the young singers who were to popularize it migrated to cities in the North. The founding of Motown in Detroit, Mich., and Stax-Volt in Memphis, Tenn., did much to encourage the style. Its most popular performers include James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Aretha Franklin. "
http://www.answers.com/topic/soul-music
Pop Music
"Pop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs. While these basic elements of the genre have remained fairly constant, pop music has absorbed influences from most other forms of popular music, particularly borrowing from the development of rock music, and utilizing key technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes."
http://www.answers.com/topic/pop-music-1
Rise of Disco
And I'm telling you, our version of "One
Night Only" will revolutionize the music industry. (Curtis quote)
"Style of dance music that arose in the mid-1970s, characterized by hypnotic rhythm, repetitive lyrics, and electronically produced sounds. Disco (short for discotheque) evolved largely from New York City underground nightclubs, in which disc jockeys would play dance records for hours without interruption, taking care to synchronize the beats so as to make a seamless change between records. Artists such as Donna Summer, Chic, and the Bee Gees had many hits in the genre, which peaked with the release of the film Saturday Night Fever (1977). Disco faded quickly after 1980, but its powerful influence, especially its sequenced electronic beats, still continues to affect much of pop music."
http://www.answers.com/topic/disco
Backup vocalists
"Ladies I have the break of your lives! The Great Jimmy Early is in need of some back up help." (Marty quote)
"Working as a backup singer can give a vocalist the onstage experience and vocal training they need to develop into a lead vocalist. A number of lead vocalists such as Richard Marx, Mariah Carey, Cher, Gwen Stefani, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, and Elton John learned their craft as backup singers."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backing_vocalist
The Apollo Theatre
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with African-American performers. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated variety show consisting of new talent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Theater
Wigs-1960
"why do we need wigs in the first place?" (Effie quote)
"Before the days of synthetic hair production, wigs were normally made of human or animal hair. Wigs and hairpieces again came in to fashion in the 1960’s, and demand for the product suddenly soared."
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-history-of-wigs-and-hairpieces-256387.html
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Basic Facts
Author and Language
Book, Lyrics: Tom Eyen
Music: Henry Krieger
Translation: English
Play Structure
Act I- 12 Scenes
Intermission
Act II- 8 Scenes
Cast Breakdown
24 Actors:
4 Female Leads
4 Male Leads
16 Ensemble
Running time: N/A
Genre
Musical Theatre
Bio
Tom Eyen
"Eyen was born in Cambridge, Ohio, the youngest of seven children of Abraham and Julia Eyen, who owned a family-run restaurant. He attended The Ohio State University but left before graduating, in 1960, and moved to New York City to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Having no success with acting, Eyen worked briefly as a press agent and then began writing. He found a home for his unique outlook on contemporary life in the 1960s at the off-off-Broadway avant garde theatre scene at Caffe Cino and La MaMa Theatre, where he gave Bette Midler her first professional acting roles in his Miss Nefertiti Regrets and Cinderella Revisited. Eyen is considered a principal proponent of the 1960s neo-expressionist off-off-Broadway movement. The New York Times noted, "His plays are known for emotionally grotesque material combined with sharp satire."
Henry Krieger
"Born in New York City, Krieger grew up in Westchester County, New York and attended school in Scarborough, New York, which had a theatre that was a replica of the Helen Hayes Theatre. He became interested in theatre and the dramatic arts, and he later studied creative and liberal arts at the American Universiyt in Washington, DC and Columbia University in New York. While still in his twenties, Krieger began composing for Off-Off Broadway. Eyen and Krieger first worked together on the 1975 musical version of Eyen's revue The Dirtiest Show in Town, called The Dirtiest Musical in Town.
In 1983, Krieger's musical The Tap Dance Kid, with lyrics by Robert Lorick, opened at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre and went on to win two Tony Awards. It would be well over a decade before his next Broadway musical, Side Show, with book and lyrics by Bill Russell, opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 1997. Side Show received four Tony nominations, including Best Score."
Publication Info
TAMS-WITMARK MUSIC LIBRARY, INC.
560 LEXINGTON AVE.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022 USA
560 LEXINGTON AVE.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022 USA
Fax To: (212) 688-5656
Toll-Free 800-826-7121
Licensing and Rights
© 2000-2005 Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.
Fable with Plot Summary
Fable
Three ambitious teenage girls set out to win a singing talent contest at the Apollo Theatre and launch a music career in the entertainment industry in the early sixties.
Unfortunately their dreams are crushed when they lose the talent contest; in return they are quickly snatched up by a sly car dealer, slash wanna-be music industry manager, Curtis Taylor Jr. who lands them a gig singing back up for the famous James 'Thunder' Early. From then on, Curtis ambitiously goes on to transform the young girls into world renown pop divas. In the midst of catapaulting the girl group into superstardom, he lies, cheats, steals and swindles everyone around him:
Curtis sells himself as a manager to the girls and gets the Dreamettes a gig singing backup for James Early.
The girls tour with the famous James "Thunder" and record their first song singing back up for the famous singer; C.C. makes his debut as songwriter/musical composer for the team.
Lorell and James Early begin an affair; Effie and Curtis become romantically involved.
Early's song, Cadillac Car, is stolen by a white pop group; Curtis takes the opportunity to steal James Early from his manager, Marty, and begin crossing over the Dreamettes and James Early to mainstream American pop audiences.
Curtis gives the Dreamettes a new name: the Dreams. He then proceeds to change the order of things, making Deena the new lead singer and Effie the back up singer.
Effie is uncomfortable with the new changes but manages the best she can to cope as the Dreams rise to stardom.
Deena becomes a star and Effie is suspicious of an affair between Curtis and Deena.
Effie acts up and causes drama between the group. (we later discover that she is pregnant)
Curtis fires Effie and replaces her with a slim, more attractive singer: Michelle Morris.
The Dreams have successfully risen to the top of the pop charts and successfully crossed over into mainstream America; Curtis is more controlling of the group than ever and puts James Early on the back burner.
The Dreams career continue to flourish as Effie struggles to find herself and get over her past. She finally builds the strength and courage to pursue a career in music again.
Lorell is fed up with James Early who's personal life and career is crumbling; she finally calls it quits.
Michelle and C.C. begin a romantic relationship which leads to a marriage proposal.
Deena is fed up with the manipulation and control that Curtis has over her.
C.C. finds Effie and reunites with his sister after years of being apart.
Effie and the Dreams record the same song: One Night Only. As result, Curtis tries to sabotage Effie's career.
C.C. quits working with Curtis and the Dreams, while James Early falls into a slump and is dumped from Curtis' artist management.
Deena stands up for herself and walks away from Curtis. She mends relations with Effie and is informed of Effie's child with Curtis.
Curtis is exposed for illegal dealings concerning his artist recording management and stealing of songs.
The Dreams unite for the last time, this time including Effie, to say good bye to their fans before they embark on their own separate journey's in life.
Plot Summary
"The musical was based on the history and evolution of American R&B music during the eras of doo-wop, soul, and the Motown Sound, funk, and disco. In addition, the stage musical contains several allusions to the lives and careers of Motown Records act The Supremes."
"Dreamgirls is not just about the singing and the dancing and the performing. The play is also about the behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment industry-the business part of show business that made possible this cultural phenomenon. The subject matter of this play deals with a musical contribution to America of such importance that only now-two decades later-are we beginning to understand."
Dreamgirls takes audiences on journey into a rare "behind the scenes" glimpse of life as a recording artist in the entertainment industry. As the musical progresses, we somehow connect with the emotions of each character, and at some point we are able to identify with their struggle. Strip away the glamour, money, and fame and you see the lives of normal people dealing with the same issues as every other average person: love, loss, insecurity, despair, and in the end, hope. Although the setting is in the 1960's and 70's, the theme about relationships and journey to achieving a dream proves to be universally present and relevant.
Characters
Women:
Deena Jones...Backup singer or the Dreamettes, who becomes the lead singer for the Dremas. Thing, young and beautiful; young and naive
Lorrell Robinson...Third and youngest of the Dreamettes; bright and bubbly; falls into an affair with James Early
Effie White...Lead Singer for the Dreamettes; full-figured; bold and soulful voice
Michelle Morris...Replaces Effie as a backup singer for the Dreams; falls in love with C.C.
The Stepp Sisters...Girl group and rival of the Dreamettes; compete at the Apollo talent contest
Men:
Curtis Taylor Jr....Sly, manipulative Cadillac dealer who manages the Dreams and turns them into superstars; becomes romantically involved with Deena
James "Thunder" Early...A James Brown-like soul singer; wild and eccentric; has an affair with Lorrell Robinson
C.C. (Claridge Conrad) White...Effie's talented brother; songwriter and composer for the Dreams; falls in love with Michelle Morris
Marty...Manager for James Early but is later replaced by Curtis Taylor
The MC...Host of the talent show at the Apollo Theatre
Tiny Joe Dixon...Singer and winner of he talent contest at the Apollo Theatre
Little Albert and the Tru Tones...Singing group who compete at the Apollo talent contest
Dave and the Sweethearts...Mainstream white group who re-record James Early's hit song "Cadillac Car"
Jerry Norman...Night club owner; helps Effie get on her feet
Frank...Press Agent
Dwight...T.V. director
Carl...Nightclub pianist
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