NCT's Dreamgirls Is Both Deep and Delightful

What does it cost to achieve a dream? What happens when the dream becomes reality? What happens when the reality isn't as dreamlike as you thought? These are all themes explored by Dreamgirls, the North Carolina Theatre's latest production. The show, directed to perfection by Christopher D. Betts, features a compelling book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and the unforgettable music of Henry Kieger. It also benefits from a talented cast, gorgeous costumes, and dazzling, eye-catching choreography, co-created by Betts and Amy Hall Garner, with additional choreography by Mya King. All those things are impressive; but what really resonates here is how real, sympathetic, and memorable these 1960s characters are.

The story may play out in a far-removed decade, but the characters and their aspirations are still majorly relatable. There's beautiful Deena (played by Joy Woods), sweet Lorrell (Nya), and super-talented Effie (Tamara Jade). Together, they make up the aspiring musical group The Dreamettes; and viewers bear witness to their entire journey. We get to see their rise to the top and every single struggle along the way. Also along for the ride is Curtis (Erick D. Patrick), The Dreamettes' manager. He knows they're something special from the moment that he sees them; but unfortunately, his misplaced ambitions and wandering eye ultimately spell problems for the group.

Saint Aubyn (center) stars as James Brown-like singer and showman James "Thunder" Early (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

But, before there's conflict, there's joy. Thanks to strong writing and rich characterization, The Dreamettes quickly become characters worth rooting for. Their ambition, their work ethic, and, most of all, their sincere love for one another keep viewers firmly in their corner. At the same time, the incredible choreography by Betts and Amy Hall Garner, with additional choreography by Mya King, leaps right off the stage and keeps viewers watching.

There are also lots of laughs along the way, thanks largely to James "Thunder" Early (Saint Aubyn), an over-the-top R&B star that the girls work with. Aubyn knows how to make his character silly, authentic, and absolutely lovable.

Speaking of lovable, all three of The Dreamettes are fully realized characters. They're not perfect, and both Deena and Effie make their fair share of mistakes, but viewers never stop caring about them. As the group grows more successful, Effie becomes ostracized, both for her strong sound and her full figure, whereas Deena gets put front and center. Tamara Jade does a good job of showing Effie's pain and heartbreak and belts out every number with incredible power. However, the song that showcases her vocal talent and emotional range the best -- and it's certainly hard to choose -- is "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."

Tamara Jade as Effie White brings the house down with "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

Meanwhile, Joy Woods holds her own vocally as well, and she creates a Deena that's so sweet, so innocent, and so enamored with life that it's hard not to love her too. In fact, one of the strengths of Dreamgirls is that there are no villains here. Even Curtis, with his imperfections and often selfish ambitions, is not drawn as fully "bad," and with Erick Patrick's sympathetic portrayal, he becomes a character that you care for in spite of some of his choices.

As the story moves toward its conclusion, viewers will take joy in Iris Ponce Lloyd's fabulous costumes. From fluffy pink ensembles to glorious green garbs, she makes sure The Dreamettes are dressed to impress. The diverse body types showcased on stage also add to the visual appeal, along with sparkling set pieces and Charlie Morrison's cool lighting effects.

Ultimately, there's a lot to watch here, a lot to think about here, and a lot to love. The ending brings the story full circle and adds a healthy dose of empowering femininity into the mix. This, combined with the show's strong but subtle statements about the injustice that People of Color in entertainment often face, makes Dreamgirls a show that's fun, enjoyable, but also rife with substance. Don't miss it!

The Dreams 2.0 includes (from left) Nya as Lorrell, Joy Woods as Deena, and Najah Hetsberger as Michelle (photo by Curtis Brown Photography)

Henry Kieger and Tom Eyen's DREAMGIRLS (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 9-12), directed by Christopher D. Betts and choreographed by Betts and Amy Hall Garner, with additional choreography by Mya King and music direction by Ilana M. Atkins, and starring Joy Woods as Deena Jones, Nya as Lorrell Robinson, Saint Aubyn as James Thunder Early, Tamara Jade as Effie White, Najah Hetsberger as Michelle Morris, Erick D. Patrick as Curtis Taylor Jr., Jovan E'Sean as C.C. White, and Trevor Johnson as Marty, plus an Ensemble that includes J. Mahal, Juwon Perry, Matthew Monroe, Sai Graham, Gerard M. Williams, Kameron Askew, Trevor Neal, Deanna Richards, Soraiah J. Williams, Carlita Victoria, Laiya Parker, Mya King, Chanda Branch, and Stephan Emmanuel and two Swings: Destiny Diamond McNeill and Andrew Coleman (North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh). DIGITAL PLAYBILL: https://nctheatre.com/sites/nct/files/2023_Dreamgirls_Web%5B1%5D.pdf. VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/user/nctheatre. 2023 SEASON: https://nctheatre.com/show-season/202021-season. THE PRESENTER: https://nctheatre.com/, https://www.facebook.com/nctheatre, https://www.instagram.com/nctheatre/, https://twitter.com/nctheatre, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Theatre, and https://www.youtube.com/user/nctheatre. THE VENUE: https://www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com/venues, https://www.facebook.com/DECRaleigh, https://www.instagram.com/DECRaleigh/, https://twitter.com/DECRaleigh, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUCPC9naUI3G8vHw0K8Qnew. DIRECTIONS/PARKING: https://www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com/getting-duke-energy-center. KNOW-BEFORE-YOU-GO INFORMATION: https://www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com/know-before-you-go-information. DREAMGIRLS (1981 Broadway and 2016 West End Musical): https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/dreamgirls-3192, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1561090/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamgirls. HENRY KRIEGER (Music): https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/henry-krieger-12011, http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/14595, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1561090/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Krieger. TOM EYEN (Book and Lyrics): https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tom-eyen-8902, http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/15290, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0264132/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Eyen. NOTE: Arts Access, Inc. of Raleigh will audio-describe the show's 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11th, performance. TICKETS: $35 and up, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. GROUP RATES (10+ tickets): 919-831-6941 or groups@nctheatre.com. INFORMATION: 919-831-6941 or boxoffice@nctheatre.com. DONATE TO: North Carolina Theatre. Joel Haas' Triangle Review Review Permalink. Susie Potter's Triangle Arts Review Review.

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