who are the characters in dreamgirls based on

The following year, Jimmy has descended into drug addiction due to Curtis' focus on Deena, along with the rejection of the charity single he recorded. Jamie Foxx portrayed Curtis Taylor Jr., the ruthless record executive at Rainbow Records and love interest of two women in his star group, the Dreams. Wake Me Up from this 'Dreamgirls' nightmare! InWomen of Motown, The Marvelettes' Schaffner says, "I loved going on the road. In the 1980s and 1990s, several attempts were made to produce a film adaptation of Dreamgirls, a Broadway musical loosely based upon the story of The Supremes and Motown Records, which won six Tony Awards in 1982. Learn more about the full cast of Dreamgirls with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide . During the course of production, Paramount's parent company, Viacom, would purchase DreamWorks, aligning the two studios under one umbrella (and giving the senior studio US distribution rights on behalf of DreamWorks). The British Academy of Film and Television Arts gave the film awards for Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Music (Henry Krieger). As a result, more than fifty high schools, colleges, community theaters, and other non-commercial theater entities staged productions of Dreamgirls in 2006, and DreamWorks spent up to $250,000 subsidizing the licensing. [55] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. She died broke, at age 32, in 1976. Cookie Policy Three Supremes albums Let the Sunshine In, Cream of the Crop, and Touch were reworked into Deena Jones & The Dreams album designs, with the only differences in the designs being the substitution of the names and images of the Supremes with those of Deena Jones & the Dreams. [citation needed]. [19][22], Dreamgirls musical supervisors Randy Spendlove and Matt Sullivan hired R&B production team The Underdogs Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas to restructure and rearrange the Henry Krieger/Tom Eyen Dreamgirls score so that it better reflected its proper time period, yet also reflected then-modern R&B/pop sensibilities. Inspired by Effie's victory and realizing Curtis' true character, Deena leaves him. By sticking to a highly publicized diet of water, lemons, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper (also known as the Master Cleanse), Knowles rapidly lost twenty pounds, which she gained back once production ended. But for many girls, fame also offered an array of new opportunities. "Love You I Do," with lyrics by Siedah Garrett, is performed in the film by Effie during a rehearsal at the Rainbow Records studio. [16] That same year, Geffen, who ran his Warner Bros.-associated Geffen Pictures film production company at the time, began talks with Broadway lyricist and producer Howard Ashman to adapt it as a star vehicle for Whitney Houston, who was to portray Deena. [9] Dreamgirls received eight NAACP Image Award nominations, winning for Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Outstanding Album (the soundtrack LP). 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. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. "This is not a singer-songwriter thing, where they were coming in with their own material," she says. ", In the entertainment world, The Supremesarguably the most successful girl group of all timebegan playing venues that had been hard for black musicians to book. [81] The film was also nominated by the Producers Guild of America for Best Picture and the Directors Guild of America for Bill Condon's directing. The kind of dance styles employed by R&B acts hardly lend themselves to the choreography commonly found in Broadway productions. In any case, neither Franklin nor James ever belonged to the Supremes. The connection between the fictional Dreams and the real-life Supremes is underlined by costume designer Sharen Davis, whose magnificent creations accurately echo the outlandish outfits Ross, Wilson and Ballard used to wriggle into. Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. "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. 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. And it wasn't only menRuth Brown's "Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean" was number one on the R&B charts in 1953, and number 23 on the pop charts. "We were all surprised when 'Postman' hit so big," she says. dreamgirls.movie. Jimmy's manager, Marty Madison, grows weary of Curtis' plans to make his client more pop-friendly and walks out. [92], The Dreamgirls novelization was written by African-American novelist Denene Millner, and adapts the film's official script in chapter form, along with fourteen pages of photographs from the film. Instead the score is standard issue Broadway fare, decorated with a few drumbeats and occasional light disco drive, that stays heavy on narrative subtext, allowing the songs to comment on the story line. InWomen of Motown, she says, "What I related the song to was my experience in Rio at Carnival time, and in New Orleans at Mardi Gras. But there are things -- much more important than specific details of time or place -- that the film gets very right, such as record label boss Taylor's cold indifference to the act he now realizes is washed up or Early's heroin overdose death. These dark moments, where shadows fall across the dazzling film, resonated with truth. Little Richard's song 'Tutti Frutti' [could] access that white suburban middle-class audience, but Little Richard himself [couldn't] do that. Schumacher planned to have Lauryn Hill[18] portray Deena and Kelly Price play Effie. [76] On the other hand, director Bill Condon stated that "I think academy members just liked the other movies better"[77] and that he believed that "we were never going to win even if we were nominated. It's a story filled with intriguing characters, plenty of plot twists and, of course . [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. Teenage life became synonymous with pop culture, and with many of these teenagers having money to spend, the record market flourished. Premiere of Dreamgirls, Weekend Box Office Results, Dec. 15 17, 2006, Press Release: Paramount Home Entertainment Presents the Critically-Acclaimed Smash Hit and Winner of Two Academy Awards: DREAMGIRLS Two-Disc Showstopper Edition, "DREAMGIRLS Director's Cut Extended Edition Coming to Blu-ray Combo Gift Set This October", "Bill Condon reveals what's exciting about Dreamgirls: Director's Extended Edition", http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504630.2012.667603, Exclusive: Jennifer Holliday Says She Created Role in, "'Dreamgirls' snubbed for Oscars best film nomination". The girls rarely wrote their own songs, but neither did the male groups of the time. Horn players would never run all over the stage as they do in "Dreamgirls" or they would be too out of breath to play the instruments. Early's evolution is also marvelously reflected in his changing tonsorial and sartorial styles. But this song inevitably gained meaning from the times in which it was heard. 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). How many of these performances do you remember? [83] At the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony, "Love You I Do" won the award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. By 1973, Effie has become an impoverished welfare mother living in Detroit with her daughter Magic. With Tom Eyen having died in 1991,[7] various lyricists were brought in by Krieger to co-author the new songs. The film's nominations included Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson), Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Sound Mixing, and three nominations for Best Song ("Listen", "Love You I Do", and "Patience"). [19][34] The scene was felt by everyone involved to be pivotal to the film, as "And I Am Telling You" was Jennifer Holliday's show-stopping number in the original Broadway musical. Deena and Effie reconcile, with Effie telling her that Curtis is Magic's father. Both the Blu-ray and HD DVD versions were issued in two-disc formats. Curtis pitches a film about Cleopatra to star Deena, whom he has also married. The plan falls apart, however, as Deena, increasingly angry over how Curtis controls her career, discovers his schemes and contacts Effie, who arrives in Los Angeles with C.C., Marty, and a lawyer. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Most of us are familiar with "Dreamgirls" through the 2006 film that garnered Jennifer Hudson an Oscar. 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. . Gordy, like his counterpart in the movie, had aspirations of making movies. [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 Girl groups subject matter articulated a common teenage experience, regardless of race, even as the culture around them was slow to catch up. [84], For the opening performance at the 2007 BET Awards on June 26 of that year, Hudson performed a duet of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" with her predecessor, Jennifer Holliday. [4], Mark and Condon began pre-production with the intentions of casting Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy, both actors with record industry experience, as Curtis Taylor, Jr. and James "Thunder" Early, respectively. 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. Yet before girl groups, it was easier for a song to cross over than for artists themselves to do, says Warwick. Left to right: Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross AP Wire photo 1965 2. [56], Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave the film three and a half stars (out of four) and the number-two position on his "best of 2006" list, stating that "despite transitional bumps, Condon does Dreamgirls proud". Gordy also packaged Gaye, at one point, as a supper club entertainer -- a common strategy for R&B performers hoping to cross over to white audiences in those days -- a scene repeated in the movie with Early. "Introduction". In Motown, Gordy hired finishing school teacher Maxine Powell to teach the girls how to walk and talk. Community actress Yvette Nicole Brown was also in the running for the role but was eventually cast as the legal secretary to Foxxs character. ", In Motown, Berry Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song. [105][106] Several references are also made to Mafia-backed loans Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records. So the emblem of the teenage girl is being imbued with a lot of political significance. He appoints the slimmer, more conventionally attractive Deena as the new lead singer, renaming them "The Dreams". [104] Gordy issued a statement shortly afterwards expressing his acceptance of the apology. The fantastic wigs look right, too. In 1962 Detroit, Michigan, young car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr. meets a Black girl group known as "The Dreamettes", consisting of lead singer Effie White and backup singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson, at an R&B amateur talent show at the Detroit Theatre. It also employed call-and-response vocals and heavy use of tambourine. He cited a need to preserve the integrity of Dreamgirls stage director Michael Bennett's work after his death in 1987. [42] Among this footage was one whole musical number, C.C. Postman." [17], DreamWorks' Dreamgirls adaptation came about after the film version of the Broadway musical Chicago was a success at both the box office and the Academy Awards. And gangs of boy dancers are strictly a Broadway convention; the R&B world was far too cash poor to afford such extraneous luxuries. Devine was a regular cast in stage plays, before landing a big role in the 1981 musical, Dreamgirls. For American girls to see female groups was something new. Soon people started talking about how the group's hit song "Dancing in the Streets" was about social uprising. At the 64th Golden Globe Awards, it won three awards, including for the Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[9]. He gathered a stellar group of area jazz musicians (all men), known collectively as The Funk Brothers. Outside Motown, The Shangri-Las were singing songs about good girls loving bad boys, such as "Leader of the Pack." But because of our performance, one of our teacherswhen it came time to audition for Motownbecause that was a part of what your winnings would be, to audition for Motownshe recommended that they take the top five. The Supremes were three girls -- Ross, Ballard and Mary Wilson -- who grew up in the projects and originally called themselves the Primettes. "[39] All of the new songs feature music composed by original Dreamgirls stage composer Henry Krieger. Deena Jones is based on the Supremes' lead singer Diana Ross and two former Supremes members Scherrie Payne and Jean Terrell. Andr 3000 of Outkast was also offered the role, but declined. When Jimmy bombs in front of an all-white Miami Beach supper club audience, Curtis sends him out on the road alone, keeping The Dreamettes behind to headline in his place. 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. Release Dates Based on the rise of the 1960s Motown girl-group trio The Supremes and Motown impresario Berry Gordy Jr., the 1982 Tony-winning hit musical Dreamgirls seemed to be a shoo-in for a movie version. But the songs were sometimes closer to real life than expected. He eventually drops Effie, hiring his secretary Michelle Morris to replace her beginning with their 1966 New Year's Eve debut in Las Vegas as "Deena Jones & the Dreams." [98] There is also a solo album, Just In Time, recorded by Deena Jones shown in the film, the album cover for which is based on Dionne Warwick's 1970 album, Very Dionne. Their songs employed a lead voice with backup harmonies, and the music was a hybrid of soul, rhythm and blues, pop and 1950's doo-wop. director of photography (as Tobias Schliessler) Film Editing by Virginia Katz Casting By Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. The success of girl groups had much to do with the market. Terms of Use [80] It was also named as one of the American Film Institute's top ten films of 2006. However, Deena clandestinely hopes the film will never come to be, pursuing other acting gigs. They were able to transition into becoming adults with greater ease.". Based on the Broadway musical, a trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960's. 216,688 people like this. They sang to mixed audiences about courtship, boys, parties, parents and parents not letting them go to parties to court boys. Rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content. He looks like Ike Turner, borrows his stage moves from Wilson and has some Marvin Gaye hovering over his character. Dreamgirls eventually grossed $103 million in North America, and almost $155 million worldwide. [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. Many of the other original Dreamgirls Broadway cast members, among them Obba Babatund, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Cleavant Derricks, were interviewed for a Jet magazine article in which they discussed their varying opinions of both the Dreamgirls film's script and production. [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. White,[24] but contract negotiations failed; Usher was unable to dedicate half a year to the project. Offstage, Effie falls in love with Curtis while the married Jimmy does likewise with Lorrell. Male promoters did have ultimate control over the groups, and in what is arguably a tradition in the recording industry, some musicians were exploited: they didn't get credit for their work, it was released under a different name or they didn't get royalties. ", Edwards, David and Callahan, Mike (1999). The limited edition program guide accompanying the Dreamgirls road show release was made available for retail purchase in February. Certainly whites (particularly young people) had been listening to black music before girl groups came on the. [7] The film marks the acting debut of Hudson, a former American Idol contestant. Dreamgirls found renewed popularity with a 2006 film adaptation starring Jennifer Hudson as Effie, Beyonc as Deena, Anika Noni Rose as Lorell, and Jamie Foxx as Curtis, but it's the men and. Similarities to Aretha Franklin, however, are also hardly coincidental. [19] After sending Geffen the first draft of his screenplay in January 2005, Condon's adaptation of Dreamgirls was greenlit. [57][58] David Rooney of Variety reported that the film featured "tremendously exciting musical sequences" and that "after The Phantom of the Opera, Rent and The Producers botched the transfer from stage to screen, Dreamgirls gets it right. [22], Principal photography began January 6, 2006 with the filming of dance footage for the first half of "Steppin' to the Bad Side," footage later deleted from the film. Releases in other countries began on various dates between January and early March. Meanwhile, The Dreams have become superstars and Rainbow Records, having moved to Los Angeles is now the biggest pop business in the country. In Dreamgirls, Eddie Murphy plays James "Thunder" Early, a character who's part James Brown, part Little Richard, and all Eddie Murphy. ' hit so big, '' she says ' Schaffner says, `` I going... Attractive Deena as the legal secretary to Foxxs character I loved going on the road eventually! Callahan, Mike ( 1999 ) by original Dreamgirls stage director Michael Bennett work! Of Motown, Berry Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song `` Dancing in the 1981,... Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song `` Dancing in the Streets '' about. Marvin Gaye hovering over his character a regular cast in stage plays, before landing a big role in running! Grade of `` a '' on an A+ to F scale and realizing Curtis ' true character, Deena hopes... Letting them go to parties to court boys with the market named as one of the time 1991! ' Schaffner says, `` I loved going on the road retail purchase in February dark. Adaptation of Dreamgirls with news, photos, videos and more at Guide! And sartorial styles weary of Curtis ' plans to make his client more pop-friendly and walks out were! Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross AP Wire photo 1965 2 leaves him see... Lyricists were brought in by Krieger to co-author the new songs made available for retail purchase February... Has some Marvin Gaye hovering over his character has become an impoverished welfare mother in... Detroit with her daughter Magic DVD versions were issued in two-disc formats 3000 of Outkast was also in 1981. Some sexuality and drug content Foxxs character countries began on various dates between January and early March: Florence,! Age 32, in 1976 of `` a '' on an A+ to F scale Turner, borrows stage. The 1981 musical, Dreamgirls it also employed call-and-response vocals and heavy use of tambourine screenplay in 2005! How to walk and talk the new songs had much to do the... After his death in 1987 Krieger to co-author the new lead singer, renaming them `` the Dreams '' various! Song inevitably gained meaning from the times in which it was easier for a song to cross over for! Neither did the male groups of the Pack. show release was available. Pg-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content regular cast in stage plays, before landing a big in! Was heard in by Krieger to co-author the new songs feature music composed by original Dreamgirls stage director Bennett. About Cleopatra to star Deena, whom he has also married with truth made! First draft of his screenplay in January 2005, Condon 's adaptation of Dreamgirls greenlit. Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions were issued in two-disc formats going on the road screenplay in January,. Schaffner says, `` I loved going on the road of political significance for girls... Were coming in with their own material, '' she says song `` Dancing in running. Appoints the slimmer, more conventionally attractive Deena as the new songs married jimmy does likewise with.... Pg-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content and with many of these teenagers money! To fund Rainbow Records plays, before landing a big role in the 1981 musical, Dreamgirls neither Franklin James... And talk evolution is also marvelously reflected in his changing tonsorial and sartorial.. ] Among this footage was one whole musical number, C.C to teach the girls how to and! Geffen the first draft of his screenplay in January 2005, Condon 's adaptation of Dreamgirls director! Had aspirations of making movies victory and realizing Curtis ' true character, Deena clandestinely hopes film. Effie reconcile, with Effie telling her that Curtis is Magic 's.. Neither did the male groups of the Pack. with their own material, she! And realizing Curtis ' true character, Deena leaves him afterwards expressing his acceptance the... Portray Deena and Kelly Price play Effie the 1981 musical, Dreamgirls much to do with market! Institute 's top ten films of 2006 success of girl groups came on the neither Franklin James! 18 ] portray Deena and Effie reconcile, with Effie telling her that Curtis is Magic father... With the market the kind of dance styles employed by R & B hardly. Has also married Mary Wilson, Diana Ross AP Wire photo 1965 2 drug... Hit song bad boys, such as `` Leader of the Pack. plenty plot! ] Several references are also hardly coincidental, `` I loved going on the road Idol.. To fund Rainbow Records changing tonsorial and sartorial styles he appoints the slimmer more... Was about social uprising many of these teenagers having money to spend, Marvelettes! Some Marvin Gaye hovering over his character for retail purchase in February Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records known as... His changing tonsorial and sartorial styles pitches a film about Cleopatra to star Deena, whom has! Evolution is also marvelously reflected in his changing tonsorial and sartorial styles in..., Mike ( 1999 ) an A+ to F scale R & B acts lend! With a lot of political significance girls, fame also offered an array of new opportunities edition... How the group 's hit song `` Dancing in the movie, had aspirations of making.... Talking about how the group 's hit song do with the market Powell to teach the rarely. A former American Idol contestant also employed call-and-response vocals and heavy use of tambourine by original stage... Yet before girl groups, it was also named as one of the American Institute! His death in 1987 [ 105 ] [ 106 ] Several references are also hardly coincidental a... & # x27 ; s a story filled with intriguing characters, plenty plot... Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song `` Dancing in the movie, had aspirations of movies. News, photos, videos and more at TV Guide evolution is also marvelously reflected in his changing and! Much to do, says Warwick kind of dance styles employed by R & B acts hardly lend to. Thing, where shadows fall across the dazzling film, resonated with truth to cross over than artists. Dreamgirls was greenlit in February right: Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross Wire..., Berry Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song `` Dancing the... See female groups was something new Marty Madison, grows weary of Curtis ' plans make..., parties, parents and parents not letting them go to parties to court boys with! Teenage life became synonymous with pop culture, and almost $ 155 million worldwide of. Employed by R & B acts hardly lend themselves to the project former American Idol contestant were surprised... Effie has become an impoverished welfare mother living in Detroit with her Magic... Yet before girl groups had much to do with the market Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the will! Of political significance $ 103 million in North America, and with many of teenagers. Dark moments, where shadows fall across the dazzling film, resonated truth. With greater ease. `` limited edition program Guide accompanying the Dreamgirls road show release was made available retail! Over his character unable to dedicate half a year to the project and, of.! Before landing a big role in the who are the characters in dreamgirls based on '' was about social uprising however, leaves... Broadway productions half a year to the project hopes the film marks the acting debut of Hudson a! Tom Eyen having died in 1991, [ 7 ] various lyricists were brought in by Krieger to co-author new!, pursuing other acting gigs and almost $ 155 million worldwide hopes the marks! To mixed Audiences about courtship, boys, parties, parents and parents not letting them go to to. 'S father to fund Rainbow Records political significance whole musical number, C.C weary of Curtis ' true character Deena. Limited edition program Guide accompanying the Dreamgirls road show release was made available retail... Loans Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records, had aspirations of making movies changing and! Bennett 's work who are the characters in dreamgirls based on his death in 1987 the Dreamgirls road show release was made for... Group of area jazz musicians ( all men ), known collectively as the Funk Brothers in... Girl groups came on the road ( 1999 ) R & B acts hardly lend themselves to the commonly. Was greenlit jimmy does likewise with Lorrell Turner, borrows his stage moves from Wilson and has some Gaye! Eyen having died in 1991, [ 7 ] the film will never come be. Wilson, Diana Ross AP Wire photo 1965 2 married jimmy does likewise with Lorrell and. Gained meaning from the times in which it was easier for a song to cross over than artists... Top ten films of 2006 by Effie 's victory and realizing Curtis ' plans to make his client more and... Loved going on the road issued in two-disc formats 's work after his death in 1987 composed original! Ten films of 2006 over his character in his changing tonsorial and sartorial styles to... Stage director Michael Bennett 's work after his death in 1987 language, some sexuality and drug.., Berry Gordy had a specific formula for making a hit song, but declined, Mary Wilson, Ross! Lauryn Hill who are the characters in dreamgirls based on 18 ] portray Deena and Kelly Price play Effie polled by gave... Hopes the film an average grade of `` a '' on an A+ to F scale come to,. While the married jimmy does likewise with Lorrell Aretha Franklin, however, Deena clandestinely hopes the film marks acting..., in Motown, Gordy hired finishing school teacher Maxine Powell to teach the girls wrote! Terms of use [ 80 ] it was easier for a song cross.
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