Dreamgirls first UK Tour arrives in December

Sonia Friedman Productions this week announced the full cast of the dazzling musical Dreamgirls, as it embarks on its first-ever tour of the UK.

Dreamgirls opens at the Liverpool Empire Theatre this December before visiting cities right across the country throughout 2022 and into 2023.

The production will star Nicole Raquel Dennis as Effie White with Sharlene Hector performing the iconic role at certain performances, Natalie Kassanga as Deena Jones, Paige Peddie as Lorrell Robinson, Dom Hartley-Harris as Curtis Taylor Jr., Brandon Lee Sears as Jimmy Early, Shem Omari James as C.C. White, Jo Servi as Marty and Brianna Ogunbawo as Michelle Morris.

The full company will include Shonah Buwu, Harvey Ebbage, Olivia Foster-Browne, Kellianna Jay, Ryan Kayode, Holly Liburd, Ross Meagrow, Samuel Nicholas, Nicole Nyarambi, Ilana Richardson and Josh Singleton.

Featuring the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’, this production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End première in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway.

Meet the Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit.

A finalist on ITV’s The Voice in 2019, Nicole Raquel Dennis wowed viewers and judges at her blind audition, performing Dreamgirls mega-hit ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ alongside team mentor Jennifer Hudson. Her London stage credits include Alana Beck in the original West End cast of Dear Evan Hansen, the original West End cast of Waitress, The Book Of Mormon and Dreamgirls.

Soul, Gospel and Blues artist Sharlene Hector has been the singer with Grammy® Award-winning electronic music duo Basement Jaxx as well as providing backing vocals for Sam Sparro, Natasha Bedingfield, Boy George and Mary J. Blige. Natalie Kassanga’s West End theatre credits include playing Diana Ross in Motown: The Musical, Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King, Dear Evan Hansen and Oliver! A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Paige Peddie was the ‘Unexpected Star‘ on BBC One’s Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on Christmas Day, 2018.  Theatre credits include Disney’s The Lion King, Equus and Enron.

Dom Hartley-Harris was in the original West End cast of Bat Out of Hell the Musical with further credits including Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Hamilton and Tiger Bay. American actor, dancer and singer Brandon Lee Sears’ recent London theatre credits include Come From Away, Motown: The Musical, Heathers and On The Town. A recent graduate of Arts Educational School, London, Shem Omari James’s theatre credits includes The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Songs For A New World. Jo Servi’s theatre credits include The Life, Dirty Dancing, Sunny Afternoon and City of Angels.

Brianna Ogunbawo’s theatre credits include The Book of Mormon, Motown: The Musical, Disney’s The Lion King and Hairspray.

This production of Dreamgirls is Directed and Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger, with Additional Material by Willie Reale, the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony® Awards with the original cast recording winning two Grammy® Awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.’

The Original London Cast Recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls is available via Sony Masterworks Broadway.

Dates

Tuesday 14 December 2021 – Saturday 1 January 2022
Liverpool Empire
Lime St, Liverpool L1 1JE
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

Wednesday 5 January – Saturday 22 January 2022
Bristol Hippodrome
St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol BS1 4UZ
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/

Tuesday 25 January – Saturday 5 February 2022
Milton Keynes Theatre
500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Wednesday 23 February – Saturday 5 March 2022
Sunderland Empire
4-5 High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3EX
0844 871 7615| www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire

Tuesday 8 March – Saturday 19 March 2022
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre
55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 1DA
0114 249 6000 | www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Tuesday 5 April – Saturday 16 April 2022
Edinburgh Playhouse
18-22 Greenside Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/

Tuesday 19 April – Saturday 30 April 2022
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Bute Place, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
www.wmc.org.uk

Monday 9 May – Saturday 14 May 2022
New Wimbledon Theatre
93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/

Tuesday 17 May – Saturday 28 May 2022
Theatre Royal Nottingham
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
0115 989 5555 | www.trch.co.uk

Tuesday 31 May – Saturday 11 June 2022
Theatre Royal Norwich
Theatre St, Norwich NR2 1RL
01603 630000 | www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

Tuesday 21 June – Saturday 9 July 2022
Leeds Grand Theatre
46 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU
0844 848 2700 | www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Tuesday 12 July – Saturday 23 July 2022
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS
01227 787787 | www.marlowetheatre.com

Tuesday 26 July – Saturday 6 August 2022
Theatre Royal Plymouth
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
01752 267 222 | www.theatreroyal.com

Tuesday 9 August – Saturday 20 August 2022
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
The Promenade, Llandudno LL30 1BB
01492 872 000 | www.venuecymru.co.uk

Tuesday 30 August – Saturday 10 September 2022
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL
01224 641122 | www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/

Tuesday 13 September – Saturday 24 September 2022
Palace Theatre, Manchester
97 Oxford Street, Manchester M1 6FT
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester/

Tuesday 27 September – Saturday 1 October 2022
New Theatre, Oxford
24 – 26 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AG
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/

Monday 10 October – Saturday 22 October 2022
King’s Theatre, Glasgow
297 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JN
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow/

Tuesday 25 October – Saturday 5 November 2022
Winter Gardens, Blackpool
97 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HL
0844 856 1111 | www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/

Monday 14 November – Saturday 19 November 2022
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Empire Lane, Southampton SO15 1AP
02380 711 811 | www.mayflower.org.uk

Tuesday 22 November – Saturday 3 December 2022
Royal & Derngate, Northampton
Royal & Derngate, 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP
01604 624 811 | www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Tuesday 6 December – Saturday 31 December 2022
The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
Suffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B5 4DS
0844 871 7615 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/alexandra-theatre-birmingham/

The tour will continue and further venues and dates for 2023 will be announced in due course.