Licensing Company: Concord Theatricals
Dreamgirls
A sweeping and inspirational journey through 20th century American pop music including gospel, R&B, smooth pop, disco and more. Dreamgirls chronicles one Motown group's rise from obscurity to superstardom and explores themes of ambition, hope and betrayal, all set in the glamorous and competitive world of the entertainment industry.
Dreamgirls
PROGRAMMED INSTRUMENTS
Keyboard 1
Keyboard 2
$300.00
A sweeping and inspirational journey through 20th century American pop music including gospel, R&B, smooth pop, disco and more. Dreamgirls chronicles one Motown group’s rise from obscurity to superstardom and explores themes of ambition, hope and betrayal, all set in the glamorous and competitive world of the entertainment industry.
PROGRAMMING NOTES
The currently licensed orchestration is based on the 1987 Broadway Revival.
This show is orchestrated to be stick conducted from the podium. There are 2 keyboard books for this orchestration, both with keyboard programming.
Keyboard 1 is the primary piano book but also has various synth sounds in the programming that we have recreated using the original hardware. Most of the synth patches found in this book were originally played on a Prophet synthesizer which we have recreated using modern versions of the same hardware. This book is challenging in spots to play and can be difficult to read due to the fact the book that is sent out is the original handwritten part so an experienced player would be required for the Piano/Key 1 book.
The second keyboard book is labelled Synthesizer and it only utilizes the various strings that were ultimately cut from the original Broadway version. It is not a complex book to play whatsoever although it is important to have this covered as it covers all of the disco strings that make the sound of the show.
KEYBOARD PROGRAMMER
Keyboard Programming by: Ethan Deppe
ORIGINAL MUSIC TEAM
Book & Lyrics by: Tom Eyen
Music by: Henry Krieger
Music orchestrated by: Harold Wheeler
Musical Director: Marc Falcone
Musical Supervisor: Harold Wheeler;
Vocal arrangements by: Cleavant Derricks
1987 BROADWAY REVIVAL ORCHESTRA
Conductor: Marc Falcone
Asst. Conductor: Jeff Conrad
Piano 1: Myles Chase
Piano 2: Thomas W. Coppola
Reed 1: Vincent Della Rocca
Reed 2: Dennis Anderson
Reed 3: Patience Higgins
Trumpet 1: Scott De Ogburn
Trumpet 2: Glenn Drewes
Trumpet 3: Jeff Conrad
Trombone 1: Kevin Haines
Trombone 2: John Hahn
Guitar: Jeff Sigman
Bass: Jeff Myers
Percussion: Gary Seligson
Drums: Steve Singer
SHOW DESCRIPTION
“Dreamgirls” follows the lives of Effie White, Deena Jones, and Lorrell Robinson, three young women who form an R&B singing trio from Detroit, Michigan called “The Dreamettes”. Thanks to manipulative agent and record executive Curtis Taylor, Jr., the Dreamettes become famous as the backing group for soul singer James “Thunder” Early. Conflict arises when Curtis transforms “The Dreamettes” into the pop-friendly “Dreams,” particularly when he has Deena replace Effie as both lead singer of the group and as his romantic interest.