Composer guide

Henry Krieger

Henry Krieger is the composer behind Dreamgirls, one of Broadway's great R&B scores, and the cult favorite Side Show. Both shows are in our library.

Henry Krieger musicals in our library

Dreamgirls (1981)
His first Broadway musical (1981) and his signature work, written with Tom Eyen and directed by Michael Bennett.
Side Show (1997)
His 1997 musical with Bill Russell about the Hilton twins, a short run that grew into a cult favorite and a 2014 revival.

Who is Henry Krieger?

Henry Krieger (born 1945) is an American composer best known for theatre scores built on rhythm and blues, Motown, and gospel. His songs are designed for powerhouse voices, with ballads that build to huge emotional peaks, such as "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls and "I Will Never Leave You" from Side Show.

His main collaborators have been Tom Eyen, who wrote the book and lyrics for Dreamgirls, Robert Lorick, lyricist of The Tap Dance Kid, and Bill Russell, his partner on Side Show and several smaller musicals.

Henry Krieger's musicals in order

Dreamgirls opened at the Imperial Theatre in December 1981, directed by Michael Bennett, and followed a 1960s girl group through the music business. The Tap Dance Kid (1983), with lyrics by Robert Lorick, told the story of a boy who wants to dance against his father's wishes.

Side Show (1997), with Bill Russell, told the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. It closed after 91 performances, but its recording found a devoted following, and director Bill Condon led a rewritten Broadway revival in 2014. Krieger and Russell also wrote the smaller musicals Everything's Ducky (later Lucky Duck) and Kept.

For Bill Condon's 2006 film of Dreamgirls, Krieger wrote four new songs, three of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Legacy, awards, and where to start

Dreamgirls earned 13 Tony nominations and won six, though Best Musical and Best Original Score both went to Nine. Krieger won the Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album for the Dreamgirls recording, and a second Grammy in 2008 for "Love You I Do" from the film. Side Show earned four Tony nominations in 1998, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.

Start with Dreamgirls, either the 2006 film with Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce or the original cast album with Jennifer Holliday. Then try Side Show for his most intimate and personal score.

Henry Krieger: frequently asked questions

Who wrote the music for Dreamgirls?

Henry Krieger wrote the music, and Tom Eyen wrote the book and lyrics. The show opened on Broadway in 1981.

Did Dreamgirls win the Tony for Best Musical?

No. Dreamgirls won six Tony Awards in 1982, including Best Book and Best Actress for Jennifer Holliday, but Best Musical went to Nine.

What other musicals did Henry Krieger write?

Besides Dreamgirls, he wrote The Tap Dance Kid (1983) and Side Show (1997) for Broadway, plus smaller musicals such as Lucky Duck and Kept with Bill Russell.

Did Henry Krieger write new songs for the Dreamgirls movie?

Yes. He wrote four new songs for the 2006 film, including "Listen," and three of them were nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Song.

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