Show guide
Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls is the powerhouse rock and pop musical that traces the rise of a girl group through the changing music business of the 1960s.
- Broadway premiere
- 1981
- Music by
- Henry Krieger
- Genre
- Rock/Pop
- Setting
- 1960s
Dreamgirls: quick answers
What is Dreamgirls about?
- Dreamgirls follows the Dreams, a Black girl group from Chicago, as manager Curtis Taylor Jr. pushes them toward pop stardom, replaces powerhouse lead singer Effie White with Deena Jones, and leaves Effie to fight her way back.
When did Dreamgirls open on Broadway?
- Dreamgirls opened on Broadway on December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre, won six Tony Awards, and played 1,521 performances before closing on August 11, 1985.
What kind of musical is Dreamgirls?
- Dreamgirls is a backstage drama with an original score by Henry Krieger and a book and lyrics by Tom Eyen, drawing on 1960s R&B acts. Its story echoes the Supremes, though its creators publicly denied basing it on them.
Where and when is Dreamgirls set?
- Dreamgirls is set in the American music business from 1962 through the 1970s, starting at Harlem's Apollo Theater and moving through Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
Has Dreamgirls played in London's West End?
- Dreamgirls opened in the West End at the Savoy Theatre on December 14, 2016, with Amber Riley as Effie, who won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. It closed on January 12, 2019.
Is there a Dreamgirls movie?
- Bill Condon's 2006 film Dreamgirls starred Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as Effie.
The story of Dreamgirls
The show follows a trio of young women from a girl group as they navigate ambition, fame, and the shifting demands of the recording industry during the 1960s. As the group's sound and lineup evolve to chase mainstream success, tensions rise over who gets the spotlight and what is sacrificed for stardom.
At its heart, the story is about the cost of crossover success in an industry that often reshapes artists to fit commercial expectations, and it uses the group's journey to explore loyalty, reinvention, and the price of ambition.
The music and the makers
The score was composed by Henry Krieger, whose music channels the sound of 1960s soul, Motown style pop, and rhythm and blues to root the story firmly in its era. The songs are built for big, belting vocal performances and are often showcases for powerhouse singing.
That soulful, era specific sound is central to the show's identity, giving audiences a score that functions almost like a loving tribute to the golden age of soul music while still driving the emotional arc of the characters.
Dreamgirls on Broadway
Dreamgirls made a major impact for its ambitious staging and its unflinching look at the music industry's treatment of Black artists during a pivotal era in American popular music. Its combination of showbiz spectacle and pointed commentary set it apart from lighter musical comedies of its time.
The show is remembered for its show stopping vocal moments and its dramatic intensity, and it continues to be celebrated as a showcase for extraordinary singing talent, drawing audiences who want both spectacle and substance in a single evening.
Dreamgirls: frequently asked questions
When did Dreamgirls open on Broadway?
It opened in 1981.
Who composed Dreamgirls?
The music is by Henry Krieger.
What is Dreamgirls about?
It follows a 1960s girl group navigating fame, ambition, and the pressures of the recording industry as they chase mainstream success.
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