Left to right: “The Dreams:” Rowan Campbell as Michelle, Ashley Lyles as Deena, Kayla Adams as Effie, and Karla Maiden-Vazquez as Lorrell. Photo by Nate Jackson Photography.
Bolstered by the raucous applause and enthusiastic whoops of supportive friends, families, and otherwise enraptured community members, the cast of “Dreamgirls” came very close to singing the roof off of the Bowie Playhouse for their opening performance on Friday night. The classic musical found new life in an energized cast and a generous audience, proving its staying power once more under director Rikki Howie Lacewell’s eye.
…an energized cast…Adams…an extraordinarily talented singer and a masterful actress…a strong vocal ensemble with clean and crisp harmonies…
“Dreamgirls,” first produced on Broadway in 1981, follows Effie White (Kayla Adams) and the “Dreamettes” (later turned to the more mature “Dreams”) as they break their way into the mystical and dangerous world of show business in the 1960s. Effie, who finds love and heartbreak with car salesman-turned-talent manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (the suave and sleazy Ira Coats, Jr.), is demoted to backup singer and later fired entirely in favor of the slimmer Deena Jones (the earnest and wide-eyed Ashley Lyles).
In the iconic (and comically difficult, vocally) role of Effie White, Adams is a natural. The Bowie State graduate riffs her way to high heaven, climbing the vocal stairway with ease. In the act one-ending (and notorious) “(And I’m Telling You) I’m Not Going,” Adams’ belt is like a war cry, or a heartbreaking sob, or everything in between. She stares at the audience in between verses, as if to ask if maybe we can pull her out of the mess she is in, since every character in the play has left her behind. One audience member, during one of these pregnant pauses, called out, “Sing, girl!” and I had to agree. Adams handles every note and every emotional beat deftly, proving herself an extraordinarily talented singer and a masterful actress.
The musical is not all doom and gloom. As the soulful R&B star Jimmy “James Thunder” Early, Ryan Holmes brings most of this production’s laughs. Holmes has soul indeed. From his very first note, he had the audience in the palm of his hand. Even after recovering from a quick change mishap, Holmes displayed courage and agility (both vocal and physical) in his numerous, diegetic performances. He directly pointed out members of the audience in one number, evoking squeals of delight. His shining charisma and deep-throated vocals made him incredibly believable as a highly fawned-after star of the age. At times, I found myself wondering if 2nd Star had plucked Holmes from his worldwide tour as a modern-day rockstar. As Jimmy’s romantic partner and comic relief partner-in-crime, Lorrell Robinson, Karla Maiden-Vazquez also garnered a fair share of laughs in the first act for her youthful pining.
Adams and Holmes are not alone in their vocal talent. This production’s shining feature is certainly its handling of the quick-moving score that has the ability to induce anxiety in even the most experienced of performers. Musical director LeVar Betts built a strong vocal ensemble with clean and crisp harmonies throughout the show. These songs are accompanied by simple and eye-catching choreography, also by Lacewell, which is often tantalizing but at times repetitive. There is clearly a large spectrum of dance experience throughout the cast and Lacewell incorporates charged movement to ensure conformity during large group numbers.
Unfortunately, the performers’ vocal prowess was significantly hindered by the production’s largest issue: its microphones. This production utilizes a live orchestra (and a talented one at that) and also equips its main actors with microphones. Cast members without microphones were entirely drowned out whenever they had a line or a solo, and the vast majority of their songs and lines sounded tinny and far-away, as if they were being cast through an old phone speaker. Although it was clear that most of the audience was intimately familiar with “Dreamgirls,” anyone who had not seen the show before (like me) was certainly at the risk of losing a large chunk of the plot. I did not realize, for instance, that Curtis used to be a car salesman until I read the plot synopsis after the show. Due to the show’s loud and belty nature, much of the diction was either too harsh or lost entirely depending on whether an actor’s microphone was too close or too far from their face. It is important to note that this was the first performance that 2nd Star has utilized mics, and it is an experiment and learning experience for the company. Since microphones are usually placed by an audio engineer and/or the actors themselves, hopefully the company will get more comfortable and adjust the mics as needed to get the correct placement as the show continues its run.
Technical issues aside, the show’s costumes were stunning. Glitzy, varied, and filled with glamor, Quentin Nash Sagers’ dresses and suits lived up to their iconic predecessors. Masterful quick changes littered the production. One “Dreamettes” quick change happened so quickly and smoothly, the audience did not have time to react with their usual “oohs” and “ahhs.” I lost count, but it seemed that each ensemble member must have donned at least 15 different outfits throughout the show, all of them as stunning as the last.
2nd Star’s production of “Dreamgirls” breathed life into the Bowie Playhouse, bringing a story of Black joy and womanhood to be celebrated among a community with whom it clearly resonates, if the resounding standing ovation is any indication. My only wish is that I could hear every classic comeback or satisfying vocal acrobatic.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission.
“Dreamgirls” runs through June 29, 2024, presented by 2nd Star Productions at The Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Dr, Bowie, MD 20715. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
