The first UK tour of the musical is set to open later this year.
Sonia Friedman Productions has today announced that Nicole Raquel Dennis will be playing the role of Effie White in the upcoming first UK tour of Dreamgirls.
Having first come to the public’s attention last year with her appearance on The Voice on which Nicole Raquel Dennis she performed ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ from the musical alongside team mentor Jennifer Hudson who appeared in the Oscar winning film.
Before the UK tour of Dreamgirls opens, Nicole will continue to perform in the London production of Dear Evan Hansen (Nöel Coward Theatre) in which she plays the role of Alana Beck. Her other West End credits include The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre), Waitress (Adelphi Theatre) and the West End production of Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre).
The musical had its West End premiere in 2006 at the Savoy Theatre 35 years on from opening on Broadway. The UK tour will begin this autumn and visit Bristol, Milton Keynes, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Nottingham, Liverpool, Norwich, Canterbury and Leeds. Further venues and dates are to be announced.
Talking about the news, Nicole Raquel Dennis said: “I am so thrilled that I can finally speak about something I’ve been holding onto for the LONGEST time! I will be playing Effie White in the first ever UK tour of ‘Dreamgirls’. Also, I cannot wait to be back with my ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Fam on the stage at the Noel Coward once theatres reopen and so thrilled that following that, I will be going on tour in this mammoth role! Effie has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and now I will get to share her with audiences around the UK. To say I’m excited is an understatement.“
The musical is directed and choreographed by by Olivier® and Tony® Award winning Casey Nicholaw, with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Sound Design by Richard Brooker, Hair Design by Josh Marquette and Music Supervision by Nick Finlow.
Dreamgirls features Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger, with Additional Material by Willie Reale, the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett, opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony® Awards. The original cast recording won two Grammy® Awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.’
To keep up to date with all the recent information with regards to the UK tour of Dreamgirls visit: https://www.dreamgirlsthemusical.co.uk/