“Dreamgirls” is a 1980’s musical, somewhat inspired by the story of the Supremes, tells the story of a girl group and the changes it experiences as they make it to the top, leaving one behind. This show offers a wide spectrum of costumes from poor homemade performance outfits when the group is hoping to be discovered to mod 70s dresses for a variety show performance to glam gowns as they perform in some of the most respectable venues.
“Dreamgirls” dazzled audiences on Broadway between 1980 and 1986. The most notable song from this musical is when the largest member of the group, Effie White, sings a powerful ballot lyrically shouting “And I’m telling you I’m not going” as Band manager Curtis dismisses her from the group and ends the love affair between the two of them.
An all-star cast was selected to make the film version which was released in 2006. The film features, Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Ankia Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy, Sharon Leal, Keith Robinson. The cast is rounded out by Danny Glover, Lorreta Divine (also in the original Broadway cast) and American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson.
The first time we meet the girl group, they are dressed in homemade matching peach sleeveless knee length dresses. Although the girls discuss the making of their outfits, they are so well put together, one would assume that they were purchased from a store.
As they make their way to the top and the girls make their debut as the reinvented group, they sing the theme song from the movie, “Dreamgirls.” In this scene they wear the most gorgeous costumes in the entire movie. They are dressed in white sequenced mermaid gowns with sky blue trim on to of the bodice and at the bottom of the dresses. This costume design is what you would expect to see when you here the term Dreamgirls.
The downfall from costume heaven occurs during “And I’m telling you I’m not going.” The costume mistress dressed Hudson in an elegant beige embroidered suit. Unfortunately, the three quarter length top fits Hudson appropriately, but unfortunately, the skirt stops at her knees and looks awkward on Hudson’s long legs. This problem couldv’e easily been averted had the costume designer lengthened the shirt to stop mid way at Hudson’s calves.
But there’s more. In the final scene, the Dreamgirls give a farewell performance and invites Hudson’s character back to join them. The dreams wear a sleek coal rhinestone dress. Somewhere n the creative process, it was decided that Hudson should not wear the same dress. Instead they put her in an awful billowy dark burgundy dress that made her look worse than the other members in the group.
Though she made a few mistakes, one can forgive the costume designer as the majority of the hundred of costumes in this musical, which covers three decades, are flawless in their design and stay with the time period.
“Dreamgirls” has been reworked in Japan is scheduled to make its American debut in late 2009.
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