[Singer]

Hi, everyone! My college performing arts group is considering doing "Dreamgirls" as our Spring musical.

I am not really really familiar with "Dreamgirls", though I've started researching it like crazy, and I was just wondering if you could answer some questions for me.

First of all, our group has a whole lot of Caucasians in it, although we do have some African Americans, too. Do you think it's possible that some of the leads could be played by Caucasians? Do you think it could be done?

Also, can anyone tell me where I could get my hands on a copy of the "Dreamgirls" script? Even if it was just partial, it'd be a great help. (I don't mean sharing illegally, I'm talking legal means here. )

AND one more thing. The part I am most interested in is Deena. In your opinion, do you think her part could be sung without a whole lot of belting?

Thank you in advance for any help!

[pish123c]

No.

[Singer]

Thanks. That's what I thought.

What about the script, though?

[qpidsangel]

why don't you just rent the movie?

[Singer]

Because I don't want to hear how others did it, I want to be able to interpret the script myself.
Thanks, anyway.

[blue wind]

i think that white people could play the leads....people just have to be open about it.

maybe they can go on a weekend beach trip for tanning lol

aannndddd....the leads really do have to be able to belt.

[pish123c]

[LameUsername]

No white supremes, only white supremacists.

Sorry, the joke was too easy.

But seriously, in my opinion I don't think Dreamgirls would work with a white cast, honestly I think it would be a little offensive to play it that way. But who knows, maybe I just don't have an open mind.

On the other hand I think Once on This Island works fine with a white cast, even though most of the cast are supposed to be black islanders. So I guess I'm close minded AND hypocritical...

[Singer]

Weellll, maybe just a little bit.... I don't think it would work with a white cast, either. I was just wondering, really.

But thanks, anyway!

[GlindaGirl45]

Well, my older BFF, (in collage now) played Deena. (Not making this up! Totaly just really awkward) And she's white. They put some brown powder on her and she looked great! It was hers, though. I recommand buying some of that face cream that makes your face look "rich" but the kind of color for a black persons skin. (Hop u make it!

[i'm_back]

i saw a youtube clip of a show where they had some white Dreamgirls. At first I thought it was kind of strange, but I guess anything is possible!

(i just think some parts would be hard to pull off with some white people as the leads. for example: when a white group steals "Cadillac Car" from Jimmy Early).

[mastachen]

[sweeney_pod]

If you're doing a professional show then yes, it should be a black cast. It's important to the plot and there's hardly a lack of black actors.

[musicalmonster]

Oh no you can not have white people playing the lead because it throws off the whole meaning of the story if you don't have Curtis or Deena as black

[Singer]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! You've confirmed what I was thinking...

[Kiwi]

Has anyone seen the movie Camp? Sorry, this whole discussion made me think of it.

There are numerous places in the script that mention that the characters are African American, so the script wouldn't make sense with white actors playing the roles, unless they have incredible make-up jobs that make them look black. I mean hey, they use incredible make-up jobs to make actors look like cats. But just having them be white characters, no, no, no....no.

[musictheatre00]

Dreamgirls absolutely has to have a black cast, because if a white group of performers does the show, they're doing the exact same thing that that white group did to Jimmy Early.

[Singer]

Thank you, everyone. I appreciate the replies.

Actually, though, my college decided to do "High School Musical" instead, and I got cast as Kelsi Nielsen! I'm very excited, because she gets to do a lot more in the stage version than the movie. I'll get to sing, dance, act, and play the piano, which I love. So I'm happy.

[musictheatre00]

a college doing High School Musical, that's soo random lol!BREAK A LEG!