Dreamgirls, Part 2: Revivals, the Film, and the Divas Who Define It

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Broadway Breakdown continues its deep dive into Dreamgirls, the musical that reshaped Broadway with its relentless staging, powerhouse vocals, and thinly veiled Motown parallels. In this second installment, host Matt Koplik and returning guest Jason Veasey dig into the show’s complicated afterlife: the Tony Award revival confusion of 1987, the iconic (and inconsistent) 2006 film adaptation, why Broadway hasn’t dared mount a full revival since, and the deeper legacy of Effie, Deena, and Lorrell beyond diva worship.

Guest IntroductionJason Veasey (@veaseyville) is an actor, singer, and thoughtful theater observer whose stage experience and love of Broadway history make him the perfect partner in unpacking Dreamgirls—from its racial politics to its impossible vocal demands to its cultural staying power.

Timestamps

00:00 – Cadillac Car, crossover politics, and race onstage

06:30 – Jennifer Holliday’s Effie and the impossible standard for Black women on Broadway

13:00 – The 1987–88 revival confusion and Tony Awards history

18:30 – Why Dreamgirls hasn’t returned to Broadway

20:30 – The West End production and the shadow of Michael Bennett’s staging

23:00 – Film musicals: Chicago vs. Dreamgirls, and what went wrong on screen

35:00 – “Listen” and the challenges of Act Two

46:00 – Michelle: the forgotten Dream, or feminist hero in disguise?

52:00 – Effie’s journey in Act Two and why casting is crucial

57:00 – Jennifer Hudson’s Oscar, Effie as an “award-bait” role, and the legacy of diva archetypes

Key People Mentioned

Creators: Tom Eyen (book/lyrics), Henry Krieger (music), Michael Bennett (director/choreographer)

Original Cast: Jennifer Holliday (Effie), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Deena), Loretta Devine (Lorrell), Ben Harney (Curtis), Cleavant Derricks (Jimmy), Obba Babatundé (C.C.)

Later Stars & Film: Lillias White, Audra McDonald, Heather Headley, Kerry Butler, Anika Noni Rose, Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson

Directors/Choreographers: Michael Bennett, Casey Nicholaw, Rob Marshall (Chicago movie), Bill Condon (Dreamgirls movie)

Listener Discussion Questions

With a new Broadway revival of Dreamgirls just announced, do you think this one will finally make it—or will it go the way of past “almosts”?

Do you see Effie’s Act One or Deena’s Act Two as the true emotional center of the show?

What works better for you: the relentless theatricality of Bennett’s staging or the glossy Hollywood adaptation?

Broadway Breakdown Announcements, Heathers Off-Broadway Return + Ron Fassler on Broadway’s Juiciest Replacement Stories

This episode kicks off a new season of Broadway Breakdown with some big announcements, followed by a double feature: Matt’s in-depth review of the Heathers revival at New World Stages, followed by a conversation with actor, writer, and historian Ron Fassler about his new book The Show Goes On: Broadway, Hirings, Firings, and Replacements. From high school cliques and camp satire to Broadway’s backstage legends, it’s a jam-packed return.

Ron Fassler is a longtime Broadway insider whose fifty years of theatergoing have made him a walking encyclopedia of stage history. An actor turned author, he’s written extensively about the greats (and near-misses) of Broadway past. His latest book dives into the wild, heartbreaking, and often hilarious realities of replacement casting, making him the perfect guest to unpack the lore of Broadway survival stories.

Resources & Links

Broadway Breakdown Substack – essays, reviews, and extras from the podDiscord community – join the conversation with other BreakdownersTickets to Broadway Breakdown Cabaret – Nov 14 at Green Room 42

Ron Fassler’s The Show Goes On (available directly from the author, not Amazon)

Timestamps

0:00 – Announcements & Updates19:04 – Heathers Review54:20 – Ron Fassler Interview

Key People Mentioned

Heathers creative team: Laurence O’Keefe & Kevin Murphy (music & lyrics), Andy Fickman (director)Original film cast: Winona Ryder, Christian SlaterHeathers Off-Broadway revival cast: McKenzie Kurtz, Elizabeth Teeter, Erin Morton, Casey Likes, Lorna Courtney

Ron Fassler’s book subjects: Beanie Feldstein, Lea Michele, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Henry Goodman, Richard Dreyfuss, Hugh Jackman, Patti LuPone, Glenn Close, Liza Minnelli, Richard Burton, Anne Miller, Robert Goulet, Cliff Gorman

Listener Discussion Questions

"Do you think Heathers works better as a biting teen satire film or as a campy, optimistic musical?"

"What’s the most surprising or memorable replacement casting you’ve ever seen (or wish you had)?"

"For theater adaptations: should musicals lean into optimism, or stay true to a darker original source?"

Broadway Breakdown is back to cut through the surface-level theater chit chat with a new season and some podcast updates! Each week brings something new—reviews of the latest shows, sharp Tony Award predictions, or deep dives into the musicals and plays that shaped Broadway history.

This season features explorations of Dreamgirls, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and more—complete with behind-the-scenes drama, cultural context, and plenty of diva energy.

Subscribe and join Matt every week as he and his guests celebrate, question, and occasionally roast the art form they love most.