The early days of rock and roll – when girl groups like The Supremes, The Shirelles and The Marvelettes dominated the pop charts – will be revisited this spring, when The Alhambra Theatre & Dining presents its production of “Dreamgirls.”
Set in the 1960s and 70s, the Tony Award-winning musical follows the rags-to-riches rise to fame of The Dreams, a female singing trio from Chicago. The show follows The Dreams as they reach the top of the music industry, only to have behind-the-scenes bickering and romantic rivalries begin to tear the act apart. “Dreamgirls” follows the group from the early 1960s to the beginning of the disco era, capturing a pivotal moment in the American music industry.
A Broadway and Hollywood success
“Dreamgirls” opened Dec. 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, and went on to be nominated for 13 Tony Awards, garnering six, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. One of the show’s signature numbers – “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” – became a Top 40 hit, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B chart. In 2006, the show was adapted into a motion picture that won two Academy Awards, including a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson.
On the menu
For each new show presented at The Alhambra, Executive Chef DeJuan Roy prepares a menu designed to complement that specific production. The three-course menu for “Dreamgirls” includes a first course choice of chicken and rice soup or seasonal salad with early spring mix, heirloom tomato, watermelon radish and derby dressing. The second course includes a choice of braised lamb shoulder with couscous, pomegranates, charred carrot whipped herb butter; salmon croquette with a meyer lemon cream, thyme and coconut jasmine rice, cowpeas; Chef DeJuan’s world-famous fried chicken with white BBQ sauce, chopped pickles, house made fries and Brussels sprout slaw; or a split pea soup with garden vegetables, fried squash blossom and pea tendrils. The dessert course includes a choice of strawberry shortcake or house-made cream puff pastry with powdered sugar
“Dreamgirls” runs at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining from April 12 through May 21, 2107. Tickets start at $35, and include dinner, show and parking. The Alhambra is located at 12000 Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville. For show times and details, please call the box office at (904) 641-1212 or visit www.alhambrajax.com. Photos courtesy of The Alhambra Theatre & Dining
