Celebrating Black femme vision in ‘Dreamgirls’ at Bowie State University
By the BSU Theatre faculty
The Shirelles. The Marvelettes. The Supremes.
These are just a couple of the names that graced stages and left an indelible mark on American music historical past, setting up the power of the Black femme voice. It is no secret that the audio marketplace has a refined yet discernible impact outside of entertainment, providing us a glimpse of every thing we can be when we are daring adequate to claim center stage.
The manufacturing of Dreamgirls at Bowie State College Theatre is extra than a foray into a nostalgic earlier — it is a highly effective recognition of that voice in the here and now. Section of the Department of High-quality and Doing Arts “Back to Bold, Back again to Life” time, BSU Theatre’s Dreamgirls is the very first musical considering the fact that the return to public spaces for Maryland’s oldest HBCU. This celebration of the unstoppable Black female is marked by an embrace of the earlier even though hard the perception of in which and how women of all ages and womxn occupy areas, onstage and offstage, in and outside of this business. As famous by Brielle Bertrand, a freshman taking part in the iconic job of Lorrell, “I believe that we can alter typecasting in the theater earth.”
BSU Theatre’s Dreamgirls is marked by the domination of femme talent driving this demonstrate, inquiring all to consider how we honor the beauty and energy of all Black women and womxn.
So what are BSU pupil artists indicating about their eyesight and the world they have created?
Trinity Cephas (playing Small Joe Dixon): “As a female singing Little Joe Dixon’s legendary music, which has for many years been heard only from the male standpoint, the challenge is actual. I must convey the track to everyday living, but with a contact of feminine electrical power. This could be a obstacle, but tonight that will modify — women are able of just about anything and often we make it even greater.”
Kayla Adams (Effie): “I believe we can place furthermore-measurement girls in rather roles. I want to alter the way the earth views plus-size gals, particularly on phase.”
Asjah Johnson (MC/Ensemble): “I believe I can inspire others to believe that that something is probable.”
Following two many years of shutdown from a pandemic that stopped overall performance in its tracks, BSU Theatre has arrive back to existence boldly to evolve who theater centers, a well timed parallel as fellow BSU student Myles Frost is breaking floor on Broadway in the title part of MJ the Musical. The Dreamgirls college student cast, who are joined by BSU alums Whitney Jefferson and Delante Dates, is supported by a collaborative group of pros, friends, and college who embrace art as a software for social transformation. And so the evolution continues, as does the legacy that Dreamgirls celebrates.
Dreamgirls operates April 21 to 23, 2022, at 7:30 pm and April 22 to 23 at 2:30 pm at Bowie Condition University’s Fine & Undertaking Arts Middle, Principal Stage Theater, 14000 Jericho Park Street, Bowie, MD Tickets ($10) are accessible as a result of Eventbrite in this article.
CREDITS
Guide and lyrics by Tom Eyen. New music by Henry Krieger.
Directed by Raven Lorraine and Elena Velasco. Audio way by Josh Sommerville established and props style by Kathryn Kawecki lighting by Venus Gulbranson costume style and design by Imari Pyles wig design and style by Shalom Omo-Osagie projections design by Jeremy Bennett stage-managed by Rachel Crawford specialized direction and seem engineering by Carlos Campbell and assisted by Noah Hudson. Graphic style by Kris Harris/Inspire Generation. The effectiveness enterprise attributes Kayla Adams, Dawn Belton, Brielle Bertrand, Trinity Cephas, Aniyah Clarke, Keilyn Cook, Delante Dates, Ariana Fobbs, Kris Harris, Evan Hoffman, Kennedy Howard, Raymond Ingram, Whitney Jefferson, Asjah Johnson, Kamri Johnson, Kaitlyn McGhee, Bria Mukes, Dy’on Preston, Grace Pugh, Ragan Savage, Angelique Sterling, Trina Sue, and Daniel Youthful. Generated by Elena Velasco.
For much more details on Bowie Point out University Theatre, pay a visit to https://www.bowiestate.edu/lecturers/schools/university-of-arts-and-sciences/departments/high-quality-an d-executing-arts/bsutheatre//.
