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Monday, April 17, 2017

MONTCLAIR OPERETTA CLUB CLOSES SEASON WITH “DREAM GIRLS”

Dreamgirls logo

DREAMGIRLS
book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Kreiger

WHEN: April 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30; Fridays & Saturdays 8 PM; Sundays 2 PM
WHERE:
Westminster Arts Center on the campus of Bloomfield College, 449 Franklin St.,  Bloomfield
TICKETS: $25, and discount tickets are available for students and seniors. 
Tickets may be purchased online at www.mocmusicals.org or reserved by calling 973-744-3133. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted.

Dreamgirls is described as “a show about a time in American musical history when rhythm and blues blended with other styles of popular music creating a new American sound." Act One is set in the fabulous sixties, a time when we were still screaming at Elvis and listening to the Beatles, but were dancing to the new beat of countless girl and boy groups like The Supremes, The Marvelettes, The Temptations and The Shirelles.

Dreamgirls is not just about the singing and the dancing and the performing. The play is also about the behind-the-scenes reality of the entertainment industry, the business part of show business that made possible this cultural phenomenon. Act Two shows the creation and the arrival of disco, though the word is never used in the script. The subject matter of this play deals with a musical contribution to America of such importance that only now, decades later, are we beginning to understand.”

Of the original production, Frank Rich of the New York Times declared “When Broadway history is being made, you can feel it." In addition it called Dreamgirls a “beautiful and heartbreaking musical"

MOC’s production features a talented cast of local performers, Aja Baitey of Morristown, Chyna Brodie of West Orange, Yonori Cerda, Sam Currie, Kirk Lambert and Leonard Mitchell of Newark, Sindy De La Cruz of Clifton, Alneesha Harris, Dana P. Hawkins and Kyle Younger of East Orange, Rayna Malhotra of Glen Ridge, Cindy Nicholson of Montclair, Christian Stewart of Irvington and Marcus Turnage of Brooklyn, NY.

New York casting director, Bob Cline returns to MOC to direct and he is again joined by Gonzalo Valencia of Nutley, who serves as the Music Director. They are joined by Amy Shera Calzone, who serves as Choreographer. Felicity Selby is the Stage Manager, while Christopher Svetik is the Assistant Stage Manager.

MOC is one of the oldest continuous running community theatres in the country, The group began presenting operettas in the early 1920’s. In the 60’s the group shifted to musicals and MOC continues to serve the Montclair and surrounding community.