Musicals: February 2007 Archives

Jennifer Holliday originated the role of Effie in the first Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" 25 years ago and took home the Tony Award for it. She also won a Grammy then went on to a recording career of some success but has never returned to those early-career heights. On Sunday, for those who want to see and hear Oscar front-runner Jennifer Hudson's predecessor to the role, tune in to E! channel's Oscar pre-show (5 p.m. eastern, 2 p.m. pacific) when Holliday, from the rooftop of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, will sing "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)."
Prior to the film's debut, Holliday complained that she had not been invited to its premiere ("I think they thought to have success with this, they had to destroy my legacy") and also thinks it would have been nice if the filmmakers had offered her a cameo role in the film, as they did Loretta Devine, with whom Holliday starred in the original Broadway show.
"Chita Rivera was in [the feature film version] of "Chicago" and Ricki Lake is going to be in "Hairspray.'" Holliday tells USA Today. "There were plenty of little parts all of us could have played. I would have liked to have been Deena's mother."
Maybe if they had given her a small role, Holliday would have been more impressed with the film: "All I like about the movie is that it was made. Over 20 years they've been trying to make this and I think the movie lost the heart and soul of it."
She also gives something of a backhanded compliment to Hudson: "I'm proud of what Jennifer reprsents. Her Effie stands on its own. If I say her performance wasn't good, then I'm not not good because they were the same. She's going to win an Oscar and all three of us - Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Holliday and Effie - will be up there when she wins."
I'm thinking Florence Ballard, the Supreme on who Effie is so obviously based, might be up there on that stage too and Hudson has made so secret that it was Ballard who was her inspiration for the role.

There has been some grumblings about how celebrities are replacing models on the covers of various national magazines. I say, hooray! Why not feature beautiful women who can do more than walk down a runway? Two of the best examples are two of the "it" girls of the moment: Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson who are currently gracing the covers of "Sports Illustrated" and "Vogue," respectively.
Both are riding high: Beyonce knocked "Listen" out of the park when she performed at last weekend's Grammy Awards and Jennifer is still the favorite to walk away with the Academy Award next Sunday for best supporting actress.
On top of all that, their wonderful movie, "Dreamgirls," is poised to cross the $100 million mark at the domestic box office sometime over the Presidents Day weekend!