Dreamgirls

It isn't surprising to hear the songs of Diana Ross and the Supremes in the lobby of the North Shore Music Theatre before a recent performance of Dreamgirls. It is, after all, the story of that 1960s Motown group's story being told (more or less) inside the theater. The good news is that it is being performed with bravura skill in this solid production the 1978 musical.

When it first appeared, "Dreamgirls" was hailed more for the genius of Michael Bennett's electrifying production than it was the show itself; but the NSMT production, which runs through June 14, makes a strong case for it being a damn good musical. Under the capable hands of director/choreographer Nick Kenkel, it has all the right moves: dynamic performances, seamless staging and a keen understanding of the show's social and historical contexts.

They turn out to be how black pop music became mainstream in the 1960s and 1970s in a story that tells how music mogul Curtis Taylor Jr. grooms a singing trio into international superstars through redefining rhythm and blues into a more palatable sound for a wider (read white) audiences. That Taylor is a stand-in for Barry Gordy Jr., who created the Motown Sound, and that the Dreams, the female trio, are Diana Ross and the Supremes is pretty much a given. When the show first appeared, Ross was said to have wanted to sue.

Whether she had a case against Tom Eyen (who wrote the libretto) and Harvey Krieger (score) be left to lawyers; but their narrative does dovetail Ross's career, right down to the conflict as to whom should be the lead singer (pushing out another singer) to her abandoning her music career for movies (anyone say "Mahogony?").

But what makes "Dreamgirls" such an authentic experience is how richly Krieger evokes the sound of the period in his stream of pop songs and sung dialogue. The score flows with a synergy that's impossible to resist. One minute Curtis, (Grasan Kingsberry), is singing of how the Cadillac car is the emblem of success; the next singer Jimmy Early is on stage performing "Cadillac Car," a song that expresses the dream of material success.

It is that confident blend of musical storytelling and pop sound that makes "Dreamgirls" a classic backstage musical. It is certainly one of the most thrillingly entertaining, especially those familiar with the pop sounds of the period. Kreiger and Eyen cannily give each of the principals a show-stopping turn, be it James Thunder Early (a spectacularly on-target Eric LaJuan Summers) showing his James Brown-like chops on the stage of the Apollo Theater to Dream member Lorell (Destinee Rea) showing she does more than just offer back-up "oohs and aahs" with her angry retort "Ain't No Party."

But the show's heart rests with Effie White, the singer with a soulful voice too distinctive to sing lead, and Bryonha Marie Parham finds both her irascibility and vulnerability in a raw, yet carefully modulated performance. She brings a fresh edge to the first-act finale, "I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," which is no small task considering how it has become one of those overused karaoke favorites; then tops them with a stirring "I Am Changing," Effie's second act determination to put her troubled past behind her. And you can't help but smile when she confronts Curtis in a final confrontation when he gets his comeuppance.

As Deena Jones, Britney Coleman has a more subtle transition: from na�ve girl group singer to diva superstar, and she does it with the right mix of innocence and ambition. As her mentor-turned-husband, Kingsberry may have the show's most difficult role, largely because it so underwritten: Curtis Taylor's dreams drive the show and they must be delivered with an earnest fervor, which is exactly the way Kingsberry performs him. Just the way he uses his sexy good looks is key to his insight on the character, and he sings with a smooth baritone. Noah J. Ricketts gives a touching portrayal of Effie's younger brother -- their reconciliation scene is one of the show's emotional high points; and JC Montgomery is a stand-out as Marty, the James Thunder Early's manager who finds himself replaced by the ambitious Curtis. The expert musical direction is by Jesse Vargas.

The arena-styled performance space allows director/choreographer Nick Kenkel to evoke Bennett's minimalist staging -- simply an empty space in which lightning-flash staging techniques produce cinematic effects in the scene changes, which often happen in the middle of songs. His command of the dance moves from the period make the performance numbers soar; but what he does best is allow its emotional trajectory to unfold with believability. He maintains the balance between its glamorous surface (just look at those gowns, designed by Paula Peasley-Ninestein, with authentic-looking hair and wigs by Gerard Kelly) and its gritty portrayal of show business success.

Part of what makes "Dreamgirls" work so well is not only does it reflect a great musical leap in pop music, but it also shows the personal pain that goes with it in its melodramatic plot, in which betrayal takes place both professionally and personally. Today it is the same formula that drives "Empire," the addictive FOX series about today's music industry; if you're a fan of that show, or just want to see a satisfying production of a great musical, don't miss these dreamgirls.

Dreamgirls continues through June 14 at the North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Street, Beverly MA. For more information, visit the North Shore Music Theatre website.

Watch this YouTube clip of NSMT's "Dreamgirls":