Representative Korean Production Poster
Dreamgirls
드림걸즈
Official English Title
SOURCE
original
SETTING
Foreign
BOOK
original
The rise of a 1960s girl group and the singer left behind
Korean Premiere:
2009
Korean Premiere Theatre
Charlotte Theater, Seoul
Posters included in this archive are embedded solely for documentary and educational purposes.
🔗 All images are linked to their original sources or articles. No copyright ownership is claimed.
References
Summary
In 1960s America, a girl trio rises from a talent contest to stardom under an ambitious manager, while its powerhouse lead singer is pushed aside for a more marketable star.
Origin & Development
Dreamgirls, with book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger, premiered on Broadway in 1981 in a production directed by Michael Bennett. A new production, directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom, received its world premiere at the Charlotte Theater in Seoul from February 27 to July 26, 2009, co-produced by OD Musical Company (Chunsoo Shin), CJ Entertainment, and Charlotte Theater in partnership with American producer John Breglio. The all-Korean cast included Hong Ji-min as Effie, Jung Sun-ah as Deena, and Oh Man-seok and Kim Seung-woo as Curtis. According to Shin, the production's LED panels and costumes were built in Korea. Described by Playbill as a test run in Seoul, the production went on to launch a U.S. national tour at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in November 2009, where it was credited as "originally produced in South Korea by Chunsoo Shin." The Seoul production also introduced "Listen," a song written for the 2006 film, as a duet for Deena and Effie, an arrangement that the tours retained.
Partial Synopsis
Effie, Deena, and Lorrell, a young singing trio called the Dreamettes, enter an amateur talent contest. They lose, but ambitious car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr. becomes their manager and lands them a job as backup singers for the star James "Thunder" Early. As Curtis builds his own record business, he relaunches the group as the Dreams and replaces Effie, the group's most powerful voice, with the more glamorous Deena as lead singer. Effie is eventually forced out of the group, and while the Dreams rise to stardom, she struggles alone. Years later, Effie attempts a comeback, and the former friends must face what success has cost them.
Dreamgirls
2009
2009-11-07
to
2011-01-02
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
United States
City:
Multiple Cities
Language:
English
Venue:
Multiple Venues
U.S. national tour of the production first staged in Seoul, produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions and credited as "originally produced in South Korea by Chunsoo Shin." It opened at the Apollo Theater in Harlem as part of the theatre's 75th anniversary (previews from November 7, opening November 22, extended through December 12, 2009), then toured U.S. cities including Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, and San Francisco, closing at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with co-choreography by Shane Sparks, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costumes by William Ivey Long, and lighting by Ken Billington. The cast included Moya Angela (Effie), Syesha Mercado (Deena), Adrienne Warren (Lorrell), Chaz Lamar Shepherd (Curtis), and Chester Gregory (Jimmy).
ドリームガールズ
2010
2010-05-19
to
2010-06-05
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Language:
English
Venue:
Bunkamura Orchard Hall
First Japan visit of the Robert Longbottom staging that launched its U.S. tour at the Apollo Theater in 2009 after its world premiere in Seoul, produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions. Performed in English by the U.S. touring company, it played to full houses with an attendance of about 50,000. The cast included Moya Angela (Effie), Syesha Mercado (Deena), Adrienne Warren (Lorrell), Chaz Lamar Shepherd (Curtis), and Chester Gregory (Jimmy).
ドリームガールズ
2013
2013-07-31
to
2013-09-01
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
Japan
City:
Multiple Cities
Language:
English
Venue:
Multiple Venues
Return visit of the Robert Longbottom staging that launched its U.S. tour at the Apollo Theater in 2009 after its world premiere in Seoul, presented as a first-anniversary event of Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo (July 31–August 25, 2013, "LION presents"), followed by Festival Hall in Osaka (August 28–September 1). Performed in English by an American touring cast.
ドリームガールズ
2016
2016-06-08
to
2016-06-26
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Language:
English
Venue:
Tokyu Theatre Orb
Third Japan visit of the Robert Longbottom staging that launched its U.S. tour at the Apollo Theater in 2009 after its world premiere in Seoul ("JIM BEAM presents"). The cast included Moya Angela, who had played Effie in the original North American tour, with Jasmin Richardson as Deena and Brittney Johnson as Lorrell.
追梦女郎
2020
2020-01-02
to
2020-01-14
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
China
City:
Shanghai
Language:
English
Venue:
SAIC Shanghai Culture Square
First China visit of the Robert Longbottom staging that launched its U.S. tour at the Apollo Theater in 2009 after its world premiere in Seoul, with 16 performances over 13 days, as part of an international tour that continued to Tokyo. Presented by Big League Productions and John Breglio, with Daniel Sher as executive producer.
ドリームガールズ
2020
2020-01-29
to
2020-02-16
Production Type:
Full Production
Country:
Japan
City:
Tokyo
Language:
English
Venue:
Tokyu Theatre Orb
Fourth Japan visit of the Robert Longbottom staging that launched its U.S. tour at the Apollo Theater in 2009 after its world premiere in Seoul, performed in English with Japanese subtitles and live music. Produced by Big League Productions (under arrangement with John Breglio and Vienna Waits Productions), TBS Television, and The John Gore Organization. The cast included Kadejah Oné as Effie, Sharaé Moultrie as Deena, and Berlande Millus as Lorrell.
Production Type Key — Letters grow with the scale of the production, from workshop to licensed production.
English Title Verification
Evidence for Official English Title
Dreamgirls | Captured: 2026-10-27
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo-Coverage-Opening-Night-of-DREAMGIRLS-at-the-Apollo-Red-Carpet-20091123
Official English titles in this database are extracted only from primary sources. These include:
-
materials released by the production company, credited creative team, or venue, including their official pages on social media, YouTube, and similar platforms;
-
official English listings on ticketing sites;
-
official industry events such as the K-Musical Market;
-
interviews in which a creative team member clearly gives the English title.
English titles that appear only in translations by others, such as news articles, reviews, or fan materials, are not included as official titles. When no primary-source English title exists, the title is recorded as a literal translation and labeled on the left as either “Unofficial Third Party Usage Confirmed” or “No English Title Found,” depending on whether an English title has appeared in the media or elsewhere.
“Captured” is the date the screenshot was taken. “Accessed” is the date the search for an English title was last carried out. English titles may change when a production revises them for a later staging. Entries are updated to the most recent official title where possible, though updates may lag behind such changes.
Some source pages have been observed to change or disappear over time, so screenshots are kept here at a reduced but legible resolution. They serve only to document the title as it appeared on the date shown. Clicking an image opens its original source page. All rights to the captured material remain with their respective owners. Inclusion does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by any rights holder.