There are very few arias in all of musical theatre that feature such raw and passionate energy like the signature song from "Dreamgirls," “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going.” The indignation that Effie White shoots at her lover Curtis Taylor, Jr. is one that reverberates through a theatre and can send shudders down an audience member’s spine, culminating in some serious tear duct action.
With that one number, names like Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson became household names. Both of these legendary Effies took home some impressive hardware; Holliday the 1982 Tony Award for best actress in a musical and Hudson a best supporting actress Oscar Award for the 2006 film version. Hudson’s performance in that one number, as well as beautiful cinematography by the film’s director Bill Condon, was so ripe with virtuosity that the number probably could have been renamed “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going Home Without this Damn Oscar.”
"Dreamgirls" is the story of Deena, Lorrell, and Effie, who are collectively known as The Dreamettes. They are a young, wide-eyed girl group of the 1960’s, reminiscent of the Motown female sensation Diana Ross and the Supremes. The girls are discovered by Curtis Taylor, Jr. and then put on the road as backup singers for James “Thunder” Early. Problems arise when the gorgeous Deena is named the leader of the group, forcing the sublimely powerful voice of Effie into the shadows.
With a score that ranges from the smooth Motown sound to the dawn of the Disco era, the professional crossroads that the group reaches leaves plenty of dramatic action for audiences to feast on, and plenty of wonderful numbers that will get the audience’s toes tappin’.
With the touring production of "Dreamgirls" opening on Wednesday, August 25th at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, another young “Effie” is looking to not only carry the tradition of Hudson and Holliday, but hopes to cement a new legacy for those who are able to embrace the raw power of the show’s live version. And when it comes to that signature song, Moya Angela is ready.
Angela remembers very well the moment where she made the number her own. Throughout early rehearsals in New York City’s Midtown Manhattan, the song wasn’t rehearsed right away. But not much later, when the day arrived to set Effie free in front of her castmates and creative team, Angela took the opportunity and ran with it.
“I was very emotional in that moment, trying to get myself to go all the way there so I can learn to pace myself,” said Angela. “When I got done, I was bawling like a baby. It was one of those moments only the people in our show remember. Everybody came up to me and gave me a big hug.
“After that, I was no longer nervous, and I was more inspired.”
By no means is that one song the only memorable moment for a character as complex as Effie White. Hers is a beautiful arc, one which allows audiences to find something in Effie they may find in themselves, good or bad – self-confidence, stubbornness, vulnerability and regret.
“I like to discover different parts of her in different scenes,” said Angela. “She’s the leader of the group and has been through a lot. At the same time, she’s still youthful, still innocent. She’s not sad with an attitude, but happy with an edge. This character really has somewhere to grow within the show.”
Angela has continued to grow as a person and an artist. Whether it was the euphoria of booking the national tour of The Lion King, or taking a job as a cashier at a flea market in her native Indianapolis shortly after that tour’s end, the 27-year-old actress has utilized every up and down she has experienced in her life in order to make her Effie more organic.
“I am very similar (to Effie), and it’s really easy for me to tap into her emotions,” said Angela. “I’ve had my heart broken before, lost friends I really loved and had moments which weren’t fair. Even in act two where she tries to pick herself up, she is finally remembering what she wanted all along and what she’s capable of doing.
“When I go to those places on stage, I tap into those things that I’ve been through.”
There is no doubt that Angela was hired to play Effie because she could belt. But simply belting a song is not enough in a piece that is so driven by the emotions of anger, love, joy and pride. Angela wanted to make sure that plenty of attention was paid to the motivations and the details, with the ultimate goal of creating a performance that explodes with voltage and veracity.
“It was a gradual process, and it took me a lot longer (to reach the fullness of the character), for some reason,” said Angela. “I really wanted to take more time to feel who Effie was on stage, and more time to develop my relationship with the actor playing Curtis (Chaz Lamar Shepherd). I remember the day when I felt that this is how I wanted it to be, this is the way I want to sing these songs. It took a lot of me just taking it to that place. I really had to find my emotions through what I’ve been through in my life.”
It's been an amazing journey for Angela, who has spent the past three-and-a-half years touring and is now ready for her first visit ever to San Francisco. Still, for a girl who comes from humble beginnings, she continues to pinch herself just to make sure she is really playing the role of a lifetime.
“The most enjoyable part is that for an actress, Effie goes through every emotion” said Angela. “In act one, I get to play love, anger, I get mad, and I’m begging. In act two, she’s starting to change and is growing up a lot. She’s so strong and powerful, and as an actress you get to play that on stage every night.
“I love being able to do that.”
EXAMINING MOYA ANGELA, IN HER OWN WORDS
On the day she was told that she would be playing Effie White in the national tour, June 6th, 2009:
“Any emotion a human can go through I went through in 15 seconds. I was crying, I was happy, I thought about the other actresses who I beat out, and I thought about all that I’ve been through. All of that stuff just came over me. My face was hurting by the end of that day. It was overwhelming.”
On starting the tour at Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theatre:
“To do the show at the Apollo was the best thing (the producers) ever thought of, because it fueled us before we left for the road. It’s always been a dream to be on that stage. We are at the Apollo, performing "Dreamgirls," which is where the opening is based out of, and I’m thinking of how many people have been on this stage. I will never, ever forget the feeling I got, the energy of building, and knowing who was there before you. You just cannot top an Apollo audience.”
On the first time she saw Jennifer Holliday’s performance of “And I am Telling You I’m Not Going.”:
“I had heard her version all my life. When Youtube got started, I had seen her clip of the Tony Awards. I remember seeing her crying, her hair is standing up, and I’d never seen anyone sing a song like that. I realized how massive of a performance that was. It totally blew my mind; I was so addicted to it.”
EXAMINE IT FOR YOURSELF
Shorenstein Hayes Nederlander of San Francisco presents the national tour of "Dreamgirls"
Music by Henry Krieger
Book and lyrics by Tom Eyen.
The national tour is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom
Co-choreography by Shane Sparks
Tuesdays through Sundays from August 24th – Sept. 26th
The Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Tickets range from $30 to $180
For tickets and information, visit the SHNSF official website
David is a member of the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Email him at dchavez04@att.net
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