She got to perform 'And I Am Telling You' with Jennifer Hudson on The Voice... and soon Nicole Raquel Dennis will get a chance to sing all of Effie White's songs every night as she is cast to lead Dreamgirls' first-ever UK tour. Watch her in action here.
Nicole Raquel Dennis will play the role of Effie White in the first-ever UK tour of Dreamgirls. Dependent on government guidelines around coronavirus, the production will launch from Bristol Hippodrome on 12 September 2020.
A finalist on ITV’s The Voice in 2019, Nicole wowed viewers and judges at her blind audition, performing Dreamgirls mega-hit ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ alongside team mentor Jennifer Hudson. Hudson won an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) for her portrayal of Effie White in the 2006 Oscar-winning motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirls, which also starred Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.
Before opening in the UK Tour of Dreamgirls, Nicole remains in the original West End company of Dear Evan Hansen (Nöel Coward Theatre) in which she plays the role of Alana Beck. Nicole’s other London stage credits include The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre), Waitress (Adelphi Theatre) and the West End production of Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre).
This sensational, multi-award-winning new production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End premiere in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway. The UK tour will begin this autumn and visit Bristol, Milton Keynes, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Nottingham, Liverpool, Norwich, Canterbury and Leeds. Further venues and dates are to be announced.
Nicole Raquel Dennis said:
“I am so thrilled that I can finally speak about something I’ve been holding onto for the LONGEST time! I will be playing Effie White in the first-ever UK tour of Dreamgirls. Also, I cannot wait to be back with my Dear Evan Hansen Fam on the stage at the Noel Coward once theatres reopen and so thrilled that following that, I will be going on tour in this mammoth role! Effie has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and now I will get to share her with audiences around the UK. To say I’m excited is an understatement.”
Producer Sonia Friedman said: “We are delighted to be able to announce that having wowed viewers on ITV’s The Voice, as well as audiences in the West End, the incredibly gifted Nicole Dennis will be re-joining the Dreamgirls family to play Effie White on tour throughout the UK. The multi-award-winning Broadway classic Dreamgirls is an empowering and hugely entertaining story of hope, redemption, sisterhood, and resilience with an uplifting and extraordinary score of now-classic hit songs from the golden era of American soul, R&B, and disco. It is a shining example of the best of American musical theatre, and the escapism that we will all need soon.”
Nicole Raquel Dennis will play the role of Effie White in the Dreamgirls UK tour at certain performances with further casting to be announced soon.
This award-winning production is directed and choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Sound Design by Richard Brooker, Hair Design by Josh Marquette and Music Supervision by Nick Finlow.
She is changing
Here's Nicole getting to grips with her dream role care of one of Effie's signature songs, "I Am Changing".
Dreamgirls in lockdown
And speaking of Dreamgirls, have you seen what many of the original West End cast members - including previous Effie, Amber Riley - have been up to in lockdown? This is a "One Night Only" as you've never seen it before.
Here's a BIG treat. The original cast of @Dreamgirls_UK with a #LockdownLive version of #OneNightOnly.
— Terri Paddock (@TerriPaddock) April 19, 2020
Inc composer Henry Krieger, @OlivierAwards winner @MsAmberPRiley + @Ibinabo_Jack_ @Lee_seee @misskimmye @joeaaronreid & co!
Full ð¥: https://t.co/uTZEhS0N61 @StageFaves #SF pic.twitter.com/1hmFaMVwT2
