Dreamgirls: Encyclopedia II - Dreamgirls - Synopsis

Dreamgirls - Synopsis

The story begins in 1962, when The Dreamettes, a hopeful black girl group from Chicago, enter a talent competition. The three girls -- full-figured lead singer Effie White and her groupmates Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson -- meet Curtis Taylor, Jr., a shady businessman who becomes their manager. Curtis convinces James "Thunder" Early, a popular R&B star, to take on the Dreamettes as his opening act. Curtis renames them The Dreams and begins, with the help of Effie's songwriter brother C.C., to push them into the mainstream, falling in love with Effie in the process.

By the mid-1960s, Curtis decides to make the thinner Deena the lead singer of the Dreams, in order to give their act more pop appeal. Effie is resentful for being pushed out of the spotlight, but her anger is doubled when Curtis' affections also shift to Deena. By the late-1960s, Effie has sunken into a depression, and Curtis replaces her with Michelle Morris, although Effie is pregnant with Curtis' child.

With Morris, the Dreams -- now renamed "Deena Jones & the Dreams" -- go on to record several successful pop hits, while Effie struggles to establish a solo career on her own. By the early 1970s, Deena wants to quit the act and become an actress, and Lorrell is involved in a difficult marriage with James Early. Effie, however, finally finds the success and fame she wants, undeterred by Curtis' underhanded attempts to suppress the release of her hit single "One Night Only" by having the Dreams record and release it. Deena and Lorrell eventually learn of Curtis' true nature, and decide to disband the Dreams. The group makes their farewell appearance, during which they reunite with Effie, in 1972, resulting in a happy ending for all.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Synopsis", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki