jennifer holliday
Chicago, IL -
The musical Dreamgirls premiered on Broadway on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre. To critics, as well as the audience, who were there that night, Jennifer Holliday's portrayal of Effie White - the character who is dumped just as the girl group she fronted is poised for stardom - was the heart and soul of the production. Holliday put an indelible mark on the role and basically stole the show. Fortunately, one doesn't need a time machine in order to experience what that Imperial Theatre audience felt on that magical night in 1981. For the lucky that are able to attend, the ‘Orginal Dreamgirl' will be sharing her magic with the Market Days crowd on Sunday, August 10th, on the Brompton Stage.
A native of Houston, Jennifer Holliday made her professional New York theatre debut in 1980 in the revival of Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. That role led to her Tony-winning performance a year later in Dreamgirls, where her show-stopping rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" brought audiences to their feet and earned the singer-actress her first Grammy Award. That song also made her a Broadway icon. Interestingly, while much of Dreamgirls' nightly stage success rests of the shoulders of Effie's soul-stirring and electrifying performance, in the musical's original script the role Effie was no where to be found after the first act. It was Holliday who fought for Effie to not only come back, but to come back strong!
Life imitates art, and like Effie White, Holliday has had her fair share of heartbreaks and personal tragedy, including failed relationships and much publicized health-related battles with depression and obesity. But again, just like Effie, Holliday has survived life's ups and downs and has come back strong to have an extraordinary recording and theatrical career. The two-time Grammy winner, who has worked with heavy weight talents such as Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Michael McDonald, and Lorretta Lynn over the years, is widely regarded as one of the greatest female R&B voices of the 20th century. She is a vocal powerhouse whose hardy, passionate, throaty and soulful voice touches hearts and leaves her audience flooded with emotions running deep and their spirits soaring high.
In addition to her stage and musical career, Holliday has also made appearances on primetime television. She appeared on Touched By An Angel and had a half dozen appearances as choir director Lisa Knowles on Ally McBeal.
So, what is it about Holliday that makes her singing award-winning and so revered by so many? Well, she's often been referred to by her peers as a "singer's singer," a status that's often bestowed to legendary vocal giants such as Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin. Thus, thanks to her majestic voice, Holliday never fails to give an electrifying performance, singing her songs with deep passion and sincere emotion, a voice that sings of heartbreak as well as hope. It's a voice of life and experience.
For more information about Jennifer Holliday, check online at www.myspace.com/thejenniferholliday
Written by: Ronnie Vanna
Ronnie Vanna periodically writes entertainment features for Boi Magazine. Check her out at www.myspace.com/mzronnie25 and at www.youtube.com/chitownronnie
A native of Houston, Jennifer Holliday made her professional New York theatre debut in 1980 in the revival of Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. That role led to her Tony-winning performance a year later in Dreamgirls, where her show-stopping rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" brought audiences to their feet and earned the singer-actress her first Grammy Award. That song also made her a Broadway icon. Interestingly, while much of Dreamgirls' nightly stage success rests of the shoulders of Effie's soul-stirring and electrifying performance, in the musical's original script the role Effie was no where to be found after the first act. It was Holliday who fought for Effie to not only come back, but to come back strong!
Life imitates art, and like Effie White, Holliday has had her fair share of heartbreaks and personal tragedy, including failed relationships and much publicized health-related battles with depression and obesity. But again, just like Effie, Holliday has survived life's ups and downs and has come back strong to have an extraordinary recording and theatrical career. The two-time Grammy winner, who has worked with heavy weight talents such as Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Michael McDonald, and Lorretta Lynn over the years, is widely regarded as one of the greatest female R&B voices of the 20th century. She is a vocal powerhouse whose hardy, passionate, throaty and soulful voice touches hearts and leaves her audience flooded with emotions running deep and their spirits soaring high.
In addition to her stage and musical career, Holliday has also made appearances on primetime television. She appeared on Touched By An Angel and had a half dozen appearances as choir director Lisa Knowles on Ally McBeal.
So, what is it about Holliday that makes her singing award-winning and so revered by so many? Well, she's often been referred to by her peers as a "singer's singer," a status that's often bestowed to legendary vocal giants such as Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin. Thus, thanks to her majestic voice, Holliday never fails to give an electrifying performance, singing her songs with deep passion and sincere emotion, a voice that sings of heartbreak as well as hope. It's a voice of life and experience.
For more information about Jennifer Holliday, check online at www.myspace.com/thejenniferholliday
Written by: Ronnie Vanna
Ronnie Vanna periodically writes entertainment features for Boi Magazine. Check her out at www.myspace.com/mzronnie25 and at www.youtube.com/chitownronnie
This article was originally published in Boi Magazine and provided in partnership with www.boimagazine.com.
