DOMA Theatre Company Opens DREAMGIRLS, 3/1

DOMA Theatre Company opens its second "all musicals" season with a Tony, Drama Desk and Grammy Award-winning hit that sizzles with R&B soul. Marco Gomez directs a cast of 30 in Dreamgirls, with musical direction by Chris Raymond and choreography by Marco Gomez and Rae Toledo. The six-week run opens March 1 at the intimate MET Theatre in Hollywood.

First a smash Broadway musical, then an award-winning motion picture, Dreamgirls captures the spirit and hope of Motown. Inspired by show biz stories of 1960s R&B acts like The Supremes, The Shirelles, JAmes Brown, Jackie Wilson and others, it tells the story of a black girl group from Chicago that makes it big in a business controlled by white men. As superstardom challenges their musical and cultural identity, the trio fights for recognition, fellowship and love. The musical's message about striving to "get to the top" and the personal cost invoked to stay there is universal.

"I love the glitter and the spectacle," says Gomez. "But the heart of Dreamgirls is the music. The songs are so emotional. Achievement. Love. Betrayal. It's a roller coaster ride."

Jennifer Colby Talton (Mimi in the national tour of Rent, DOMA's Tick, Tick... Boom!), Tyra Dennis (Ephraim's Song-NAACP Theater Award nomination) and Constance Jewell Lopez (Justin Love and Ovation Award-winning The Color Purple at the Celebration Theatre) star as Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White, the young and hopeful "Dreamettes." When ambitious agent Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Ovation nominee Welton Thomas Pitchford) discovers them, he lands them a job as backup singers for the rock and soul sensation James "Thunder" Early (Keith Arthur Bolden - CTG's A Raisin in the Sun, Neighbors at the Matrix, Gem of the Ocean at both the Fountain and Rubicon) and begins to guide their quickly rising career. However, when the beautiful Deena emerges as the star of the group rather than the full-voiced Effie, the girls are brought to a personal and professional crossroads.

Also in the DOMA cast are Tiffany Williams (national tour of Your Arms Are Too Short To Box With God with Jennifer Holliday) as Michelle Morris; Lorenzo T. Hughes (To Kill A Mockingbird at the Lex) as Marty; Parnell Damone Marcano (national tour of Sophisticated Ladies) as Wayne; Theodore Mark Martinez (Intimate Apparel,The Piano Lesson at the Morgan-Wixson) as Jerry; and Frank Andrus Jr. (recent graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy) as C.C. White. Ensemble members include Stephen Anglin, Ty Brittingham, Regan Carrington, Ra'Shawn Durell, Leon Fleisher, Alan Fleury, Robert Gee, Adair Gilliam, Lina Green, Michelle Holmes, Mookie Johnson, Paul Lange, Leslie Marrero, James Oronoz, Melissa Owens, Desiree Parkman, Nik Roybal, Marni Stone, Tandrea Tarver, Rachae Thomas and Jeremy Whatley

A joint venture between Dolf Ramos and Marco Gomez, DOMA Theatre Company has carved a name for itself by presenting large-scale, Broadway-style musicals in a small intimate setting. DOMA's five-play, 2012 season received critical acclaim for productions of The Who's Tommy ("Exhilarating!" - Rock Cellar Magazine), Songs for A New World ("Transformational!" - LA Splash), Jekyll & Hyde:The Musical ("Pick of the Week" - LA Weekly), Xanadu ("Another standout production" - Working Author) and Avenue Q ("Critic's Choice" - Los Angeles Times).

Scenic design for Dreamgirls is by Amanda Lawson; lighting design is by Johnny Ryman; sound design is by David Crawford; costume design is by Michael Mullen; wigs and hair are by Aja Morris-Smiley; and props design is by Hallie Baran.

Dreamgirls runs Fridays and Saturdays @ 8 pm and Sundays @ 3 pm from March 1 through April 7. Tickets range from $30-$34.99; seniors and students with ID pay only $20. The MET Theatre is located at 1089 N. Oxford Ave., Los Angeles CA 90029. For reservations, call (323) 802-4990 or go to www.domatheatre.com.