Dreamy

When I was a kid we used to drive down three hours from Albany to New York City on birthdays to see a Broadway show. We saw a lot of great ones -- Sleuth, Raul Julia and Clifton Davis in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Frank Langella in Amadeus -- but the most eye-popping one was Dreamgirls.

It was, I believe, the last show directed by the late Michael Bennett, and starred Sheryl Lee Ralphs and Jennifer Holliday. It had a slightly gossipy edge, being a thinly veiled retelling of the Diana Ross & The Supremes story, featuring the romance between her and the Berry Gordy (founder of Motown Records) character, and the heartbreaking shunting off of the original lead singer, Flo (Effie, in the show).

In the feature coming out later this year, American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson has the Holliday character, and word is she steals the picture (like she stole hearts when getting cut at something like #6 on the TV talent show). I'm not the musical fan I was as a young kid, but this picture looks like it could be the sleeper hit of the year...maybe even Oscarbait.

Check out the trailer here.

It looks like movie writer/director Bill Condon has nailed the glamorous 1960's look, from the soul clubs to the Mahogany years.

Sixties funk, soaring ballad, period perfect, backstage drama...

...am I nuts to think this is a one way ticket to Hitsville?