BWW Previews: DREAMGIRLS Comes True by Jakarta Performing Arts Community

Jakarta Performing Arts Community (JPAC), the Jakarta-based musical theater community which in 2017 produced and performed an officially licensed version of WEST SIDE STORY will return this May with their 9th production, DREAMGIRLS.

The nonprofit community once again acquired the international license for their show, this time through Tams-Witmark Music Library. JPAC's DREAMGIRLS is produced by Gunawan Wibisono, choreographed by Elhaq Latief, and directed by Hans De Waal. The show will be held on Friday to Sunday May 25th-27th (one show on Friday and two shows each on Saturday and Sunday) at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki.

DREAMGIRLS is a story set in the heyday of R&B and Motown, when aspiring musicians rose to become legends. It tells the story of three friends, Effie White, Lorell Robinson, and Deena Jones, who sang as a group called the Dreamettes. When their show biz comes true in an unexpected way, their friendship will be tested to the limit by their manager's underhanded plans and romantic affairs.

JPAC held a press conference for DREAMGIRLS on April 25th, 2018, at Pisa Café, Jakarta, inviting members of the press as well as guest speakers Lucky Kuswandi (Indonesian film director and writer of musical film INI KISAH TIGA DARA) and Tunggal Pawestri (social activist known for her work on feminism). Lucky and Tunggal join Hans as speakers for the conference night. Gilang Wiguna (DREAMGIRLS vocal director as well as the actor playing C.C. White) acts as the MC for the event.

DREAMGIRLS will be Hans De Waal's first directorial debut at JPAC for a full-length production, previously directing musical numbers in other JPAC shows. Though he finds the role challenging due to the effort needed to coordinate the many different aspects of the show from the technical to the artistic, Hans is confident to lead DREAMGIRLS production because of the tireless effort of the cast and crew. He also believes DREAMGIRLS' brand power and social messages will be well-received by the audience.

One such message as highlighted by Tunggal Pawestri is the inspiration to stand up and fight against discrimination as faced by the Dreamettes. Though the story is set in the 60s and 70s, the discrimination in the music industry and the world at large still resonates to this day, particularly by minority groups such as people of color and women. Tunggal praised Dreamgirls' message on how to keep struggling to keep your identity in a patriarchal community that demands people to fit into their idea of beauty and success.

As a musical aficionado, Lucky Kuswandi hopes that more people will come to see DREAMGIRLS. Musical as a genre is not yet fully appreciated by the Indonesian audience, but JPAC's previous success in bringing more than a thousand audience members to WEST SIDE STORY was proof positive that there is raising interest in the art form. Lucky believes that DREAMGIRLS can achieve even more by conveying how the story is relatable to the modern audience.

The press conference also showcased two numbers from the show, performed live by DREAMGIRLS' cast. Albertus Raynaldi (playing Curtis Taylor Jr., the Dreamettes' manager) and Desmonda Cathabel Christie (Deena Jones) first performed When I First Saw You, a heartfelt duet sung as Curtis tries to reconnect with Deena.

The MC invited Raynaldi to the stage. DREAMGIRLS will be Raynaldi's first show with JPAC before previously performing in choirs and Jaksical, another musical community based in Jakarta. Raynaldi's golden voice immediately wowed the casting board of DREAMGIRLS, landing him the role of Curtis Taylor Jr.

The female main cast also joined the MC. Desmonda, who plays Deena Jones, is a founding member of JPAC and one of its most prolific members, most recently playing Anita in WEST SIDE STORY. She also won the accolade of Best Actor (Female) in the musical theatre category for the Short + Sweet Festival 2017 in Malaysia. Her well-rounded theatrical skills and professionalism made her a popular choice to play prominent characters with an emotional depth that resonate with the audience.

Ade Rianom plays the role of Effie White. Ade has previously joined several JPAC productions, including WEST SIDE STORY as Lt. Schrank. Her powerful vocals, coupled with her strong and charismatic acting, make her the director's choice to play the fiery Effie White in JPAC's production of Dreamgirls.

Rounding up the Dreamettes is Wenny Kumalasari, who assumes the mantle of Lorell Robinson. Wenny is a versatile actress capable of tackling different roles, and her recent comedic role as Rosalia in West Side Story made Wenny an audience favorite. Her polished vocal performance as well as her peerless comedic timing and delivery make her portrayal of Lorrell Robinson in Dreamgirls one to look forward to.

Before closing the show, Desmonda, Wenny, and Ade, performed the show's iconic title song. Their vocal and theatrical prowess filled the café with a joyous, dreamlike atmosphere, fitting with the lyrics:

We're your Dreamgirls...Dreamgirls will never leave you!

And all you have to do is dream, baby, we'll be there!

More information and ticket booking are available on JPAC's website, www.jakartapac.com, as well as their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo credit: JPAC Dreamgirls Media Team.