“Thank you for being here today, because there were moments where I was like: this might not happen,” Dreamgirls director Osose Omofomah ’26 told the audience in Rosse Hall before the shadowcast began Friday night. The ’60s and ’70s throwback brought the glitz and glam of R&B and soul to Halloweekend. It followed the lives of the members of “The Dreams,” a Black girl group from Detroit, as their manipulative manager pushes them to break into mainstream pop radio, which was dominated by white singers at the time. Though Omofomah may have worried the show would not come together in time, Kenyon College Players’ (KCP) Dreamgirls can only be described as utterly dreamy.
Even though the 2006 film “Dreamgirls” was projected across the massive screen in Rosse, behind the actors on stage, it was easy to forget about the recording in favor of the live performance of the ensemble cast. Elexis Diaz ’27, Kohkoh Memeh ’25 and Samantha Ofori ’26 played the original “Dreamettes” as the group’s lead singer Effie, and backup singers Deena and Lorrell, respectively. Another central character is Curtis, the manager of the Dreamettes, and one of the most layered characters in Dreamgirls, as he drips with charisma from the start, yet over the course of the film, he becomes increasingly unlikable and more manipulative and self-interested. Naa Adjeley Anang-La ’26 delivered a standout performance as Curtis that left the audience roaring for her during the curtain call.
When asked about choosing “Dreamgirls” for the annual shadowcast, Omofomah wrote in an email to the Collegian: “I’ve always really admired this film, the music in it and the complex characters present so when I was considering if I wanted to propose a play, I thought about ‘Dreamgirls.’ And then a shadowcast seemed like the perfect format to capture the energy of the film.” Omofomah’s instinct was spot on; the key to Dreamgirls’ success may well have been the shadowcast format. Much of the film consists of performances in front of various audiences, so by performing it live for the shadowcast, the Rosse audience became participants in the narrative.
This connection between the shadowcast actors and the Rosse audience proved mutual. “One of the most challenging aspects was lip-syncing during some of the more emotionally charged parts of the show — particularly “And I Am Telling You.” Conveying Effie’s raw emotion proved difficult at times. Interestingly, I found the performance of that number to be easier on the night of the show than in rehearsals, largely due to the palpable energy and support from the audience. The connection with the crowd during that moment was incredibly powerful — it made the scene feel truly magical,” Diaz said.
On the complexity of portraying Effie, Diaz said, “Throughout the production, I worked to embody Effie’s emotional depth, particularly channeling her sadness in the second act, where she grapples with rejection from those she thought as family, and her assertive confidence in the first act, which sometimes borders on arrogance. Effie’s journey of self-empowerment really resonated with me as I navigated the role and allowed me to embrace my confidence on stage.”
Dreamgirls seamlessly enabled this immersion as the set was minimal and dynamic, allowing it to playfully emulate the settings in the film, and the costumes brought flair to the characters and performances. There were, however, a couple of notable moments where clever use of props brought additional levity to Dreamgirls. When asked about a favorite moment, Omofomah said, “[A] favorite moment was figuring out what one of the intimate moments in the film would look like on stage. There were so many different iterations of it from fake kisses to sock puppets and then finally landing on the blanket as both a veil and a backdrop for the photoshoot from the scene before.”
KCP’s Dreamgirls refused to shy away from the sadder and more serious themes in the film, yet balanced them with moments of hilarity and poignant hope. The task of tackling and adapting “Dreamgirls” as a shadowcast is a daunting one, but Omofomah and the cast accomplished it, leaving the audience with a lasting sense of optimism. Diaz added, “I was truly moved by the emotional responses from the audience. More than anything, I hope the Kenyon community takes away the understanding that stories centered around people of color are just as important, compelling and enjoyable as any other narratives in theater. ‘Dreamgirls’ is a timeless story with universal themes of self-worth and resilience, and I believe it has the power to reach and resonate with audiences of all backgrounds. Most of all, I hope that this production encourages a greater commitment to diversity in theater at Kenyon College, much like Osose demonstrated in bringing this show to life.”