Theatre News

Glee star to make debut in Dreamgirls

Amber Riley will lead the UK premiere of the musical ”Dreamgirls”

Glee star Amber Riley
Glee star Amber Riley
© Brian Caldwell

American TV star Amber Riley will make her West End debut this year in the UK premiere of Dreamgirls.

Riley, best known for playing Mercedes Jones in the hit US high-school show Glee, will take on Effie White in the musical.

Dreamgirls has music by Henry Krieger, with lyrics and a book by Tom Eyen and is based on the stories of R 'n' B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown and Jackie Wilson.

Riley said: "I am so honoured and excited to not only be playing such an iconic role, but also to be working with Sonia Friedman and Casey Nicholaw. Working on the West End is now a dream realised, I just feel like this is going to be something special!"

The musical first opened in 1981 on Broadway and was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won six. It was adapted into a film starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce and Jamie Foxx in 2006. It follows girl group The Dreamettes on their rise to success. Watch Riley perform 'And I Am Telling You' in a clip from Glee below.

Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs the show, which will have first performances at the Savoy Theatre in November. Sonia Friedman is producing.

Tickets will go on sale in Spring. Further dates, casting and creatives will be announced soon.

Watch Riley perform 'And I Am Telling You'' here