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Eyen's narrative backgrounds The Dreams' career with the dense, avaricious afterworld of show business itself, with the kind of cutthroat creativing that makes stars out of shyness and shakes gold from plastic. The Three girls - Effie White, Deena Jone and Lorrell Robinson begin as a promising trio, and trusting friends. As the Dreamettes, green from Chicago, eager and wideeyed, they sing "Move (You're Steppin' on My Heart)" in a talent show at the Apollo Theater in New York. The girls lose this first bid for fame, but their talent attracts a sharp agent, Curtis Taylor, Jr., whose venal business tactics, yet to be revealed, are subliminally suggested in "Steppin' To The Bad Side". Curtis convinces a popular star, James Thunder Early, to hire his hastily collected new clients.
Curtis falls in love with Effie, then, bartering her talent with a convincing argument "Family", moves Deena into Effie's lead spot. Curtis shifts his affections to Deena. Effie, deeply and defiantly in love with her man, rages with gospel fervor through the sear and pain of "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going".
Dreamgirls' second act covers 1970 and 1972. The Dreams replaced by Michelle Morris, are an international hit, their records at the top of the charts. But personal, as well as professional wars are still being waged. Loreell has long been pursued by Jimmy Early, who's married and can't seem to make the break from his wife, "Ain't No Party" and "I Meant You No Harm". Jimmy's club act has been badly compromised, his star is waning. Simultaneously, Deena wants to leave The Dreams and make it in the movies, an ambition at odds with Curtis's plans, and which eventually divides them "When I First Saw You". Slowly but determinedly Effie, who now has a child, is making her difficult way to a comeback "I am Changing". Once again she crashes against Curtis, who tries to destroy her revitalized career by outclassing her hit single "One Night Only" with a version by The Dreams. Effie out-maneuvers her adversary, and reclaims her lost dream of stardom. Dreamgirls ends in a triumphant reunion of The Dreams, with Effie White in a guest star appearance. The reunion is also The Dreams' farewell performance as a group "Hard to Say Goodbye, My Love".
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