The Milwaukee Rep presents "Dreamgirls"

And I am telling you: Go see this show!

As a musical lover, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I've never seen Dreamgirls the movie. But that's about to change because I must have those sweet, sweet sounds pumped into my ear drums once again — though I doubt even Jennifer Hudson and her Oscar can top the magic that's on stage now through November 1st at the Milwaukee Rep. 

On Friday night, my mom and I (and a packed house) sat in awe of the remarkable talent gracing the Milwaukee theater scene for the next month. A mix of Milwaukee natives, Rep veterans, and Helen Hayes Award Winners, the cast of Dreamgirls will have you utterly mesmerized from the opening number to the final bow. Particularly stand-out performances come from Nova Y. Payton as Effie White and Cedric Neal as James "Thunder" Early — both members of the Helen Hayes Award Winners club for the very parts they're playing now.

During Effie's iconic power ballad "And I Am Telling You" (performed by Nova Y. Payton), I recall hearing three things from the audience: that kind of hold-your-breath silence, intermittent whoops, and sniffling. At the end, the crowd got on its feet — whistling, hollering, and furiously applauding. The women next to me were openly crying, and I would have been a puddle myself had I not choked back tears in an attempt to stay cool in front of Mom (as if she cares).

The costumes and creative direction were perfectly crafted to reflect the caliber of talent on stage. Scene and costume changes were fluid and dynamic, energizing the entire production. And the sequins — oh the sequins! There's a whole lotta fierce fabulosity on display in this Rep production, and it's delicious to behold.

I will say that, in general, the plot of Dreamgirls might seem predictable: A rags-to-riches story about the roller coaster that is show biz. It's easy to compare Dreamgirls to Motown as they fall in the same time period and musical genre — but Dreamgirls definitely has a stronger narrative. A narrative that feels familiar, but a narrative nonetheless. And if the storytellers are as talented as the cast and creative of the Rep's Dreamgirls, familiar quickly becomes phenomenal.

Catch Dreamgirls at the Milwaukee Rep now through November 1st! For ticket information, visit milwaukeerep.com.