Jennifer Hudson Joins Producing Team for ‘Dreamgirls’ Broadway Revival

More than four decades after it first opened on Broadway, Dreamgirls is set to return to the stage, this time with Jennifer Hudson helping lead the production from behind the scenes.

Hudson announced earlier this week that she will serve as a producer on the upcoming Broadway revival of the landmark musical. The EGOT-winning performer shared the news on her daytime program, The Jennifer Hudson Show, describing the project as a long-awaited reimagining of a show that has shaped both her career and American musical theater history.

“This fall, Dreamgirls is coming back to Broadway for the very first time since it opened 45 years ago,” Hudson told her audience. “Now, it’s being reimagined for a whole new generation… and I am a producer on the team for the revival of this iconic musical.”

While specific performance dates and casting details have not yet been announced, the production is slated to open this fall. The revival will be directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, whose recent Broadway credits include Hell’s Kitchen and Gypsy. Brown is known for blending contemporary choreography with deeply rooted African American dance traditions, a creative lens that aligns closely with the show’s legacy.

Originally premiering at New York City’s Imperial Theatre on Dec. 20, 1981, Dreamgirls ran until Aug. 11, 1985. Loosely inspired by the rise of Motown acts in the 1960s and 1970s, the musical follows a female vocal trio navigating fame, ambition, and betrayal in the music industry. The original Broadway cast featured Sheryl Lee Ralph as Deena Jones, Loretta Devine as Lorrell Robinson, and Jennifer Holliday as Effie Melody White.

The production quickly became both a commercial and a critical success. It earned multiple Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Choreography, along with several Drama Desk Awards. The original cast recording won a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album in 1983, while Holliday’s powerhouse rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” earned her a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

The musical’s influence extended well beyond Broadway. National tours followed in the early 1980s, and the show later found success internationally, including a celebrated West End production at London’s Savoy Theatre. More recently, Amber Riley earned acclaim for portraying Effie in a London revival, winning an Olivier Award for her performance.

Hudson’s connection to Dreamgirls runs particularly deep. In 2006, she portrayed Effie White in the film adaptation directed by Bill Condon. Starring alongside Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Anika Noni Rose, Hudson’s breakout performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her interpretation of Effie’s emotional arc and signature anthem introduced the story to a new global audience and cemented the musical’s modern cultural relevance.

Now, nearly two decades after the film’s release, Hudson is returning to the material in a new capacity, shaping its next chapter from the production side. While she has not indicated whether she will appear onstage, her involvement as a producer signals a full-circle moment for both the performer and the property.

With Camille A. Brown at the helm and Hudson as part of the producing team, the revival positions itself as both a tribute to the original and a reexamination for contemporary audiences. As Broadway continues to revisit classic titles through updated creative perspectives, Dreamgirls appears poised to reassert its place in the canon, not simply as nostalgia, but as a story about ambition, artistry, and resilience that remains timely.

Additional casting and venue announcements are expected in the coming months.