Three-City Roadshow Planned to Launch Movie Version of Dreamgirls

DreamWorks and Paramount have dipped into film marketing history for the upcoming premiere of Dreamgirls, planning a 10-day "roadshow" in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to Variety. Designed to make moviegoing more like a live theatrical experience, the roadshow presentation will include reserved seats, special lobby displays and a souvenir program. The price: $25 per ticket.

The Dreamgirls roadshow begins on December 15 at New York's Zeigfeld Theater, Hollywood's Cinerama Dome and San Francisco's Metreon Theatre. The film's exclusive engagement at these three theaters will run for 10 days, with one show per night and matinees added on the weekend. The movie will open in wide release nationwide on Christmas Day.

Roadshows were a common marketing method for big-budget films in previous generations, according to Variety, running for six to eight months, or even longer in the case of The Sound of Music. The last film to have an official roadshow was the 1972 musical Man of La Mancha. Dreamgirls' roadshow will include lobby exhibits on the making of the film and the opportunity to buy exclusive merchandise and the soundtrack. Each ticket buyer will receive a limited edition program. There will be no commercials or trailers before Dreamgirls begins and, unlike the original roadshows of the 1950s and '60s, no intermission.

Based on the 1981 Broadway musical directed by Michael Bennett, the Dreamgirls film is directed by Bill Condon screenwriter of Chicago and stars Beyonce Knowles as Deena Jones, Jennifer Hudson as Effie White, Anika Noni Rose as Lorell Robinson, Eddie Murphy as James "Thunder" Early, Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor Jr., Danny Glover as Marty Madison, Keith Robinson as C.C. White, Hinton Battle as Wayne and Sharon Leal as Michelle Morris.

Among the familiar theatrical names appearing in small roles in the movie are Loretta Devine the original Lorell on Broadway, John Lithgow, Laura Bell Bundy and Ken Page.