'Listen' Up: New Dreamgirls Tour to Borrow Deena Diva Song from Film

The upcoming national tour of Dreamgirls, which starts in November at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, will offer a new diva moment for whichever lucky actress gets cast as lead girl-group singer Deena Jones. “Listen,” an Oscar-nominated song written for the 2006 film version, will be incorporated into the new production, directed and co-choreographed by Robert Longbottom.

Although “Listen” is one of several songs that were added to the score of Dreamgirls for the film, it’s the only song to make the jump back to the new stage version. It is written by Dreamgirls composer Henry Krieger along with Anne Preven, Scott Cutler and Beyonce Knowles and serves as an eleven o’clock number for Deena, played by Knowles in the film.

Dreamgirls, which first premiered on Broadway in 1981, features music by Krieger and book and lyrics by the late Tom Eyen. Longbottom will collaborate on choreography on the new staging with Emmy-nominated hip-hop artist Shane Sparks. Original scenic designer Robin Wagner will create a new design for the tour, with costumes by William Ivey Long and lighting by Ken Billington.

No casting has been announced for Dreamgirls.