'Dreamgirls' Begins Its Move From Stage to Screen

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The "girls" are back and the
dream is bigger than ever. Principal photography is underway on
DreamWorks Pictures' and Paramount Pictures' big-screen version of the
Tony Award-winning musical sensation "Dreamgirls." Shooting began on
Monday, January 9, at the Palace Theatre in downtown Los Angeles,
under the direction of Academy Award(R) winner Bill Condon. Filming on
"Dreamgirls" will also be accomplished at Los Angeles Center Studios,
as well as on location in and around Los Angeles.

Title Treatment:

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060119/LATH009LOGO-b)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060119/LATH009-a)

"Dreamgirls" brings together an ensemble of award-winning stars from
the worlds of film, Broadway, television, and the recording industry,
including Academy Award(R) winner Jamie Foxx ("Ray"), recording
superstar and actress Beyonce Knowles ("Austin Powers in Goldmember")
and box office favorite Eddie Murphy ("The Nutty Professor," "Dr.
Dolittle"). The film also introduces "American Idol" finalist Jennifer
Hudson, making her feature film debut as Effie. Rounding out the main
cast are veteran actor Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon"), Tony Award
winner Anika Noni Rose (Broadway's "Caroline or Change"), Keith
Robinson ("Fat Albert"), Sharon Leal (TV's "Boston Public"), and
three-time Tony Award winner Hinton Battle ("Miss Saigon," "The Tap
Dance Kid," "The Wiz").

In addition to the first-look photo(s) accompanying this release, the
first behind-the-scenes footage will be broadcast via satellite in a
special Video News Release (VNR) that will be available on Thursday,
January 19, from 5:00-5:15 a.m., EST and again from 1:00-1:15 p.m.
EST. The VNR footage also can be viewed in a non-downloadable format
at www.dreamworks.com/dreamgirls on the following day.

Set in the turbulent 1960s to mid-70s, "Dreamgirls" follows the rise
of a trio of women -- Deena (Beyonce Knowles), Effie (Jennifer Hudson)
and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) -- who have formed a promising girl
group called The Dreamettes. At a talent competition, they are
discovered by an ambitious manager named Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie
Foxx), who offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to become the
back-up singers for headliner James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy).
Curtis gradually takes control of the girls' look and sound,
eventually giving them their own shot in the spotlight as The Dreams.
That spotlight, however, begins to narrow in on Deena, finally pushing
the less attractive Effie out altogether. Though the Dreams become a
crossover phenomenon, they soon realize that the cost of fame and
fortune may be higher than they ever imagined.

Bill Condon is directing "Dreamgirls" from a screenplay he adapted
from the stage musical's original book by Tom Eyen. An Academy
Award(R) winner for his screenplay for "Gods and Monsters," which he
also directed, Condon earned another Oscar(R) nomination for his
screenplay adaptation of "Chicago." Academy Award(R)-nominated
producer Laurence Mark ("Jerry Maguire," "As Good As It Gets," "I,
Robot") is producing "Dreamgirls," with Patricia Whitcher ("Memoirs of
a Geisha," "The Terminal") executive producing. The lyrics are by Tom
Eyen, with music by Henry Krieger.

Behind the camera, Condon is collaborating with several acclaimed
artists to bring the world of "Dreamgirls" to the big screen.
Production designer John Myhre, who won an Academy Award(R) for
"Chicago" and also garnered an Oscar(R) nomination for "Elizabeth,"
comes to "Dreamgirls" following his highly praised work on "Memoirs of
a Geisha." Costume designer Sharen Davis, who was honored with an
Oscar(R) nomination for her work on the hit biopic "Ray," is creating
the wide-ranging costumes for "Dreamgirls." The creative team also
includes director of photography Tobias Schliessler ("Friday Night
Lights"); editor Virginia Katz, who previously worked on the
Condon-directed films "Kinsey" and "Gods and Monsters"; and casting
director Debra Zane ("War of the Worlds"). The music supervisors are
Randy Spendlove ("Chicago," "The Aviator") and Matt Sullivan ("Rent,"
"Chicago"), with the songs being arranged and produced by The
Underdogs (Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas).

In preparation for the cameras rolling, Condon and his cast have been
busy for the past two months rehearsing the unforgettable musical
numbers that made "Dreamgirls" one of the most successful stage
musicals of all time, together with some new songs that have been
written specifically for the big-screen adaptation. Putting the cast
through their paces is Fatima Robinson, the choreographer behind some
of the hottest music videos, films and live concerts in the industry
today.

A co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures,
"Dreamgirls" will be distributed domestically by DreamWorks, with
Paramount handling the international release.

"Dreamgirls" is slated for release on December 22, 2006. SOURCE
DreamWorks Pictures