A new national tour of Dreamgirls will open at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater in November 2009. The show will be directed by Robert Longbottom and co-choreographed by Longbottom and Shane Sparks. Robin Wagner, who did the set design for the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, will create new designs for the tour. Here is what producer, John Breglio had to say about the production:

When we started planning this new production, I knew it was time to finally bring Dreamgirls to the Apollo. Throughout its history, the Apollo has been known as a proving ground where new talent has been discovered and nurtured and careers have been launched and that’s what Dreamgirls is all about. The very first scene in Dreamgirls takes place right here at the Apollo’s famous Amateur Night. What better place to launch a new production of this groundbreaking show?”

I wonder what this new staging is going to be like – more like the film in design and style than Michael Bennett’s original staging, perhaps? Personally I’d rather see a reproduction of that iconic staging than a mish-mash that falls somewhere in between and, if Longbottom is going to do a new staging, I hope it’s at the very least original in its vision.