In case you hadn’t heard, I am very excited to see the new Dreamgirls movie when it opens everywhere on Christmas Day. In the meantime, I have been diverting myself in other ways, like watching this clip of Miss Jennifer Holiday‘s performance of the anthem “And I Am Telling You” as Effie in the 1982 stage production. (via Feyfriends)
In the words of the gay who uploaded the video to YouTube:
The Most Historic Performance… in Musical-Theatre History, period !!! A performance never seen since… nor will one ever be seen again !!!
I am inclined to agree, though I did love Jennifer Hudson on American Idol, and I think she will make a valiant effort as Effie in the Dreamgirls movie, though I suspect the director will tone her down so she doesn’t upstage Beyonce. Listen to a pre-release recording of Ms. Hudson’s version of the song after the jump.