Glee star Amber Riley is to appear in the UK stage premiere of musical Dreamgirls.

The American actress will play soul singer Effie White, the character played by Jennifer Hudson in the film of the same name.

Amber Riley (Blair Caldwell/Dreamgirls/PA Wire)Amber Riley (Blair Caldwell/Dreamgirls/PA Wire)

 

Riley, who is best known for her role as Mercedes Jones in television musical comedy Glee, said working in the West End is a dream come true.

Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph the production and it will be presented in the West End’s Savoy Theatre by Sonia Friedman Productions.

Speaking ahead of the show, which is set to open in November, Riley said: “I am so honoured and excited to not only be playing such an iconic role, but also to be working with Sonia Friedman and Casey Nicholaw. Working on the West End is now a dream realised, I just feel like this is going to be something special.”

Inspired by R&B music acts in 1960s America, Dreamgirls takes audiences to a revolutionary time in American music history.

The show charts the tumultuous journey of a young female singing trio called The Dreams as they learn that showbusiness is a tough world.

Jennifer Hudson (Evan Agostini/Invision)Jennifer Hudson (Evan Agostini/Invision)

 

The original Broadway production of Dreamgirls opened in 1981 and won six Tony Awards.

In 2006 it was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.