Frenchie Davis is a Broadway performer and a soul, dance/electronica, and pop singer. She came to public attention in 2003 as a contestant on "American Idol". She began performing in "Rent" on Broadway soon afterward, and was a member of the cast for four years. In 2011, she reached the top 8 on the first season of singing competition "The Voice".
Henry Krieger is a musical theatre composer. He most notably wrote the music for the Broadway shows "Dreamgirls" (1981), "The Tap Dance Kid" (1983), and "Side Show" (1997). Krieger was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Score for both "Dreamgirls" and "Side Show", won the Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album for the cast album of "Dreamgirls", and received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Song for songs he wrote for the 2006 "Dreamgirls" film.
On June 20, 2016, Broadway Sings for Pride premiered its 6th anniversary benefit concert "Ovation" in New York City, at Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. This milestone event was filled with singing (from pop to Broadway), stories, special celebrity guests, and more. The show honored Tyler Clementi Foundation and AIDS pioneer and activist Ruth Coker Burks. Broadway Sings for Pride is a multiple award-winning, non-for-profit organization that brings together Broadway talent, activists, and celebrities, to educate the public, raise awareness of the needs of LGBTQ+ youth, and support these young people, so that they may reach their full potential.
Accompanied by Krieger on piano, Davis performed the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" during the benefit concert, where Shefik served as Videographer. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (also known in short as just "And I Am Telling You") is a torch song from the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls", with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Krieger.
In the context of the musical, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is sung by the character Effie White, a singer with The Dreams, to her manager, Curtis Taylor Jr., whose romantic and professional relationship with Effie is ending. The lyrics to "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", often considered the show's signature tune, describe Effie's love for Curtis, both strongly devoted and defiant.
In addition to its presence in the musical, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is also notable as the debut single of two women who portrayed Effie. Jennifer Holliday originated the role on Broadway in 1981 and won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the role, as well as the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for its re-release in 1982, for which it became a number-one R&B hit.
Jennifer Hudson portrayed Effie in the 2006 film adaptation of the musical, winning an Academy Award.
Credits
- Videographer: Shefik
Last Updated: April 30, 2023
