Jennifer-Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960,
Riverside, Texas) is a two-time
Grammy Award-winning
African-American singer and
actress. She started her career on
Broadway in musicals such as
Dreamgirls, and later became a successful recording artist. She is best known for her debut
single, the
Dreamgirls showstopper and
Grammy Award-winning
R&B/
Pop hit, "
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
Biography
Career
Broadway actress
Jennifer Holliday landed her first big role on Broadway in 1979. At age 19, she landed a part the same day she auditioned for the
Broadway production of
Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God.
[A dream shape for the 'Dreamgirl.' - singer Jennifer Holliday | Ebony | Find Articles at BNET.com] Her performance in that musical earned her a 1981 Drama Desk nomination. Her next role was the role for which she is best known: the role of Effie Melody White in the
Broadway musical
Dreamgirls. Holliday originated the role of Effie and remained with the show for nearly four years after its
December 20,
1981 opening. Her performance in the role was widely acclaimed, particularly in her iconic performance of the musical number that ends Act I, "
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going".
