Motown: The Musical
Motown: The Musical is a jukebox musical that premiered on Broadway in April 2013. The musical is based on Berry Gordy's autobiography To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown (1994),[1] and on the history of his founding and running of the Motown record label, and his personal and professional relationships with Motown artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. The production's music and lyrics are taken from selections from the Motown catalog.[2] It received four nominations at the 67th Tony Awards.
Motown: The Musical
Various Artists
Various Artists
To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown by Berry Gordy
Productions[edit]
Motown: The Musical premiered on Broadway, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, on April 14, 2013, after previews starting on March 11.[3][4] The production was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, with choreography by Patricia Wilcox, scenic design by David Korins, costumes by ESosa, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound design by Peter Hylenski, and projection design by Daniel Brodie. Music supervision and arrangements were by Ethan Popp, with orchestrations by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook.[3]
The musical finished its original Broadway run on January 18, 2015, closing after 37 previews and 738 regular performances.[5]
A national tour began in April 2014, featuring Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes.[6]
The show returned to Broadway on July 12, 2016,[7] for an announced 18-week run at the Nederlander Theatre.[8] However, the run closed earlier than expected, on July 31, 2016.[9]
After speculation that a London production would be staged in the Dominion Theatre, which would be refurbished following the closure of We Will Rock You,[10] an eventual West End production was announced in May 2015 for the Shaftesbury Theatre, which began on February 11, 2016,[11] running until April 20, 2019.[12] The West End production was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, who also directed this musical on Broadway and its US tour. The cast stars Cedric Neal (as Berry Gordy), Lucy St. Louis (as Diana Ross), Sifiso Mazibuko (as Marvin Gaye), and Obioma Ugoala (as Smokey Robinson).[13][14] A UK and Ireland tour began on October 11, 2018, at The Alexandra, Birmingham.
Synopsis[edit]
In 1983, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, recording stars are gathered to celebrate Motown Records' 25th anniversary. In a flashback, the young Berry Gordy watches the neighbors dancing in Detroit. In 1957, the adult Berry forms his own record label, and begins to make lifelong friends with recording artists/singers such as Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson. Berry discovers the Supremes and Diana Ross, among many others.
The recording stars sing their popular numbers, including: Diana Ross ("I Hear a Symphony", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", and "You're All I Need to Get By"), Stevie Wonder, The Supremes ("Buttered Popcorn", "Where Did Our Love Go"), The Miracles ("Shop Around"), The Marvelettes ("Please Mr. Postman"), Mary Wells ("Bye Bye Baby"/"Two Lovers Medley"), The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas ("Dancing in the Street"), The Contours ("Do You Love Me"), and The Jackson 5.[15]