Well, it’s that time! Time to go back to dancing in the streets this summer. After touring the country since 2014, the touring company will land on Broadway Tuesday, July 12 at The Nederlander Theatre for a strictly limited 18-week-only engagement through Sunday, November 13, 2016.
The original production of Motown The Musical opened on Broadway April 14th, 2013 and closed January 18th, 2015, with plans to return. Those plans have finally come to fruition.
Leading the cast and making a big Broadway return is musical theater veteran Chester Gregory (Hairspray, Tarzan, Cry-Baby, Sister Act) who will star as “Berry Gordy”.
Another great tidbit is the graduation of three original Broadway ensemble members who will now star in leading roles: Allison Semmes as “Diana Ross”, Jarran Muse as “Marvin Gaye” and Jesse Nager as “Smokey Robinson”.
The smash hit production, featuring the music of the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy, will also star J.J. Batteast and Leon Outlaw, Jr. as Young Berry Gordy/Stevie Wonder/Michael Jackson.
The 33-member ensemble cast will feature Nik Alexander, Erick Buckley, Chante Carmel, Chadaé, Lynorris Evans, Anissa Felix, Talya Groves, Rod Harrelson, Robert Hartwell, Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr., Trisha Jeffrey, Jamie LaVerdiere, Elijah Ahmad Lewis,Loren Lott, Jarvis B. Manning, Jr., Krisha Marcano, Marq Moss, Rashad Naylor,Ramone Owens, Olivia Puckett, Nicholas Ryan, Jamison Scott, Joey Stone, Doug Storm, Martina Sykes, Nik Walker and Galen J. Williams.
Congratulations to every member of this cast, many of whom will be making their Broadway debuts!
The show is billed as:
Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Motown The Musical is the real story of the one-of-a-kind sound that hit the airwaves in 1959 and changed our culture forever. This exhilarating show charts Motown Founder Berry Gordy’s incredible journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.
Featuring all the classics you love, Motown The Musical tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat.
More about the creative team for our #BroadwayBlack creatives:
Motown The Musical’s creative team features choreography by Patricia Wilcox (A Night with Janis Joplin) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Hamilton), costume design by Tony Award nomineeESosa(On Your Feet!) lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz(An American in Paris), sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski(Something Rotten!) and projection design by Daniel Brodie (Aladdin).
Motown The Musical features arrangements and orchestrations by Tony and Grammy Award nominee Ethan Popp (School of Rock, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), who also serves as musical supervisor for the orchestra that reproduces the classic “Sound of Young America” for the stage, with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Tony Award nominee Bryan Crook (“Smash”), dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Holler if Ya Hear Me) and music direction by Joseph Joubert (The Color Purple ).
Find out more information about dates, times, & tickets HERE