MOTOWN THE MUSICAL Previews — Page 2

Teena Marie (1990)

Updated On: 3/11/13 at 06:10 PM

Thank you Egghumor for your quick response. So when this happened, had she already parted ways with Rick James? I saw her in concert in 1985, with Ready For the World and Rene and Angela, and it was somewhat obvious their was some substance abuse going on then. She was late to perform and had some problems standing. I didn't know there was a Teena Marie role in broadway's Motown. I may have to see this just for that.

I NEED YOUR LOVIN' is a great track. I also love BEHIND THE GROOVE. All her Motown albums have been released in Special Expanded Editions via MotownSelect
MOTOWN SELECT: Teena Marie

Well my intermission report is directed to @morganjames

Going by your first preview standards I am #horrified #musicaltheaterisdead by your performance. #whereisyourmusicianship?

File this under karma is a bitch!

Good luck in act two

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Well there have been some cool Chrysler commercials feature the musical that have been airing during "The Bachelor" tonight.

Was anyone at the show tonight? I am really excited to see it!

I'm just getting home from Motown; the show got out at 11:05 and could do with a little trimming. I think it would be unfair to say it's bad or awful, and while I certainly wouldn't call it well-crafted, it does have some things going for it.

For the record Morgan James is just fine in a handful of roles. I just couldn't resist reminding us of her tweets during Shakespeare in the Park. Well, Motown isn't Sondheim and it sure ain't Shakespeare neither! Maybe she should keep in mind something from her previous Broadway credit: Those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and those who humble themselves shall be exalted.

But back to Motown. The good is that these people can sing and dance their asses off, and they keep the energy level at a 10 for the entire show. When the production focuses on the songs it can explode- numbers like Dancing in the Street and the Jackson Five sequences had the crowd going wild.

If I counted correctly the show lists SIXTY-FIVE numbers in the song list. Many of the songs are only performed for about 90 seconds, but still it's a lot of material to get through. I realize they have such a crazy catalog to pick from, but it's too much. Plus when you hear so many songs it just makes the show feel so damn long.

I like they didn't skimp on ensemble members. Still, like in Baby, It's You everyone plays four different roles. There are costume and wig changes galore. In fact it often feels like Baby, It's You, but with more money, actual sets instead of cheap projections, better choreography, slicker direction and no Beth.

The book is really atrocious and took some balls to write. It really is the greatest love letter to oneself that you can imagine. Even Yoko didn't go this far giving herself sainthood in Lennon. The story is framed by Motown's 25th anniversary and Berry doesn't want to go to the party. All the people that he helped create, all the stars who he gave his blood, sweat and tears to have all left him. They were ungrateful for all the hard work he did. Why should he celebrate?

We then go back to 1938 and watch his story unfold. He grows up and discovers act after act. Turning each one into a star and growing Motown into the greatest record company in the history of the universe. It becomes a parade of acts with zero character development, save Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson. Pretty much everyone else shows up, but they are trotted out like a pageant show and then whisked off just as easily.

Amusingly the audience gave entrance applause for each act as if the real artist was there performing. The guy who played Stevie Wonder had a knockout voice, but I don't think he uttered a line of dialogue.

I liked Valisia LeKae who played Ross. I thought she really had her down and looked great in the costumes and wigs.

Brandon Victor Dixon was in superb voice, but despite the heavy stage time didn't have much to work with.

I guess the overall feeling of the show was like watching an American Idol results show that was in tribute to Berry Gordy. Seacrest would narrate about all the accomplishments Gordy had achieved and the cast of idol hopefuls would perform choreographed medleys and encourage the audience to get on their feet and sing along. (Yes there is audience participation, and yes you do get to sing along with Diana!)

I guess the biggest disappointment is with all ego and trite dialogue in the book, the show is somehow able to emerge completely camp free.

Frankly I think they should scrap the book (that'll never happen) and just perform the numbers Smokey Joe's Cafe style. It doesn't matter though because I think this will be a big hit and run for a year or two. The critics can try to rip it to shreds if they want, but I don't think it will matter. It's got too much energy and delivers the catalog which, I assume, is what the audience wants.

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This sounds like a big train wreck and if Ato2 is to be believed (from their own thread) I would be super annoyed by the crowd. I should have known a show like this would have attracted people who are prone to singing along with these well known songs but I'm not going to pay money for bad karaoke.

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I read the other thread, and Ato2 is wrong about there being an understudy for Berry Gordy. Dixon definitely went on. There was a slip for Young Berry Gordy (who also plays Young Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson), because he is a child actor who has an alternate.

The audience did sing along the whole time and talked back, but I gave myself over to it and by the time Diana Ross told us to hold hands with the person sitting next to us (!!!) and sing along I was all in, ha.

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People singing along the whole time, talking back AND you were asked to hold a stranger's hand?

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Nevermind.

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Updated On: 3/12/13 at 12:17 AM

An excerpt from PLaybill.com's interview with Charles Randolph-Wright, published yesterday:

He said he wouldn't know the exact song count until opening night, but promised the show would contain more numbers than does your average musical.

Sorry if I implied that all the songs were 90 seconds. Many are that short, and often presented in medley form, but some numbers do get the full length treatment. Obviously those number come off best.

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