The Broadway touring production of Motown: The Musical, which documents the history of the famous label started by Berry Gordy, serves as a wonderful journey into the past, despite some bumps in the road. The main obstacle is that the book series is written by none other than the real Berry Gordy, a man who made a career out of promotion.
It is no wonder then that Gordy's hero only slightly wrong of their own history, ignoring the opportunity for honest self-examination is done. In addition, the strength of Gordy is writing songs, not the dialogue and another luminary in the world of entertainment, George Lucas, Gordy creates an amazing overall experience, but some of its lines can be eyebrow-raising.
His story, however, is convincing, since it documents Gordy (Julius Thomas III) passion, unity, and the struggle to build and maintain an independent record label, while the fight against racial segregation industry music in the early part of his career and marketing in the latter. The show, now at the Pantages 7 June, also explores his professional and romantic relationship with Diana Ross (alternate Ashley Allison Semmes Tamar Davis), his lifelong friendship and collaboration with Smokey Robinson (Jesse Nager), and Marvin Gaye friction (Jarran Muse), one of the many Motown artists who populate the piece.
Visual and vocal pyrotechnics of the opening number, the show exudes a vitality and energy that is also reflected in the set design David Korins' projections striking and slick Daniel Brodie. Colorful lighting by Natasha Katz is as agile as Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams dynamic choreography, which runs I brittle by the effervescent cast. That cast the track costume changes worthy models is also removed, showing great designs Esosa actors who dress in a rainbow of colors in time.
Director Charles Randolph-Wright skillfully shepherding the cast through rapid transitions between numbers lighting, maintenance of significant energy everywhere. Sometimes these transitions are a little too fast, however, as Motown 60 strokes are shoehorned into two acts and performed in truncated form, which can feel like the radio station to be changed before the end of the song. However, highlights, like "Dancing in the Street", "My Girl", "What is happening" and Jackson 5 numbers kept the audience grooving along.
Thomas III has a nice powerful voice and charisma struggles to humanize this music pioneers. Davis shows a fighter to film him while Nager optimistic oozes joy and muse embodies a poignant restless energy. The whole surrounding is equally strong, with highlights including Leon Outlaw, Jr. as the young Michael Jackson, Martina Sykes as a singer Mary Wells and Jamarice Daughtry as record producer Mickey Stevenson.
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