Motown The Musical, the smash hit production featuring the music of the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy, returned to Broadway for a limited engagement at The Nederlander Theater. It was sad to learn of its closing on July 31!
M is for MUSIC
M is FOR MOTOWN
M is also for:
MIND BLOWING
MAGNIFICENT
MEMORABLE
MARVELOUS
Motown the Musical is Berry Gordy’s greatest reflections of his incredible journey and vision for the music industry as the pioneer of Black music that is still relevant (and better than) to music today.
Motown the Musical play actually took me literally, “Back to the Future”! Or should I revamp that and say “Black Music Roots or the Roots of Black Music in Past”. This is a roller coaster ride through time of civil rights, assassinations, Vietnam War and other themes in between.
At that time, 50’s-70’s, singing artists and musicians’ images were important from head to toe. They wore classic starched and ironed clothing. Some musicians even refused to sit so they wouldn’t wrinkle their dresses or suit pants.
There was new appreciation of Black beauty. Motown artists like Diana Ross were at the forefront, the new faces of Black beauty. Back then, face care essentials were very limited to the use of basics like soap, water and Vaseline. The Natural Hair Movement was partnered with the Black Pride movement, as we went from Ed Sullivan to Soul Train. Motown the Musical showed the beauty through the decades: from sprayed stiff bouffant and flip wigs to free spirited glamour, white eyeliner, black eyeliner, dark brows and red lips, and chunky heavy eyelashes.
Think of the products used back then: Afro Sheen, Ultra Sheen, Dax, Sulfur 8, and Royal Crown for the hair; Maybelline and the “positively beautiful” Posner cosmetics; and for skin: Ponds cold cream, all-purpose body moisturizer lip gloss Vaseline, cocoa butter, and that blue jar… need I say, that blue jar name of Noxema?
As you can see, Motown the Musical took me back to childhood of watching my older relatives use those products on themselves and me (Ultra Sheen still works great on my daughter’s natural hair) and also watching Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5 and the Supremes and the entire Motown repertoire on television.
Jarren Muse (Marvin Gaye), Loren Lott (ensemble), and Allison Semmes (Diana Ross)
When I visited the cast, there was nothing but compliments for their talent, professionalism and hard work. This is fun, but putting on a great crowd-pleasing show is no joke. I paid respect to that.
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Above Left: Leon Young Jr. (Young Berry/Stevie/Michael Jackson); Right: JJ Batteast (Young Berry/Stevie/Michael Jackson)
It was great to meet American Idol Season 14 Top 16 finalist Loren Lott. And I was so happy to find out that one of the young actors, Leon Young, Jr. who plays Young Berry Gordy, Little Stevie and Michael Jackson, is from Brooklyn!
Allison Semmes (Diana Ross)
Allison Semmes played Diana Ross perfectly. She took me back to when I performed in choral ensembles and some of us were selected to sing the “Theme from Mahogany” (“do you know where you’re going to”) at graduation. To this date, I love that movie Mahogany and feel in a sense a closeness in my life just like Diana Ross’ character.
Motown the Musical, which first debut on Broadway in 2013 and left for a US tour, returned to Broadway this summer for a limited run and has gone again. Summer is such a funny time for Broadway but I wish it will come back again soon, even at a smaller venue. Just want to see it again! When it comes by you, buy tickets immediately. You’ll reminisce, you’ll swoon, you’ll smile, you’ll cry, you’ll sway in your seat, you’ll sing along. And those young actors should not be missed!
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