It was a sound that would change music history. Ain't Too Proud is the electrifying new musical that tells the story of The Temptations from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, everybody knows the Temptations' hits, but Ain't Too Proud brings the rest of the rocky history to life; how the founding members met, the unbelievable heights that they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the country fell into civil unrest.
With a book by Dominique Morisseau, choreography by Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Des McAnuff, this musical tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, featuring the toe-tapping hits hits like "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," and many more.
The big draw of course are those timeless Motown tunes-most of them written by Smokey Robinson and Norman Whitfield: 'My Girl,' 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg,' 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone.' And thankfully, Director Des McAnuff put the songs front and center, bringing out the best in his outrageously talented company. But when it comes to biographical shows, it's nearly impossible to break from the clichéd formulas-the rise from rags to riches, the ravages of fame, the usual demons: drugs, booze, family sacrifice; and all of it magnified by the ever-present specter of racism.
'Ain't Too Proud' has a wholly conventional structure, as if everyone involved didn't want to run any kind of counter-narrative to that of Williams or upset Berry Gordy (Jahi Kearse), whose persona here is exactly like his persona in 'Motown the Musical.' Fascinating issues like the band's appeal to white audiences, its need to tour in the South, its internal debates over whether it should sing Smokey Robinson ballads or Norman Whitfield soul, the drug use among many of its members and the complexity of Williams' own personal life are brought up but quickly and often awkwardly dismissed. Such are the perils of doing legacy-creating shows about living people with ownership interests in the material.
2017 | Regional (US) |
Berkeley Rep World Premiere Production Regional (US) |
2021 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2021 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
2023 | West End |
West End |
2024 | US Tour |
Second National Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Dominique Morisseau |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Jeremy Pope |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Ephraim Sykes |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreographer | Sergio Trujillo |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Ephraim Sykes |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Harold Wheeler |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Dominique Morisseau |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Paul Tazewell |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Des McAnuff |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Howell Binkley |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | Harold Wheeler |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Ephraim Sykes |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Jeremy Pope |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Derrick Baskin |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Robert Brill |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Steve Canyon Kennedy |
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