By JOHN BONAZZO
One of the most common genres on Broadway over the last decade has been the “jukebox musical,” in which the catalog of a song or record label is used to score a show. The results can either be inspired, as in the long-running classic Jersey Boys, or disastrous, as in the Bob Dylan flop The Times They Are A-Changin’. Thankfully, Motown: The Musical, now playing at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, falls squarely into the former category, using a great score to augment its story of musical legends.
The show tells the story of Berry Gordy, who created Motown Records. Growing up poor in Detroit, he works as an auto mechanic but really wants to enter the music business. His songwriting career does not work out, so he borrows money from his family to open Motown Records. The label attracts up-and-coming artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the Jackson Five, all of whom Gordy helps rockets to stardom. His greatest professional and personal success is with Diana Ross, who is not only the label’s biggest star but also Gordy’s longtime love interest.
Director Charles Randolph-Wright marshals all the action onstage effectively, making sure solo and large group numbers both get their moments in the sun. He has also given the design team excellent guidance, as the lighting, costumes and sets all have a fun ‘70s vibe.
Berry Gordy wrote the book himself, which is a mixed blessing. In the show’s early sections, he gives a bit too much background on his own life, which the audience really does not care about. Thankfully, in the second act, he allows the music to take center stage so the audience can be enveloped in the classic Motown sound.
The show’s cast expertly portrays their real-life counterparts. Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) is a charismatic lead, making the audience care about Gordy’s journey and nailing his few songs. Valisia LeKae (The Book of Mormon) has Diana Ross’s charisma and a voice to match, shown to great effect in the audience participation number “Reach Out and Touch.” Newcomer Bryan Terrell Clark emotionally shows Marvin Gaye’s journey from entertainer to activist in songs like “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “What’s Going On.” Jibreel Mawry is the spitting image of Michael Jackson and leads his onstage brothers in spirited renditions of “ABC” and “I Want You Back.” Ryan Shaw has only one scene as Stevie Wonder, but his performance of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” steals the show.
Motown the Musical is a toe-tapping good time, charting the rise of the record label through its classic songs. Let Broadway’s newest hit take you on a
musical journey you will not regret it!
