The countdown is on with just one week to go until Motown the Musical makes its Scottish premiere at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
The sensational hit show is currently on a major UK and Ireland tour which opened at the Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre on 11 October and includes visits to Leeds, Bristol, Dublin, Manchester, Cardiff, Nottingham, Newcastle, Blackpool, Southampton and Canterbury.
It comes to the Edinburgh Playhouse from Tuesday 20 November to Saturday 8 December.
With music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, Charles Randolph-Wright’s production features a live orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The
Name Of Love, My Girl and I Heard It through the Grapevine and tells the story behind the classic hits.
The show features Edward Baruwa in the leading role of ‘Berry Gordy’, Karis Anderson as ‘Diana Ross’, Nathan Lewis as ‘Smokey Robinson’ and Shak Gabbidon-Williams as ‘Marvin Gaye’.
With just $800 borrowed from his family, Motown founder Berry Gordy goes from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more. Motown the Musical uncovers the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation.
Tony nominated “Motown the Musical” received its world premiere in April 2013 in New York and recouped its $18 million investment by the end of 2014. The first US National Tour opened to critical acclaim in Spring 2014 in Chicago, grossing $20 million dollars during its standing room only sixteen-week run.
The London production of “Motown the Musical” opened on 11 February 2016. The production continues to play to standing ovations at the Shaftesbury Theatre where it is half way through its third year and is booking until April 2019.
Motown the Musical has music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Ethan Popp, co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Cook, dance arrangements by Zane Mark. Choreography is by Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams, scenic design by David Korins, costumes by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video by Daniel Brodie and Wig design by Charles Lapointe. Motown the Musical is produced in the UK by Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris, Adam Spiegel and Berry Gordy.
Berry Gordy is the founder of Motown, the enterprise that nurtured the careers of, amongst others, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 and more. Gordy is also a songwriter, producer, director, boxer, innovative entrepreneur, teacher and visionary. Actively involved in the Civil Rights movement, he also released the recorded speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His films include Mahogany and Lady Sings the Blues, which received five Academy Award nominations. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Pioneer Award, the Grammy Salute To Industry Icon’s President’s Merit Award and was honoured by President Barack Obama with a Salute to Motown evening at the White House. Berry Gordy’s unparalleled contribution to music and popular culture is chronicled in his autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown.
The original Broadway cast recording of Motown the Musical is available via Motown Records, a label of UMG Recordings – www.classicmotown.com
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT MOTOWN THE MUSICAL ON TOUR
Birmingham Mail – ★★★★★
“The finale had the packed-out audience on its feet, clapping, smiling and jiving away. The 60s and 70s, what a time to be alive – thank God for Motown, well, thank God for Berry Gordy!”
WhatsOnStage – ★★★★
“a gold disc of a show”
Express and Star
“A compelling, thoughtful, eclectic and joyous performance that will have you singing the sounds of Motown Records for the rest of the week.”
Reviews Hub
“a dazzling evening of vocal pyrotechnics and nostalgia”
LISTING DETAILS
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL
TUE 20 NOVEMBER – SAT 8 DECEMBER 2018
Mon – Sat 7.30pm | Thurs and Sat Mats 2.30pm
HOW TO BOOK
Online: atgtickets.com/Edinburgh
Box Office: 0844 871 3014*
*fees apply.
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