The Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud first opened on Broadway in March 2019. The musical tells the story of The Temptations, one of the most successful R&B groups of all time, as they rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. Ain’t Too Proud features many of The Temptations’ biggest hits and charts their journey through the Motown era. Since opening, Ain’t Too Proud has received positive reviews and several Tony Award nominations. The show continues its open-ended Broadway run today.
Pre-Broadway and Opening
Ain’t Too Proud had its world premiere at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2017. After a successful run in Berkeley, the show transferred to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Los Angeles Center Theatre Group. With direction by Des McAnuff and choreography by Sergio Trujillo, Ain’t Too Proud continued to earn rave reviews.
On February 28, 2019, Ain’t Too Proud opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre. The original Broadway cast featured Derrick Baskin as Otis Williams, James Harkness as Paul Williams, Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin, Jeremy Pope as Eddie Kendricks, and Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin. Upon opening, Ain’t Too Proud once again received positive reviews, especially praising the cast and choreography.
Opening Night Reviews
Publication | Review Quote |
---|---|
The New York Times | “Thrilling…the performers handily remind us of what made the group so special.” |
The Hollywood Reporter | “Electrifying! This hugely entertaining show pays electrifying homage.” |
Variety | “A vibrantly choreographed, infectiously scored and sensationally sung biomusical.” |
Broadway Run
Since opening in March 2019, Ain’t Too Proud has run continuously on Broadway. The musical turned out to be a box office success, consistently performing well even through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notable Milestones
Date | Milestone |
---|---|
October 2019 | Recasts several principal roles including Otis Williams and David Ruffin |
February 2020 | Performs at the Minskoff Theatre for one night for the Broadway Unite concert |
March 2020 | Shuts down along with rest of Broadway due to COVID-19 |
September 2021 | Re-opens after 18 month COVID shutdown |
November 2021 | Cast performs at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade |
June 2022 | Performs for the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall |
In June 2022, original cast member Ephraim Sykes left Ain’t Too Proud to begin filming a movie musical. Sykes was replaced by his original Broadway understudy, Marcus Paul James. Other long-running cast members include Harlemm Lee as Melvin Franklin and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as Eddie Kendricks.
The current cast headed into the fall 2022 season performing eight shows a week at the Imperial Theatre.
Critical Response
Overall, Ain’t Too Proud has received glowing reviews from theatre critics:
- The New York Times called it “Thrilling…the performers handily remind us of what made the group so special.”
- The Hollywood Reporter raved “Electrifying! This hugely entertaining show pays electrifying homage.”
- Variety described it as “A vibrantly choreographed, infectiously scored and sensationally sung biomusical.”
- Time Out New York said “You’ll be leaping to your feet to applaud the sensational singing and dancing.”
- New York Stage Review praised the show’s “Incredible footwork and silky harmonizing.”
Tony Award Nominations
In 2019, Ain’t Too Proud received 12 Tony Award nominations:
Category | Nominee |
---|---|
Best Musical | Ain’t Too Proud |
Best Book of a Musical | Dominique Morisseau |
Best Original Score | Music and lyrics: The Temptations |
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Derrick Baskin |
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Jeremy Pope |
Best Choreography | Sergio Trujillo |
Best Orchestrations | Harold Wheeler |
Best Sound Design of a Musical | Steve Canyon Kennedy |
While the show did not win any Tony Awards, the multiple nominations were still seen as a success and recognition of the musical’s impact.
National Tour and Future
Due to its popularity on Broadway, Ain’t Too Proud launched a national tour in 2021. The tour kicked off in October 2021 at the Kennedy Center and is currently scheduled to play over 50 engagements through 2023. Several cast members from the Broadway production joined the tour, including Marcus Paul James as David Ruffin.
The producers of Ain’t Too Proud have not yet announced an official closing date for the Broadway production. Since opening in 2019, the show has built a strong fan base and has sold well despite challenges like the pandemic. Given its ongoing success, Ain’t Too Proud is likely to continue its open-ended run for the considerable future.
Conclusion
The Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud opened on Broadway in March 2019 and over 3 and a half years later, continues its successful run at the Imperial Theatre. The show has received widespread critical acclaim for its electrifying choreography, sensational singing, and storytelling of The Temptations’ journey through the Motown era. Despite uncertainties like cast changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ain’t Too Proud has built an enthusiastic audience and become an anchor production on the Great White Way. Given its achievements so far, Ain’t Too Proud seems poised for a long run on Broadway as it brings the timeless music of The Temptations to theatregoers.