On the heels of its warmly received world-premiere run at Berkeley Rep, “Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of The Temptations” are headed to the Nation’s Capital.
In what is being billed as a pre-Broadway engagement, the musical about the legendary Motown group will play a five-week run early next summer at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Des McAnuff-directed show charts the rise of the vocal group from the streets of Detroit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, achieving crossover success in the 1960s and ’70s with their smooth harmonies and signature dance moves on classic R&B and soul tracks including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”
Set against the backdrop of the civil unrest dividing America, the show’s book was written by Detroit-born playwright Dominique Morisseau, whose acclaimed works for the stage include Skeleton Crew and Pipeline. Additionally, she is a writer on Showtime’s “Shameless.” Sergio Trujillo choreographed the musical.
While no Broadway theater or dates have been locked, producers Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman (Spring Awakening, American Idiot) said in interviews during the Berkeley run that their plan was to find a major venue for summer or early fall 2018, as a stepping stone to New York.
The Kennedy Center engagement will play June 19-July 22 in the Eisenhower Theater, with casting to be announced.
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