From the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations traces an amazing ride to success for The Temptations, one of the building blocks in Motown’s empire. The musical group’s name proves ironic over the course of this delectably organized show, which does indeed show the temptations that the group member fall prey to over the years. Remarkably, 2022 marks the 60th anniversary for this soulful group.
The return of Ain’t Too Proud was a welcome one for this reviewer, who saw the musical on Broadway just prior to the pandemic. The show did reopen – briefly – for a time in late 2021. Alas, financial pressures forced Ain’t Too Proud to close on the Great White Way in January, but the tour lives on to entertain fans around the country.
This high-energy show, packed with dozens of hit tunes, does indeed entertain theatergoers for every minute of its two hour, 40-minute running time. From early hits such as “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination” and “Get Ready,” the cast does an excellent job of recreating the harmonies, the outfits and the dance moves, of the original Temptations.
The musical was written by Dominique Morisseau, based on a book by Temptations creator Otis Williams. The show is directed by Des McAnuff. It’s easy to see why choreographer Serio Trujillo won the 2019 Tony Award for his dance moves, which slyly shift over time.
Early in the show, Otis Williams (Marcus Paul James) reminds the audience that “there’s no progress without sacrifice.” This is especially brought home during a funeral for one of the original Temptations, as the rest of the group sings a mournful, “I Wish It Would Rain.”
While Otis remains as the last surviving original member of the group, he faces hardships, too. His young wife, Josephine, pops up occasionally to remind him that life on the road is no substitute for a husband and father who is needed at home. Other “temptations” are alluded to, such as female groupies, drug and alcohol addiction, and gambling.
On their rise to the top of Motown’s charts, the Temptations come across another famous Motown group, The Supremes. The sparkly and scintillating trio of actors Deri’Andra Tucker, Shayla Brielle G., and Traci Elaine Lee do a fantastic job of recreating this legendary group. Likewise, Najah Hetsberger (as Josephine) also does a remarkable job with her limited role.
For the most part, the musical focuses on the core group of originals. In addition to Williams, they include: Paul Williams (James T. Lane), Melvin “Blue” Franklin (Harrell Homes, Jr.), Eddie Kendricks (Jalen Harris) and David Ruffin (Elijah Ahmad Lewis). Two of the group’s cast, representing Otis Williams and David Ruffin, performed their roles in the Broadway production. While they are spectacular, these actors do not outshine their “brothers” in the group. All of the characters are represented well in the national tour. Likewise for the actor (Lawrence Dandridge) who plays Smokey Robinson, who wrote many of the Temptations early hits.
The musical’s minimal set pieces and elaborate backdrops slink quickly on and off stage to permit the maximum space for the group’s dance moves. The show’s band, under the direction of conductor Jonathan Winkle, does a fine job. Robert Brill’s scenic design takes the Temptations from successful concerts in the Detroit metro area to the entire world. As the group sings, projections race across the set, proclaiming the group’s sold-out concert gigs in London, Paris and across the U.S. Their TV appearances are chronicled as well. By the time the final curtain comes down, the Temptations have delivered more than 30 of the group’s songs. Many of them hit #1 on the charts in their day, and most songs still will be familiar to today’s audiences. This applies even to those who aren’t particularly drawn to The Temptation’s musical tastes.
At the end, only Otis Williams, the sole surviving member of the Temptations, brings the show to a close. The moment is both sad and triumphant. Meanwhile, across the globe, The Temptations continue to enthrall audiences with their timeless songs.
