Motown: The Musical

Karen and I went down to the Fisher yesterday to see Motown: The Musical.  It was terrific, if not better!  I really enjoyed it, esp the first act (of two).

The plot/story line was OK, but I'd imagine most folks came for the music.  In comparison, though, it was a better plot than, say, Jersey Boys.

The actors/actresses were wonderful.  They sang and danced very, very well.  The actress who sang Diana Ross's parts was perhaps closest to the original and was very good.  (The plot involved much with the affair between Berry Gordy and Ross.)  And I say that, although it was the Supremes who really hooked me to Motown music, they were never one of my favorite groups.  Oh, I enjoyed them a lot, but they never were up there with Smokey, the Temptations, Levi, etc.  Still, she was good.

So was the actor who sang Marvin Gaye.  He captured much of Marvin's passion and sang well.  I think the crowd really latched on to the kid who was "Michael Jackson," when the Jackson Five were presented.  He/They evoked the most audience reaction.  (Second was "My Girl," of course.  I think the reaction to the Jacksons, Michael, was more due to the age, perhaps, though, the age of the crowd which may not have been old enough to remember the earlier stuff.)

Best was the orchestra.  It was terrific!  It did play the tunes, mostly, with a faster tempo than the studio cuts.  But those who remember the old live Motown shows (including the Motortown Revues) know that was frequently the case.  It's not at all a criticism.  The orchestra was wonderful.

It was good to see "Motortown Revue" in the playbill.  When I tell people the original show at the Fox Theater was so-named, not "Motown Revue," I am met with skepticism.  This provides some vindication (as if anyone else noticed?), even that I am not completely senile.

As noted, I enjoyed the entire show, but Act One more than the second.  I think that was because of the music of the '60s (and late '50s).  I'm not sure the audience as a whole would agree.  But, again, that's not at all a criticism.  I wonder if anyone really recognized the Berry Gordy-written songs of Jackie Wilson--"Reet Petite," "Lonely Teardrops," and "To Be Loved" (a terrific ballad and one of my favorites).  I would have preferred that "Lonely Teardrops" had been performed in toto and by the actor who sang Jackie Wilson.  I also got a kick out of hearing some of the names of DJs from the black radio stations of the '60s, stations I mostly listened to at the time.  Karen claims not to remember the names of Ernie Durham ("Frantic Ernie D") or even Martha Jean "the Queen" Steinberg.  But I do and their stations--WJLB and WCHB, both AM stations.

Again, this is not a criticism, but a tribute to the Motown family.  As good as these singers and dancers were, I think the originals were better.  (And, in comparison again, with Jersey Boys, I thought the play's singers were better than Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons.)  This was esp so with Smokey, the Temptations, and Levi.  (The actress who sang Martha Reeves--of the Umbrellas--could really belt them out, though, and did!)  And who could match the moves of The Temps?  Of course, I never thought that, say, the Contours or the Pips were in the same league with the Temps, although these two groups were often cited for their dancing/moves.  Again, not at all a criticism.

All in all a great show!  I told Karen, "I want to come back next week."  But both the newspapers and a couple of ushers indicated that each show is already sold out.  Good for the show and good for those with tickets.  I think they'll really enjoy Motown: The Musical.  I did!