Interview: MOTOWN THE MUSICAL with Allison Semmes

Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross. All are Motown artists that we will get to meet when the national tour of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL hits New Orleans tonight!

I don't know about you, but these artists are among my favorites, and they're certainly my go-to for when I really want to dance (or dance while I vacuum my floors)! We hear their songs everywhere... on the radio, on commercials, in television shows, movie soundtracks, at festivals, high school dances, and even wedding receptions. But what makes this music so darned special?

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL captures Berry Gordy's journey in creating Motown-the ups and downs, successes and failures. Cast member Allison Semmes who plays the incredible Diana Ross chatted with me about what she thinks makes this music and this story so great!

I was checking out that resume of yours, and you've been a part of a lot of amazing shows [THE BOOK OF MORMON, THE COLOR PURPLE, DREAMGIRLS, THE WIZ, CANDIDE]! Is being an actress something that you've always wanted to do?

Yes, it really is. I mean I guess it's something I've always done without even knowing it. I remember at a very young age, I think I was around age three, I would sing with the vacuum cleaner. My mother would tell me I would just like stand in front of the TV and, I was a baby, and my mom was like, "Wait a minute, this child has so much energy. She's a performer!" She put me in choir thank God! From there she found a children's choir and then a church choir and all that. It kind of just set the wheels spinning.

It's almost like you've never not been doing this!

Yeah, seriously!

What was the first show you remember being in?

Actually, I would say, a lot times I spent singing with the Chicago Children's Choir, so most of my performance opportunity came from there first. One of the first things I remember is singing with THE NUTCRACKER, and we were the children's choir, so I remember we would sing with the orchestra. It wasn't a theatre kind of thing. It was more of a choral performance. And then it wasn't actually until college, actually, that I had my first theatre show. It was opera actually.

Is there a particular show or entertainer or musician who has been an inspiration to you or that you've looked up to.

Yeah, actually I feel like I've connected more with singers, so I would follow lots of singers. You know... I guess it would be Audra McDonald. She has that classical voice and she's done a lot of classically based Broadway shows, so I can relate more to her. And then I guess, honestly, Kathleen Battle. It's so strange because I really began with opera, and Kathleen Battle, she really was an inspiration. And then it wasn't until I moved to New York that I switched over to musical theatre and the whole Broadway world. And then so Heather Headley was definitely... when I first saw her in AIDA, that's when I knew that's what I wanted to do. I want to be on Broadway, I want to do what she is doing.

So MOTOWN is a show that has become quite popular, and you play an impressive lady in the show. You play Diana Ross! Do you feel any pressure playing such a huge star?

Oh my gosh, yes and no. I feel a lot of pressure, but at the same time I can only do what I can do. I have to trust that the director believed that I could fulfill that role. The thing is, what helps me take off all the pressure is that there's only one Diana Ross. They don't want us to give an impersonation or imitation. They just want us to capture her essence. I think that's what acting is. You aren't imitating a person, you're just capturing their essence. That's what helps me to stay true to who I am, but also have this character live through me as well.

Do you have a favorite Diana Ross song? Is she someone you grew up listening to?

Yes! You know, I didn't really get into her until much later, maybe late high school or college. I think maybe it was when Destiny's Child came out and then my mother was like, "Well you need to listen to the original girl groups!" So I was watching her and was like, "Who is this woman with the big hair and the sparkly personality and everything?!" That's when I really got to know who she was. One of my favorite songs with my experience playing her is Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand). First of all I love the dress! It's just so amazing, it's this 70s glam, all white, sparkly... I just feel so beautiful and light and amazing in it. But then, the song is an opportunity for me to break the fourth wall and go out into the audience and actually meet the audience and really connect with the audience. That's really rare in musical theatre to break that fourth wall, but it's so unifying. We're all in this together and I get a chance to see how people are being affected by it and just get to have fun with it.

Do you guys ever have audience members who sing and dance along with you?

Oh yes, yes. It really depends on the city, too. I have to admit, some cities are a little more conservative and they don't really show... you know they'll clap after a song. But some cities they are dancing in their seats, yelling back to the stage egging us on, and howling and singing along. We love that because that's the type of show this is! This isn't your oh let's sit down and listen quietly. We want to take people back either back down memory lane or want people to be invested and involved because it's not just a play. There are lots of concert excerpts. Part of the show is like a concert as well.

I know there's a lot of music in the show. There's over 40 songs, which is a lot for one show! So we know there's great music, but is there a plot or storyline, or is it more just a showcase of the music?

Yes, definitely. So this is Berry Gordy's story. It's all kind of retrospective so it starts off at the Motown 25th Anniversary, and then the whole show is kind of like a flashback of how they got there. It starts off with Berry Gordy, he's twenty nine years old, he's in Detroit, and he has a dream to become like Joe Louis the boxer. He was eight at the time and then when he's twenty nine he starts selling cars and working at a car factory. And then he has this idea to have a place that's like a car factory, but for musicians, for artists. He wants them to come in one door a rocker, and come out a brand new star. And so basically we follow this journey of him starting Motown, meeting all of the artists, forming them into the stars that they are. And then we get a chance to see all the difficulties this music company goes through especially when they move to LA. They start competing with RCA and bigger companies. They're threatened with law suits and everything.

Motown is one of the most popular music genres even today. What's the secret? What is it about this music that has kept it alive and thriving for so long?

It wasn't just "black music." It was everyone's music. It was so universal and everyone could relate to it. Black, white, young, old, everybody. The songs just connected with everyone. There was this simplicity to them that made them accessible. The melody, the beat, and lyrics just felt good. It's this great heart and soul music.

Come out to the Saenger Theatre to allow this heart and soul music to make you feel good! It'll be an awesome time! Visit www.saengernola.com for tickets and more information.

ARTICLE MAY ALSO BE VIEWED HERE: http://www.nolabackstage.com/single-post/2016/1/19/BWW-Interview-MOTOWN-THE-MUSICAL-with-Allison-Semmes