Berry Gordy News

Motown: The Musical - a snapshot of one of the most successful musical era driven by one man with big dreams: Berry Gordy

IYF Productions is proud to bring Boogie Stomp! to Times Square this fall.  Written by John Campana and starring pianists extraordinaire, Bob Baldori and Arthur Migliazza, Boogie Stomp! will begin its limited run on September 25 and will open on Friday, October 16 and run through November 28, 2015 at Times Square's Elektra Theatre (300 W 43rd Street, 2nd Floor). Tickets are $39-$99 and can be purchased by visiting BoogieStomp.com or call 866- 811-4111.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents an evening with two Motown legends, at NJPAC for the first time! The Jacksons (“Can You Feel It,” “Shake Your Body”) gave Michael Jackson his first taste of stardom. The Grammy-winning Commodores (“Easy,” “Brick House”) are the prolific soul and funk hitmakers of the '70s and '80s. Friday, Sunday, December 13, 2015 8:00 PM at Prudential Hall. Get your tickets now at NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722).

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will play at the Fox Theatre, tonight, August 18, through August 23. 

Besides the music, audiences will learn about behind the scenes of the Motown label.

The RRazz Room at The Prince is an intimate venue programmed by the entrepreneurs who created the infamous and iconic RRazz Room in San Francisco. The RRazz Room brand has become synonymous with quality entertainment presented at its purest and most intimate form. The unique space allows patrons to experience all their favorite entertainers up close and personal. The RRazz Room venues (also located in Coral Springs, FL, South Miami-Dade, FL, and New Hope, PA) present performances by local and national artists from a wide variety of musical and theatrical genres including Broadway, pop, opera, gospel, drag, comedy, rhythm & blues, and jazz. The RRazz Room at the Prince is located within the historic Prince Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 (near the corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets on the Avenue of the Arts).

Next spring, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Brandon Victor Dixon, and Joshua Henry will star in SHUFFLE ALONG Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, a striking new production that presents both the 1921 musical itself, and additionally details the events that catalyzed the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this ground-breaking work.

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), are proud to announce that single tickets for MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will go on sale today, August 6, 2015 at 10A. Tickets will be available at the PPAC Box Office (located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence), by phone at (401) 421-ARTS (2787), and online at www.ppacri.org

 Historic Motown group The Temptations return to The Orleans Showroom on Sept. 19 and 20 with members Otis Williams, Bruce Williamson, Terry Weeks, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon.

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), are proud to announce that single tickets for MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will go on sale Thursday, August 6, 2015 at 10A. Tickets will be available at the PPAC Box Office (located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence), by phone at (401) 421-ARTS (2787), and online at www.ppacri.org

Incorgnito Publishing Press (publisher of The Chronicles of Ara series) has just signed martial artist and cult film legend Taimak to present his autobiography, Taimak, The Last Dragon. The book, launching in March of 2016, is an intimate look at the life and career of Taimak as he faced the challenges of racism, child abuse, a broken home life and low self-worth. It is a story of triumph over circumstance and how, through martial arts and self-determination, one young man rose above the fray to become one of the shining lights of today; a man who has found 'the glow.'

Last week, I had the opportunity of speaking with Jarvis B. Manning Jr., a Texas native from the national tour of MOTOWN The Musical. In addition to speaking about returning to his hometown as a professional performer, Jarvis spoke about the unique experience of touring the country during the Michael Brown trials, and the emotion the cast has felt while performing in different cities.

TV One lifts the curtain of Black Hollywood and reveals the rarely or never-been-told stories behind some of Tinseltown's trailblazing and iconic talent, both on screen and behind the camera, with new episodes of UNSUNG HOLLYWOOD beginning tonight, July 22 at 8PM/ET.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents an evening with two Motown legends, at NJPAC for the first time! The Jacksons (“Can You Feel It,” “Shake Your Body”) gave Michael Jackson his first taste of stardom. The Grammy-winning Commodores (“Easy,” “Brick House”) are the prolific soul and funk hitmakers of the '70s and '80s. Friday, September 4, 2015 8:00 PM at Prudential Hall. Get your tickets now at NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722)

The Public Theater will kick off the 2015-16 season in September with a free Public Works musical adaptation of Homer's THE ODYSSEY, conceived and directed by Public Works Director Lear deBessonet, with music, lyrics and book by Todd Almond. THE ODYSSEY will once again feature over 200 actors and community members alongside five equity actors, including this year Brandon Victor Dixon as Odysseus, Karen Olivo as Penelope and Taran Killam as Cyclops.

I grew up on vinyl records, 'hit parades' and transistor radios tuned to the AM dial. I love Motown Music. But I felt skeptical about a breezy staged extravaganza about Berry Gordy's mercurial career. Five minutes into the opening medley, this stunning production won me over. This is NOT your assembly line jukebox musical!

TV One lifts the curtain of Black Hollywood and reveals the rarely or never-been-told stories behind some of Tinseltown's trailblazing and iconic talent, both on screen and behind the camera, with new episodes of Unsung Hollywood beginning Wednesday, July 22 at 8PM/ET.

Directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, THE WILD PARTY will run tonight, July 15, through July 18 at New York City Center.

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and The Orpheum Theatre, are proud to announce that performances for MOTOWN THE MUSICAL begin tonight, July 14, 2015.  Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at the official Orpheum Theatre website, www.orpheum-memphis.com, The Orpheum Box Office (901.525.3000), the ticket counter at The Booksellers at Laurelwood, and all Ticketmaster centers (901.743.ARTS).  MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will play at The Orpheum Theatre, July 14 - 19, 2015.  Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by calling 901.529.4226.     

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy, and Broadway in Cincinnati, are proud to announce that single tickets for MOTOWN THE MUSICAL will go on sale Friday, July 10 at 9am.  Tickets will be available at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown at 650 Walnut Street, online at CincinnatiArts.org or by phone at 513.621.ARTS.