Elijah Ahmad Lewis News

The evolution of the American musical has morphed from operetta to Vaudevillian musical revue to the classic  integrated musical comedy. The advent of the jukebox musical began as MAMMA  MIA and ALL SHOOK UP shoehorned popular music into a script to showcase Abba or Elvis Presley’s music into paper-thin plots. Now, for better or worse, the bio-concert emerges, as the slick new touring production of AIN’T TOO PROUD : The Life and Times of THE TEMPTATIONS opened at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre. The music of the Motown wonder group THE TEMPTATIONS is one of the  latest properties to take to the Broadway stage. And since it's debut, other biographical musicals are being given similar treatment, telling the stories of Cher, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson.

For audience members of a certain age (like moi), jukebox musicals are much more than an evening’s entertainment. Sometimes they are a Soul Train dance down the days of our youth. Such is the case with Ain’t Too Proud, The Life and Times of The Temptations. Now playing in Baltimore at the Hippodrome, it is nothing short of spectacular.

The music needs no introduction: all the hits that made The Temptations a household name are represented in this energetic and enjoyable national tour of 'Ain't Too Proud.' But what this jukebox musical adds is the story behind the songs, told with deft, impressionistic touches that will resonate long after you leave the theater.

Stephen DeAngelis will continue his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…™ to be held on Monday, April 18th  at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

Last night, Skeleton Crew opened on Broadway. Check out all of the reviews in our roundup! Plus, Sharon Sachs will take over the role of Madame Morrible in Wicked, beginning performances on February 14, 2022.

But even if AIN’T TOO PROUD commits a few sins on its way to Motown glory, it is at least absolved to some extent by the sheer quality of that songbook. And, in the current touring production at Dr. Phillips Center, it gets some extra absolution from its incredibly talented cast...

BroadwayWorld has an exclusive first look at the cast of Ain't Too Proud in action! Leading the cast of Ain't Too Proud as The Temptations are Jalen Harris as 'Eddie Kendricks,' Harrell Holmes Jr. as 'Melvin Franklin,' James T. Lane as 'Paul Williams,' and joining directly from the Broadway company are Marcus Paul James as 'Otis Williams,' and Elijah Ahmad Lewis as 'David Ruffin.'

AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS is coming to the Citizens Bank Opera House.  Performances April 19 – May 1, 2022 as part of the Lexus Broadway In Boston Season.

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg (ATPTB), The Life and Times Of The Temptations, based on the book by Dominique Morisseau, is a compelling, “tell-all” biographical musical about the triumphs and trials of Motown’s number one male group.

The National Tour of Ain't Too Proud officially kicked off at the Kennedy Center, after cancelling 15 performances due to COVID-19. Performances began on December 28 and continued through January 16.

Today’s subject Kenny Seymour is currently living his theatre life being immersed with the Motown Sound as the Musical Supervisor and Arranger for the US National Tour of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations while still serving as the show’s Musical Director on Broadway. The touring version can be seen through January 16th in the Opera House at Kennedy Center. Coincidentally, the show closes on Broadway the same day.

Returning to the Kennedy Center with well-deserved acclaim and a Tony Award for Best Choreography in hand, the jukebox musical Ain’t Too Proud is a tender and captivating tale of brotherhood that recounts the The Temptations decades-long struggle with fame amid personal conflict, socio-political strife, and the pressures of the music industry.

Broadway World Cabaret editor Stephen Mosher made some new discoveries in 2021 and his keeping his eye out for them during this next year.

Ain't Too Proud follows the journey of The Temptations from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.

 Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition of At This Performance…™ to be held on Monday, December 13th  at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

After a week of public performances at Durham Performing Arts Center, the tour will officially launch at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. this December, before continuing to 50+ cities across North America, including a homecoming to The Temptations roots in Detroit.

When Stephen DeAngelis created this regular series dedicated to the understudies and standbys, he couldn't have known it would last nearly two decades... but he did know how important it was. And is.

Stephen DeAngelis is resuming his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…™ to be held on Monday, September 27th  at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

Ben Cameron’s Broadway Sessions will return on February 28th at 6:30 pm EST, for a special special virtual concert experience celebrating Black History Month. The 5th annual concert will be filmed onstage at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Ben Cameron’s Broadway Sessions will return on February 28th at 6:30 pm EST, for a special special virtual concert experience celebrating Black History Month. The 5th annual concert will be filmed onstage at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.