Original MOTOWN Broadway Cast Member Julius Thomas III to Join National Tour

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy have announced that MOTOWN THE MUSICAL original Broadway cast member Julius Thomas III will join the First National Tour for a limited engagement in the leading role of Berry Gordy on Friday, December 12.

JULIUS THOMAS III (Berry Gordy). Broadway: Motown the Musical, The Scottsboro Boys (Roy), The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess (Crabman/Mingo/US). Off-Broadway: The Scottsboro Boys, Dial 'N'. National Tour: Xanadu (Terpsicore), Shrek (Donkey/US), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Ensemble), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Soloist). Regional: Guthrie, Stage One, West Virginia Public, Musical Theatre of Wichita, KC Starlight, NYMF and more.

The First National Tour of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL opened to critical acclaim on Thursday, May 8th in Chicago at The Oriental Theatre. Since then, the tour has been seen by over 510,000 people.

Chicago Sun-Times critic Hedy Weiss raved "There aint no musical mountain higher! Motown is an express thrill ride into pop music heaven" and Chicago Tribune's Chris Jones said "The entire soundtrack of your youth performed with style, panache and elegant choreography!"

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy's journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and so many more.

Featuring more than 40 classic hits such as "My Girl" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough,"MOTOWN THE MUSICAL tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL features choreography by Patricia Wilcox (A Night with Janis Joplin) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Bring It On: The Musical, Annie), costume design by Tony Award nominee ESosa (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, "Project Runway"), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Once, Sister Act), sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, The Scottsboro Boys), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Jekyll and Hyde), hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe (Memphis) and casting by Telsey + Company.

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL's arrangements and orchestrations are by Grammy and Tony Award nominee Ethan Popp (Rock of Ages), who also serves as music supervisor in reproducing the classic "Sound of Young America," with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Tony Award nominee Bryan Crook ("Smash") and dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels).

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is produced by Tony Award winning producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q), Chairman and CEO of SONY Music Entertainment Doug Morris and Motown founder Berry Gordy.

For more information, visit www.MotownTheMusical.com.