Review: AIN'T TOO PROUD-THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS at Ogunquit Playhouse
The Temptations Musical Hits All the Right Notes at Ogunquit Playhouse
Jukebox musicals are practically a summer tradition at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Lately, we’ve seen everything from Jersey Boys and Million Dollar Quartet to The Cher Show, On Your Feet!-The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Heartbreak Hotel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and last year’s world premiere of When Elvis Met the Beatles. Honestly, it’s a mixed bag. Some are incredibly memorable—Jersey Boys and Beautiful stick with you—while others, like The Cher Show and On Your Feet! fall a bit flat in comparison. For me, it all comes down to the storytelling.
Let's face it: there’s a predictable formula here. You get a group from humble, often troubled beginnings who tank a few times before hitting it big. Along the way, you can check off the boxes: infidelities, drug abuse, money troubles, hidden secrets, and the inevitable ego clashes that tear the band apart.
Because of that formula, I went into Ain’t Too Proud with some serious doubt. Could the cast deliver that iconic music? Was the story going to hold my attention, or was this just going to be a glorified tribute concert?
I’m happy to report that Ain’t Too Proud is an absolute knockout and among my favorites of the jukebox genre. The music hooks you from the first beat, the choreography is flat-out dazzling, and Dominique Morisseau’s script doesn't sugarcoat the group's ugly times and personal tragedies. Based on founder Otis Williams’s memoir, the show completely sidesteps the cheesy "and then we wrote this song" cliché. Instead, it plays out like a gritty, high-stakes drama about the brutal cost of perfection, all set against the backdrop of a fracturing 1960s America.
Tony nominee Charl Brown is a perfect Otis Williams. Serving as the narrator, Brown brings a grounded, deeply soulful presence to the stage. He does a fantastic job showing the heavy emotional toll of a guy trying to keep his brothers together while the ground is cracking beneath them—especially under the thumb of Motown executive Berry Gordy (played with a sharp edge by Brett Sturgis).
The core "Classic Five" lineup is spectacular, tackling some incredibly brutal vocal and physical arrangements. Josh Marin is both thrilling and tragic as David Ruffin. He nails the entire tragic arc of the man—from the electric showman tossing his mic in the air to the paranoid, drug-addled egoist. When Marin digs into "Ain’t Too Proud to Beg," the raw, gravelly pain in his voice is palpable.
Blaine Alden Krauss provides a beautifully smooth counterpoint as Eddie Kendricks, delivering a flawless, soaring falsetto during "Just My Imagination." Warren Egypt Franklin keeps the group grounded with a rich, booming bass as Melvin Franklin, while Justin Showell turns in a heartbreaking performance as Paul Williams, capturing the quiet agony of a man losing his personal battles.
As the lineup shifts over the years, Tymothee Harrell (as Dennis Edwards), Owen Scales (as Richard Street), and Joey Stone (as Damon Harris) step into their roles seamlessly, keeping the group's signature tightness alive.
We also get two fantastic interludes featuring Diana Ross and The Supremes, tracking their shift from Motown's top-billed darlings to, later, second billing to The Temptations as their new found fame explodes. Alexandria Reese makes for a vibrant, charismatic Diana Ross, backed up wonderfully by Khalifa White as Mary Wilson and Kris Lyons as Florence Ballard.
With a playbill covering thirty-one tunes, there’s plenty to be nostalgic about. You’ll be inspired by sensational renditions of "Shout," "In the Still of the Night," "The Way You Do the Things You Do," "My Girl," "For Once in My Life," and "Get Ready," among others. Without a doubt, this stellar cast brings the sights and sounds of Motown to life.
The first act centers clearly on the group's rise to fame with their early hits. The second act shifts gears beautifully, trading early pop hooks for the psychedelic soul of "Cloud Nine" and "Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone." Under Seth Farber’s musical direction, these numbers hit with a darker, heavier sound that perfectly mirrors a country fracturing under the Vietnam War.
As the story winds down, Otis Williams reimagines what the group would be like if former members, deceased and living, were reunited to sing together once again. The number, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted," is an absolute showstopper. At the performance I attended, it brought a standing ovation lasting several minutes with wild applause, whoops, and hollers. A few of the actors, visibly moved by the audience connection, were brought to tears. It was one of the most powerful moments I have ever witnessed of an audience outpouring love for the performers and the actors responding emotionally.
While the singing is top tier, the footwork is a performance unto itself. Choreographer Rachelle Rak keeps the stage absolutely pulsing. The drops, the splits, and the intricate steps tell the story of the group’s tight-knit unity better than any dialogue could. Director Gerry McIntyre keeps the show moving, but he never lets the speed crowd out the show's emotional core.
Visually, the production looks and sounds fantastic, using Robert Brill’s sleek sets, Paul Tazewell’s iconic costumes, and Peter Nigrini’s projections to jump from the streets of Detroit to the bright lights of The Ed Sullivan Show, and even marking an historic, somber moment with the shooting of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ain’t Too Proud works because it honors the legendary music with a glimpse of the effort that went into making it happen. It is storytelling at its finest.
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