Review: MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL... SPECTACULAR AND SUPREME

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL - A MUSICAL MASTERPIECE!

What if you passed a marquis that displayed this: OPENING NIGHT...Star-Studded Concert: Headliners: "The Spectacular" Supremes, The "Sizzling" Smokey Robinson and The "miraculous" Miracles, The "Tantalizing" Temptations, "The "Five-Star" Four Tops, ""Marvelous" Marvin Gaye, The "8th Wonder of the World" Stevie Wonder, "The "Gorgeous" Gladys Knight with the "High-Stepping" Pips, The "Lady" Teena Marie, The "Queen of Motown" Mary Wells, The "Captivating" Commodores, "The "Super Freak" Rick James, The "Teenage Heartthrobs" Jackson Five, and the list goes on and on and on...?

Well, last night I had the opportunity to attend such a historical tribute to all the above in Motown: The Musical (MTM) at the Blumenthal Performing Art Center's Belk Theatre. From the opening number with the "battle of the stars" between the Temptations and The Four Tops, to the final curtain call, this riveting Broadway-style production had its culturally-diverse audience dancing, singing (some had impromptu solos), snapping our fingers, applauding, and reminiscing on an era when music was real and relevant, not remastered or sampled via a computer with man-made sounds and beats - it was real singers, musicians, songwriters, beautiful costumes and it was made possible by one man...Berry Gordy, Jr., a man with a dream that would not die.

The dream was birth in 1938, when a young Berry Gordy witnessed the historical boxing match that changed the world - an African American boxer, Joe "The Brown Bomber" Louis defeated German-born Max Schmeling. Berry's dad explained to him the importance of this historic event and the hope of democracy it provided for African Americans. This momentum shifting event instilled in Berry Gordy the confidence to believe that he could achieve whatever his heart desired. His relentless pursuit of a musical career birthed the Motown "sound" that still influence others today.

Mr. Gordy experienced his crucial break as a songwriter when he and his sister Gwen co-wrote the first number one hit song for the late great singer, Jackie Wilson, entitled "To Be Loved". In fact, MTM is derived from Gordy's book, self-titled To Be Loved. Berry wrote a few other songs for Mr. Wilson to include, "Lonely Teardrops". Though successful, no record companies would give an African American the opportunity to work as a record executive, so Berry implemented his own plan of attack.

Before achieving this success, Berry followed a few career paths that failed miserably. He was a boxer, record store owner, and assembly line worker. In fact, his sister, Esther was hesitant in lending him the $800 to start his own company because she thought it would be another "fly by night" endeavor. But this time, he hit the mark and hit it hard. Berry bought a house on West Grand Street, in Detroit Michigan, started his own record company, and called it Hitsville, U.S.A. And that is what it did...it birth hit record after hit record with some of this country's best singers ever and songwriters like Berry's friend, Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield, Holland-Dollier-Holland, and Ashford and Simpson.

The storyline chronologies the "record-breaking peaks" (the countless hits) and the "disheartening pitfalls" Berry Gordy experienced as the trailblazer of a global musical empire called Motown. One of the pitfalls was the lawsuit initiated by songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland, who were responsible for many of The Supremes' hits to include their first number one hit, "Where Did Our Love Go". Another was the departure of its major moneymakers - Mary Wells, The Jackson Five, and eventually Diana Ross, which undoubtedly put a significant strain on the company. In fact, in one of the opening dialogues between Berry and his sister, he refused to attend the televised Motown 25 celebration planned by one of his longtime faithful employees, Suzanne De Passe, due to his feelings of abandonment by the artists.

MTM showcases the songs and the historical moments in which they occurred such as the assassinations of both President Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In the height of political, racial, and socioeconomic changes in America, Marvin Gaye wrote the epic expressive songs, What's Going On?" and Mercy, Mercy, Me. Another life-changing moment is when Motown's first child prodigy, Stevie Wonder, was instrumental in passing legislation that recognized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a national holiday.

On a more personal note, MTM gave us an up-close glimpse of Berry Gordy's love interest with one of Motown's "supreme" stars, Ms. Diana "The Boss" Ross. There is a scene of the two of them in Paris, France, where Berry have a little trouble "consummating" their romance. Ironically, Diana sings, "I Hear A Symphony" after that episode. Later on, it illustrates another scene, as Berry and Diana vacation in the Bahamas. During that scene, he attempts to conceal the deal he is working on to make his "shining star" a movie star as well. Diana Ross depicted Billie Holliday in the movie, Lady Sings The Blues and also co-starred with Billie Dee Williams in the fashionista movie, Mahogany. Both were produced by Berry Gordy. Imagine his disappointment when Ross decided to end their personal relationship when she quoted, "The professional is getting in the way of the personal".

The grand finale is the return of stars who left the record company for a star-studded Motown 25th celebration. There stood the history of his legacy, ready to show their appreciation for the man who gave them the opportunity to fulfill his and their dreams. As Diana Ross floated through the audience with her big hair and approached the stage in the spotlight. She reminds Berry, "It's not about the people who leave; it's the ones that come back!"

Director Charles Randolph-Wright does an excellent job giving a "snapshot" of the historic components of Motown, in song and dance. If you are a fan of Motown... If you grew up listening to the artists that made great music there... If you want to re-live that experience again... Then, Motown: The Musical is definitely "a must see"!

Motown: The Musical is running at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Belk Theatre from August 26-Sept 6, 2015. For more information visit http://www.blumenthalarts.org

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