Otis Williams News

The Temptations and The Four Tops will be performing some of their most popular and award-winning songs that continue to inspire musicians around the globe. The Tamla Motown label broke down cultural and social barriers and The Four Tops and The Temptations were at the very forefront of that transformative period.

What did our critic think? AIN'T TOO PROUD THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS follows the timeline of the Temptations, a Grammy winning group with 42 top ten hits, from conception as narrated by Otis Williams (Marcus Paul James) the group's founder and only surviving original member.

Jawan Jackson, who originated the role of Melvin Franklin in Ain't Too Proud, is now an official member of the Temptations! Jackson will be singing bass in the group, replacing Willie Green, who joined the group in 2016.

Des McAnuff's slick docudrama production style may not be anything new, but it still works like a charm.

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.

Temptations Moves and Music Magnified in Broadway National Tour. AIN'T TOO PROUD - THE LIFE and TIMES of the TEMPTATIONS is captivating Broadway's Musical Lovers. Don't miss this gifted cast and Tony Award winning Musical. Direct from Broadway company are Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams and Elijah Ahmed Lewis as David Ruffin. The cast features James T Lane as Paul, Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks, and Harrell Holmes Jr. as Melvin Franklin. The National Tour is currently running till 2023. For more info visit www.Ainttooproud.com

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.

Last night, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations, the Tony Award®-winning musical sensation, played its final Broadway performance at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street). The musical, with a book by Tony Award nominee Dominique Morisseau, choreography by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Tony Award winner Des McAnuff played 488 performances.

Today, January 16, Broadway says goodbye to four beloved productions. Flying Over Sunset will conclude its run at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre following 28 previews and 35 regular performances; Clyde's wraps up at the Hayes Theatre following 24 previews and 61 regular performances; Ain't Too Proud finishes it's almost three-year run at the Imperial Theatre after 21 previews and 488 regular performances; and To Kill A Mockingbird pauses performances at the Shubert Theatre following 45 previews and 626 regular performances.

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.

 Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations, the smash hit Tony Award®-winning musical will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, January 16, 2022.

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.

Celebrate 60 years of The Temptations and all of their fan-favorite hits at Popejoy Hall on Thursday, January 13, 2022, at 7:30 pm.