Joe Lapointe — Theater Critic

Although 'Motown' has a few transcendent moments, the show does not, overall, equal the potential sum of its parts. In a recent interview with CBS about his career, Gordy said: 'I took some risks and they all paid off, big-time. I mean, really big time.' Unfortunately, this show might not be one of those big-time payoffs, unless defined narrowly as a reported $16 million in advance sales. 'Motown' lacks the tight, narrative trajectory of 'Jersey Boys,' the current king of Broadway's jukebox musicals, with a run that began in 2005.