BWW Reviews: MOTOWN THE MUSICAL at the Fabulous Fox Theatre

I have no doubt that Motown the Musical will be popular with audiences. It does, after all, contain the music that generations have grown up on, and it's still being played today. And, it's interesting that I was flipping channels on TV and saw an infomercial dedicated to the Motown 25th Anniversary special made in 1983 recently. That's the scene that opens the show, and where we encounter the man who made it all happen, Berry Gordy. He's angry and doesn't want to attend because all his stars have left him for the greener pastures of other labels. This despite it being his own competitive spirit, and the fact that he instilled that in his roster of talent (songwriters, singers, and musicians), that created their desire to further pursue their careers in the first place. That makes for an interesting dichotomy that would seem ripe for the stage. So, why am I so disappointed? Because I wanted a real narrative (Gordy wrote the book himself) that doesn't gloss over important historical events while, at the same time, giving 60 fabulous tunes short shrift.

Essentially this is almost a cartoon version of Gordy's life and his work making Motown into the iconic label it is. I say cartoonish because the characters become mere caricatures here. And, worst of all, the songs themselves are reduced to truncated arrangements (for the most part) that deprive an audience of their full impact. It's as if Gordy just couldn't decide what to include so he tried to shoehorn them all in, even awkwardly trying to insert them into the dialog at times. A better approach might have been to expand the narrative and focus on key songs that define the label and what it stands for. Instead, it's a wasted opportunity that dilutes rather than celebrates this wonderful catalog of material.

That being said, there are some fine singers and dancers doing excellent work here. Clifton Oliver does solid work portraying Gordy, and his energetic performance is fun to watch. Allison Semmes is also quite good as Diana Ross, and their relationship is one of the stories that could have been better explored, although it's one of the finer elements presented. Jesse Nagar also does a nice job as the silky voiced Smokey Robinson, providing lovely vocal work and a winning personality. Jarran Muse is also strong as the stubborn and hugely talented Marvin Gaye. Reed L. Shannon (the role is split with Leon Outlaw, Jr.) is also a joy as the younger versions of Gordy, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. The rest of the ensemble takes on many roles, alternately playing various members of the popular groups in addition to filling the shoes of various family members, songwriters, etc.

Charles Randolph-Wright's frenetic direction never lingers for very long on any moment or song, and part of that is due to the book itself, but the pace is so fast at times that key points in time fly by without making the dramatic impact they should. Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams choreograph the show with considerable verve and panache, it's just a shame that their efforts come and go by so quickly. David Korins' scenic design nicely recreates several locations and eras, and Darryl Archibald's music direction recreates the Motown sound with considerable aplomb.

I'm sure that this show will prove to be very successful with audiences, and I can absolutely respect that. The music is just so damn good that you can't help but smile and want to sing along. I just feel that in cutting the majority of the songs down to just a verse and a chorus or two (for the most part), and breezing through the complexities of Gordy's life, a chance to achieve something much greater was lost along the way.

Motown the Musical continues at the Fabulous Fox Theatre through November 30, 2014.

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