Review: The Muny Premiere of AIN’T TOO PROUD Celebrates Legacy of The Temptations

Following an extended run in Berkeley, California, and short runs at the Kennedy Center, in Los Angeles, and Toronto, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations transferred to Broadway in 2019. After a year of performances, Its Broadway engagement was interrupted by the Covid pandemic. The show reopened in October 2022 but closed just four months later.

The original production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards including best musical, winning one for Sergio Trujillo’s choreography. Detroit native and lauded playwright Dominque Morisseau’s book was also nominated for Best Book of a Musical.

When The Muny included Ain’t Too Proud as part of its 108th Season it only made sense to ask another Detroit native, Tony nominee Marcia Milgrom Dodge, to direct The Muny premiere of the Temptation’s story. Dodge has become a Muny legend for her work directing 10 previous productions including last season’s lauded production of La Cage aux Folles.

The narrative driven director has created a love letter to Detroit, The Temptations, and Motown without glossing over the history of the 1960’s. The Temptation’s rise to fame was occurring simultaneously with the rise of the civil rights movement. Dodge frames the historical context with as much emphasis as she does the story of Otis Williams and The Temptations. It is her approach to the material that gives Morriseau’s narrative teeth and creates gripping storytelling. Her approach to the book goes well beyond the compelling story of The Temptation’s founder’s efforts to build the group and keep them together while becoming one of Motown’s best-selling acts.

Morriseau’s book is adapted from Otis Williams’ autobiography The Temptations (co-authored by Patrica Romanowski). Ain’t to Proud is narrated by the actor playing Otis Williams. It chronicles the group’s formation, rise to fame, the members romantic relationships, Williams’ struggles keeping the group together, and their personal tragedies, all while celebrating the Motown legend’s extensive songbook.

Dodge, choreographer Ricky Tripp, music director Darryl G. Ivey, The Muny’s Michael Baxter, and The Telsey Office’s Rashad Naylor cast an insanely talented ensemble led by Muny favorite James T. Lane as The Temptations’ Otis Williams. Lane is commanding as the key narrative voice and is as convincing as Otis had to be when he was assembling the classic five original members of the band.

Otis Williams is the sole surviving member of “the classic five.” He attended Monday’s opening night performance of Ain’t Too Proud and addressed The Muny audience following the curtain call. Rumor has it that he was also in the house for the Tuesday evening performance as well.

The other four talented actors playing the members of the original five included scene stealers Nick Rashad Burroughs as lead singer David Ruffin and Jawan M. Jackson as bass singer Melvin Franklin. Burroughs turned in a memorable Muny performance as James Early Thunder in Dreamgirls in 2024. Jackson, also a Detroit native, played Melvin Franklin in the original Broadway companies of Motown: The Musical and Ain’t Too Proud. Elijah Ahmad Lewis and Daniel Yearwood also turned in outstanding performances as The Temptations Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams.

Musically, these five gentlemen, and the other ensemble members playing later members of The Temptations, captured the energy and style of the group while performing their greatest hits. Their syncopated execution of Ricky Tripp’s exaggerated choreography was first rate and played to the back of the massive Muny house.

Candice Marie Woods, NaTonia Monet, and E.J. Hamilton impressed, looking stunning in Gail Baldoni’s costume designs, as Diana Ross and The Supremes. Their polished, melodic, and silky vocals were the perfect tribute to Motown’s legendary girl group. Monet did triple duty as Melvin Franklin’s Mama Rose and Motown singer Tammi Terrell.

Important to note from the program that Baldoni’s costume designs were based on Paul Tazewell’s Tony nominated costume designs. Tazewell is the Oscar Winner for his costume designs for the film adaptation of Wicked. He has won two Tony Awards for his costume designs for Hamilton and Death Becomes Her, and is an Emmy winner for his costume designs for The Wiz Live!

Marcia Milgrom Dodge’s directorial vision and tribute to Detroit was carried through in Edward E. Haynes, Jr. and Kevan Loney’s scenic and video design. The turntable centerpiece of Hayne’s set was a massive replica of the Ambassador bridge that allows people to crossover the Detroit River into Windsor, Canada. It was a brilliantly creative metaphor for The Temptations’ crossover success and how they bridged R&B and mainstream pop audiences in a time when segregation was ending but oppression and racial prejudice was still prevalent, as it still is today.

Dodge and her technical teams have done something significantly different that other productions of Ain’t Too Proud. This Muny production is compelling beyond just The Temptations’ music and unique sound. It delves deep into the historical perspective of the time with compelling imagery that transports the audience back to the 1960s.

During the Tuesday evening performance there were more than a few sound related issues. Microphones were not live when actors started speaking. These stage management and technical direction issues can be easily fixed. The sound glitches certainly didn’t detract from this exceptional production of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.

The Muny’s Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations is an example of how a jukebox musical can transcend the music into something much greater. This production, the directorial vision, the performances, and the technical execution all blend to create an engaging, historically accurate, and entertaining true-life narrative.

Don’t miss Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations at The Muny through August 2, 2026. Visit muny.org for more information.

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