[Theater: Broadway]
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL celebrated platinum sales of $1,029,883. in its first week of sold-out performances at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, joining the celebrated Million Dollar Club following only 7 performances while surpassing 100% capacity of the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.
This marks the first time a new Broadway musical has joined the Million Dollar Club in its first week of previews without an out-of-town tryout.
Seen for the first time anywhere by a paying audience, the new musical based on the life of iconic Motown founder Berry Gordy and featuring music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalog, officially opens on Sunday, April 14.
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, featuring music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and a book by Berry Gordy began preview performances last Monday, March 11 at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).
Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is the real story of the one-of-a-kind sound that hit the airwaves in 1959 and changed our culture forever. This exhilarating show charts Motown Founder Berry Gordy’s incredible journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.
Featuring all the classics you love, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. The music that shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat finally comes to Broadway in the season’s most anticipated world-premiere event.
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL stars Tony Award nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) and Valisia LeKae (The Book of Mormon) in the leading roles of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross and features Charl Brown (Jersey Boys) as Smokey Robinson and Bryan Terrell Clark as Marvin Gaye leading an ensemble cast of 40 featuring Timothy J. Alex, Michael Arnold, Nicholas Christopher, Rebecca E. Covington, Ariana DeBose, Andrea Dora, Preston W. Dugger III, Wilkie Ferguson, Dionne Figgins, Marva Hicks, Tiffany Janene Howard, Sasha Hutchings, Jawan M. Jackson, Lauren Lim Jackson, Morgan James, John Jellison, Crystal Joy, Grasan Kingsberry, Jamie LaVerdiere, Raymond Luke Jr., Jibreel Mawry, Marielys Molina, Sydney Morton, Maurice Murphy, Jarran Muse, Jesse Nager, Milton Craig Nealy, N’Kenge, Dominic Nolfi, Saycon Sengbloh, Ryan Shaw, Jamal Story, Eric LaJuan Summers, Ephraim Sykes, Julius Thomas III, Daniel J. Watts and Donald Webber, Jr.
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL’s creative team features choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Blues in the Night) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Bring It On: The Musical, Annie), costume design by Tony Award nominee ESosa (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, “Project Runway”), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Once, Sister Act), sound design by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, The Scottsboro Boys), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Jekyll and Hyde).
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL features arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp (Rock of Ages), who will also serve as musical supervisor for the 18 piece orchestra and reproduce the classic “Sound of Young America” for the Broadway stage, with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Crook (“Smash”), dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and music direction by Joseph Joubert (Nice Work If You Can Get It).
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is produced by Tony Award winning producer Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q), Chairman and CEO of SONY Music Entertainment Doug Morris and Motown founder Berry Gordy.
MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL will play the following performance schedule during preview performances: March 11 – March 24: Mon – Sat at 8pm; Sat at 2pm; Dark Sun (no Wed matinee)
March 25 – April 7: Mon – Sat at 8pm; Wed and Sat at 2pm; Dark Sun
April 8 – April 14: Tues – Sat at 8pm; Wed and Sat at 2pm; Sun at 6:30pm (Opening Night); Dark Mon
Beginning April 15: Tues at 7pm; Wed – Sat at 8pm; Wed and Sat at 2pm; Sun at 3pm; Dark Mon.
Tickets prices range from $57.00 – $142.00 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 877-250-2929 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com
