Julius Thomas III as Berry Gordy (center right) & Cast MOTOWN THE MUSICAL First National Tour (C) Joan Marcus, 2015.
On its first-ever national tour, Motown: The Musical heads to Los Angeles at the Hollywood Pantages Theater from April 28-June 7.
The musical debuted on Broadway in 2013 and is based on the book “To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown”, which was written by the record label’s founder, Berry Gordy.
Started in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan, Gordy created the first, successful, national Black-owned record label. The label included different genres of music like rhythm and blues, pop, gospel and funk.
Reed L Shannon as Michael Jackson (center) with the Jackson 5 Motown THE MUSICAL First National Tour(c) Joan Marcus, 2014.
Dozens of musical stars were birthed through Motown such as the Temptations, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Motown dominated pop music charts and broke down racial barriers through its widespread popularity amongst all races.
Major artists from the label would make it on to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the late 80’s and 90’s and Motown’s timeless music still lives on today.
At least two of the cast members from the musical, Ashley Tamar Davis and Donald Webber, Jr., say it is an honor to be a part of such a cultural legacy.
The two are also graduates of the University of Southern California (USC), Davis attended the School of Music and Webber attended the School of Dramatic Arts.
Webber has been a part of Motown: The Musical for years from its original cast for Broadway. Davis, known professionally as ‘Tamar’, is an R&B singer and actress who has toured with artists like Prince.
Motown’s historical legacy makes the job challenging, but fun for the actors.
R&B singer and cast member of Motown the Musical, Ashley Tamar Davis. (Photo Courtesy of It Is Done Communications)
“You have to stick to the melody of these songs because that’s what makes them timeless classics… You have to trust your tone and your gift to carry the song out because the audience is singing along and that’s how they remember the song,” Davis said.
Davis and Webber both discussed historical flashbacks that appear in the show and how instrumental it was to the artists of Motown and what they stood for.
For instance, Webber described a scene in the musical where Berry Gordy asks Marvin Gaye why he wants to reflect what is happening in the world instead of simply being a pop star and a sex symbol.
“Marvin said, ‘I am a recording artists and also, I don’t want to just reflect what’s happening in the world, I want to deflect it.’ That [line] got into my heart. And that reminded me why I do what I do, why I’m on this stage, why I chose this profession. You get thousands of people every night talking about change and the world,” Webber said.
Davis also says that she sees many parallels to the world then and now by being a part of this musical.
“There’s really no difference between then and now, with what’s happening in the world. There are people who really get emotionally connected to the show,” Davis said.
Jarran Muse as Marvin Gaye & Cast MOTOWN THE MUSICAL First National Tour (c) Joan Marcus, 2014.
Cast members share that the musical is very interactive and also a way to reintroduce Motown to a new generation.
“From the time the curtain goes up, the audience is there right with us…You have to be mindful that not only are they riding this with you, but a lot of this generation that is coming to see the show, who were born around that time, they are experiencing some real things that happened to them,” Davis said.
And it’s a great way to connect families, too.
“It’s so great looking into the audience and seeing someone who is 80-years-old sitting next to their daughter who’s 40-years-old, who’s sitting next to her daughter who’s 10-years-old. And they’re all enjoying the show and know the songs too,” Webber said.
Motown The Musical on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Pictured (l to r): THE TEMPTATIONS – Jesse Nager; Donald Webber, Jr., Julius Thomas III; Ephraim M. Sykes; & Jawan M. Jackson.
Motown: The Musical features more than 40 iconic songs from the label’s artists and is directed by Charles Randolph-Wright. Participate in L.A. Sentinel’s “Click to Win” for a chance to win tickets to the musical! Log on to www.lasentinel.net/clicktowin
