THE BASICS: AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of the Temptations, Broadway musical tour, book by Dominique Morriseau, music by The Temptations, opened May 10 and runs through May 15, Tuesday – Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 8, Sunday at 1 and 6:30 at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre, 646 Main Street, sheas.org 716 847-0850. Recommended ages 12+ (some language, and adult content) Runtime: 2 hours, 35 minutes
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of the Temptations, follows the quintet’s journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, this musical is billed as “a story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal during a decade of civil unrest in America.”
THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: Dominique Morriseau, one of my favorite playwrights, who wrote the book, is known for hard-hitting contemporary issue plays, often centered in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Several of those plays have been seen recently in Western New York. These include DETROIT ’67 (Chautauqua Theatre Company) about the 1967 summer of protests, BLOOD AT THE ROOT (Paul Robeson Theatre) a true story about six Black students who were initially charged with attempted murder for a school fight after being provoked with nooses hanging from a tree on campus, SKELETON CREW (Paul Robeson Theatre) about the closing of a Detroit auto plant, and PIPELINE (Ujima Theatre) about an inner-city school teacher dealing with her son about to be expelled from a private school. The reference is to the “School to Prison Pipeline” whereby young black men are imprisoned disproportionately to their population.
In writing the book for the musical Morriseau relied on the published book “The Temptations” by Otis Williams (as told to Patricia Romanowski) and, indeed, on stage, the principal narrator is the founder and one of the original “Temps,” Williams, played by Marcus Paul James. At the end of the show, it’s revealed that over the years 24 different men have been a Temptation, as the original five, through firings, quittings, and deaths, passed on the legacy to others. And that, interspersed with the fabulous songs, is pretty much the plot.
Yes, it’s good to know that becoming what Billboard Magazine named the greatest R&B group of all time didn’t just happen, that there were struggles along the way, but actor James just seemed tired. Even when playing a young man. Scene after scene was a downer, brought back up by a great song, then back to yet another problem (drugs, egos, misunderstandings, work-life imbalance, artistic control), then back up with another great song, on and on for over two and a half hours.
Broadway has a good history of bringing social ills to the forefront of our consciousness.
Broadway has a good history of bringing social ills to the forefront of our consciousness, from putting a spotlight on racism from SHOWBOAT to SOUTH PACIFIC to today’s Tony-nominated shows such as PARADISE SQUARE or CAROLINE, OR CHANGE or A STRANGE LOOP.
One of the “problem” moments was interesting, and that was the re-issue of “War,” the counterculture soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969. The Temptations were the original vocalists, yet they buttoned down the message and buried it in an album. But after the public clamored for the release of “War” as a single, it was re-recorded with Edwin Starr as the vocalist (Motown decided to withhold the Temptations’ version from single release so as not to alienate their more conservative fans). How did the story end? Starr’s version of “War” was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970. The Temps were angry.
And there were interesting “History of Rock’n’Roll” moments showing us how crooner Eddie Hendricks and animated frontman David Ruffin came in and out and in and out of the group. While actor Jalen Harris didn’t have the smooth pipes of Hendricks, actor Elijah Ahmad Lewis certainly had the energy and several of Ruffin’s patented moves, including an audience *gasp* moment tossing the mic up in the air, dropping to a split, catching the mic, and bouncing back up to his feet, never missing a beat. That was seriously cool. However, in general, the dancing was good, but not “Broadway crisp.” There was the occasional break in the formula when another Berry Gordy group, The Supremes, took the stage. That helped liven things up. For a moment.
Broadway has a good history of bringing social ills to the forefront of our consciousness, for example putting a spotlight on racism with shows from SHOWBOAT to SOUTH PACIFIC to this week’s Tony-nominated shows such as PARADISE SQUARE or CAROLINE, OR CHANGE or A STRANGE LOOP. I thought that I would appreciate Dominique Morriseau’s typical hard-hitting, peel-back the bandage look at this successful group, but for some reason, I didn’t.
So I do have my issues, but because of the music, this was a good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.
*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)
ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.
TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.
THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.
FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.
FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!
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