50 years following the peak of Motown Records, Berry Gordy’s Motown: The Musical will begin a four-week run in Detroit, from Oct. 21 – Nov. 16, at the Fisher Theater.
Written and co-produced by 84-year-old Gordy, the jukebox musical follows the rise of Motown Records and the young stars that made the label famous, including: The Temptations, The Supremes, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and others.
Each 2-hour, 45-minute performance of Motown: The Musical boasts an endless supply of Detroit music history, the unmatched sounds of a live band (10 members of which are from Detroit) and an astounding 40-track set list, including favorites such as: “My Girl” (The Temptations), “Please Mr. Postman” (The Marvelettes), “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” (Marvin Gaye), “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” (Stevie Wonder) and many more.
Motown: The Musical, which is an adaptation of Gordy’s autobiography “To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown,” premiered in April of 2013, and has since been nominated for the Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theatre Album” in addition to winning four Tonys. The Motor City-grown tale has averaged more than $1 million per-week, with plans to tour Europe, and return to Broadway in 2016.
After a day of open auditions for upcoming performances (held at the Motown Museum), Tuesday will see the return of many Motown stars to an original Detroit meeting place – The Roostertail. Berry Gordy and other Motown legends are also expected to attend the show’s Wednesday evening red carpet event and St. Regis pre-performance party.
Tickets are still available for some of Detroit’s 32-show run via Ticketmaster, with prices ranging from $39 – $109.