Tony Tuesday: AIN’T TOO PROUD - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS

This week we’re popping back a few years for some unadulterated Motown Bliss. This week’s TONY Tuesday is:

“Ain’t Too Proud To Beg/Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)/I Can’t Get Next To You” from Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.

Ain’t Too Proud is a 2017 jukebox musical with music and lyrics by the hit group The Temptations and a book by Dominque Morisseau. The production, as subtitled, chronicles the life and times of the group, using the songs that made them stars through their rise to fame, domination of the charts, and their position as one of the most successful groups in popular music. 

The musical premiered in 2017 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California in August. The production was only slated to play through 8 October but due to popular demand, the production extended twice before closing on 5 November. Ain’t Too Proud became the highest-grossing show in the theatre’s history. The show then proceeded to play at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC through June and July 2018, before playing the Ahmanson Theatre in L.A. during August and September of the same year, then finally playing the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in the Autumn. 

The show transferred to Broadway in 2019, commencing previews on 28 February at the Imperial Theatre. The production was directed by Des McAnuff, with choreography by Sergio Trujillo, set design by Robert Brill, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Howard Binkley and projections by Peter Nigrini. Derrick Baskin starred as Otis Williams, with Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin, Jeremy Pope as Eddie Kendricks, James Harkness as Paul Williams, Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin and Jarvis B. Manning Jr as Al Bryant. The production was a hit and was received well by critics. Ain’t Too Proud managed to garner a whopping 11 2019 TONY Award nominations, however, in a season that was dominated by Hadestown, the show only won one for ‘Best Choreography’. As with the rest of Broadway, the musical closed in March 2020 due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was announced in May 2021 that the musical would reopen on 16 October.

If you haven’t listened to this musical yet Besties, get on it! The harmonies are to die for. 

Cast recording available on streaming services. 

FACTS:

Music: The Temptations
Lyrics: The Temptations
Book: Dominique Morisseau
Theatre: The Imperial Theatre
Run: Still running. 

TONYS:

(NOMINATED) Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical – Derrick Baskin, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Jeremy Pope/Ephraim Sykes, Best Book of a Musical – Dominique Morisseau, Best Direction of a Musical – Des McAnuff, Best Scenic Design of a Musical – Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Best Costume Design of a Musical – Paul Tazewell, Best Lighting Design of a Musical – Howard Binkley, Best Orchestrations – Harold Wheeler. 

(WON) Best Choreography – Sergio Trujillo