Jelani Remy

Jelani Remy replaces Jeremy Pope in Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations

Remy assumes the role of Eddie Kendricks in the hit Broadway bio-musical at the Imperial Theatre.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

He's on Cloud Nine! Broadway favorite Jelani Remy steps up and assumes the role of Eddie Kendricks in the smash hit bio-musical Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations at the Imperial Theatre tonight. Two-time Tony Award nominee and original cast member Jeremy Pope played his final performance in the role on July 7.

Jelani Remy was previously serving as a swing and understudy for the production and he is perhaps best known for his starring role as Simba in Disney's The Lion King on Broadway. His other notable stage credits include the recent Off-Broadway revival of Smokey's Joe Café and the National Tour of Disney's High School Musical

Featuring a book by Dominique Morisseau and an iconic score of legendary Temptations songs such as "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," Ain't Too Proud is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff and choreographed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo.

Synopsis: "Ain't Too Proud is the electrifying new musical that follows The Temptations' extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. The rest is history — how they met, how they rose, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal is set to the beat of the group's treasured hits."

The cast of Ain't Too Proud is currently led by Tony Award nominee Derrick Baskin (as Otis Williams), James Harkness (as Paul Williams), Jawan M. Jackson (as Melvin Franklin), Jelani Remy (as Eddie Kendricks), and Tony Award nominee Ephraim Sykes (as David Ruffin).

The creative team behind Ain't Too Proud features musical direction & arrangements by Kenny Seymour, orchestrations by Drama Desk Award winner Harold Wheeler, scenic design by Tony Award nominee Robert Brill, costume design by Tony Award winner Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley, sound design by Tony Award winner Steve Canyon Kennedy, projection design by Drama Desk Award winner Peter Nigrini, hair & wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and fight direction by Steve Rankin.

The world premiere of Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations was staged at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in fall 2017, where it smashed records as the highest grossing production in that theater's nearly 50-year history. It went on to play limited engagements at Washington D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and then celebrated its Canadian premiere engagement at Toronoto's Princess of Wales Theatre through to November 17, 2018.

The Broadway premiere of Ain't Too Proud is produced by Ira Pittelman and Tom Hulce.

Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations Tickets are available now for performances through May 17, 2020.

 

Originally published on

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