Josh Tower Joins Motown the Musical's 5 Show Weekends
The Broadway production of Motown the Musical has announced a new Berry Gordy to lead the show into its five-show summer weekend schedule. Josh Tower will join the cast on 17 June 2014, taking over the role from Brandon Victor Dixon who will play his final performance on 15 June 2014.
Motown the Musical has also announced a five show weekend schedule for the summer months, adding a special Sunday evening performance, beginning Sunday 15 June 2014. Performances from that date will be Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30pm and Wednesdays at 2:00pm, along with the new weekend schedule of Friday-Sunday at 7:30pm and Saturday-Sunday at 2:00pm.
Josh Tower's Broadway credits include Simba in 'Disney's The Lion King' and the original production of 'Ragtime'. Other stage credits include 'Murder Ballad', 'Superstar', 'Miss Saigon', 'Dream Girls', 'Les Miserables', and 'Camelot'.
Motown The Musical opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 14 Apr 2013, following previews from 11 Mar 2013, and is currently booking through to 30 Mar 2014.
The show opened on Broadway to mixed reviews: The story doesn't hold water, but the music reminds you that Motown is taking up some serious real estate in your memory bank (newyorktheatreguide.com); Dramatically slapdash but musically vibrant (NY Times); Fares best with the music (NY Post); The only thing hot in 'Motown' is the music (Record); Pleasurable nostalgia (Newsroom Jersey).
The show was nominated for four Tony Awards: Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Valisia LeKae), Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Charl Brown), Best Orchestrations and Best Sound Design.
The musical's principal cast currently stars Krystal Joy Brown (Diana Ross), Charl Brown (Smokey Robinson) and Bryan Terrell Clark (Marvin Gaye). They are joined by an ensemble cast of thirty.
Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and choreographed by Patricia Wilcox, Motown: The Musical will feature a book by Berry Gordy and music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue.
Press notes describe Motown: The Musical as, "the real story of the one-of-a-kind sound that hit the airwaves in 1959 and changed America forever. This exhilarating show charts Motown Founder Berry Gordy's incredible journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross and The Supremes, Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Marvin Gaye and many more."
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