GET READY!
“AIN’T TOO PROUD—THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS”
WILL OPEN ON BROADWAY
SPRING 2019
AT THE IMPERIAL THEATRE
New York, NY – Producers Ira Pittelman and Tom Hulce are thrilled to announce that the new musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations will bring the incredible true story of the greatest R&B group of all time to Broadway in Spring 2019 at the legendary Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th Street). Additional information will be announced shortly.
Ain’t Too Proud broke records in its World Premiere run at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where it became the highest grossing production in that theater’s nearly 50-year history. The musical went on to play Washington D.C.’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where the show broke the all-time single-week box office record for the Eisenhower Theater.
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, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.
Ain’t Too Proud opens at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles tomorrow night, where performances continue through September 30, before heading to Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre October 11-November 17, 2018.
With a book by Kennedy Prize-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau, Ain’t Too Proud features an iconic score made up of The Temptations’ legendary songs. Two-time Tony Award® winner Des McAnuff directs, with choreography by Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo.
The creative team includes Tony Award nominee Robert Brill (scenic design), Tony Award winner Paul Tazewell (costume design), Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (lighting design), Tony Award winner Steve Canyon Kennedy (sound design), Drama Desk Award winner Peter Nigrini (projection design), Charles G. LaPointe (hair and wig design), Edgar Godineaux (associate choreographer), and Steve Rankin (fight direction). Orchestrations are by Drama Desk Award winner Harold Wheeler with Music Direction and Arrangements by Kenny Seymour.
Leading this production as The Temptations is Derrick Baskin as Otis Williams, James Harkness as Paul Williams, Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin, Jeremy Pope as Eddie Kendricks, and Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin. Ain’t Too Proud also features Esther Antoine, Saint Aubyn, Shawn Bowers, E. Clayton Cornelious, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Taylor Symone Jackson, Jahi Kearse, Jarvis B. Manning Jr., Joshua Morgan, Rashidra Scott, Nasia Thomas, Christian Thompson, Curtis Wiley, and Candice Marie Woods.
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations is produced on Broadway by Ira Pittelman, Tom Hulce, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, EMI Entertainment World, Inc., Josh Berger, Ken Schur, Ron Simons, Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Cheryl Wiesenfeld, Harriet Newman Leve, Jeffrey Finn, Stephen & Nancy Gabriel, Darren Bagert, David Binder, FedermanRyan Productions, Susan Gallin, Mickey Liddell, Robert Ahrens, Christopher Maring, Marianne Mills, Loraine Boyle, Sharon Karmazin, Koenigsberg/Krauss, Winkler/de Roy, Zell/Kierstead, Deborah Taylor, Robyn & Larry Gottesdiener, The Araca Group, Rashad V. Chambers, Mike Evans, Hani Farsi, Willette & Manny Klausner, Gabrielle Palitz, No Guarantees, Sheldon Stone, and Stuart Weitzman.