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  1. #1
    Lulu Guest

    Simply ‘Marvelous’ — Marvelettes’ story sings at Black Ensemble

    Last edited by Lulu; 07-22-2014 at 03:05 AM.

  2. #2
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    Contrary to the article above, The Marvelettes were nominated--but, sadly, not inducted--into the 2013 RRHOF.

  3. #3
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    Wow! Would I love to see that. Thanks Lulu!

  4. #4
    RossHolloway Guest
    Great find Lulu, I'd love to go see that play.

  5. #5
    Research always seems so sloppy these days. 'When You're Young And In Love' [[no brackets) was written by Van McCoy! Nor have they been entered into the RRHOF! Nominated yes, but sadly not entered.

  6. #6
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    It surely wouldn't hurt any of these internet "journalists" to do research, now would it? Most keep on going on Wikipedia articles lol

    I've seen lots use MY text for their postings. I should get paid.

  7. #7
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    Evidently, the show is being received well, with reservations. Is anyone close enough to check it out and report back?

    http://chicagotheaterbeat.com/2014/0...heater-review/

  8. #8
    smark21 Guest
    I'll be attending the show on Sunday. On vacation in Chicago and Michigan next week but will report when I return home.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by smark21 View Post
    I'll be attending the show on Sunday. On vacation in Chicago and Michigan next week but will report when I return home.
    Please do report! I will be there for the weekend in two weeks. This might be a nice diversion for Saturday night. Have fun on your vacation.

  10. #10
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    A brief clip ad:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WKgjr1buo8

    Thank you BEtheater for the YouTube posting.

  11. #11
    smark21 Guest
    While in Chicago last Sunday I went to see the musical Marvelous Marvelettes at the Black Ensemble Theater on the North Side. It's a small venue; the theater group is somewhere between a civic/community theater and a professional group. There was a lot of talent on stage and in the band playing behind them, but the script for the show needed work. First act was OK as we switch back and forth from watching present day Katherine and Juanita at LAX after Gladys Horton's funeral reminiscing about the group to seeing the rise of the group from the talent show at Inkster High to closing Act One with Georgeanna Tillman collapsing onstage after The Marvelettes perform Beechwood. Second act rushes things along with girls dropping out and at times the story loses focus as we watch performances of What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin and Heat Wave by Martha and the Vandellas. The only rational reason I can think of why those songs were included was because the actors who played Ruffin and Reeves had bit parts as other characters and the company wanted to showcase their talents. But it stops the narrative momentum dead in its tracks. The show ends with the entire company performing a medley of Marvelettes songs. The show is a fine celebration of the Marvelettes music and it was a kick to hear such songs as Please Mr. Postman, Twistin' Postman, Young and in Love [[which was performed as the Inkster High talent show number--not accurate, but the song works thematically as we watch the girls go from young and in love to disillusioned adults as the story progresses), Too Many Fish, Beechwood, Strange I Know, Playboy, Hunter, Baby Must be A Magician, Don't Mess with Bill and Locking Up My Heart performed live. In addition the Chantals song Look in My Eyes is performed as their Motown audition number.


    The actors cast as the Marvelettes don't really resemble the real Marvelettes, and the choreography didn't try to recreate any of their routines, which was fine, though I wished they had recreated the famous CFM Heels and pencil skirts dance number for Locking up My Heart from the Apollo as that was The Marvelettes at their best. Clothes and wigs weren't recreations either but they were fun suggestions of the styles The Marvelettes wore from their teen days to their more Sophisticated Soul look.


    The story did touch on all the highlights [[and low lights) of the Marvelettes career. Berry Gordy was the villain of the story, mostly due to being more concerned about business and putting the girls' overall welfare on the back burner. The script does single out Gladys Horton for being the leader of the group and the one who held them together. Wanda was portrayed as a budding diva, happy to clash with Gladys when she disagreed with an edict from Gladys, and later getting a big ego as she took on more leads and started to drink and drug. The actress playing Wanda played it drunk and high for the performance of Magician which was staged as a rehearsal of the song before they recorded it and the actress was very funny doing the drunk and unsteady business while doing that song, got the audience laughing.




    As a big Marvelette fan, I enjoyed the music, but already knew the facts presented and it was irritating that sometimes they got the time lines wrong or mixed up. But then I remember this show is directed at a general audience and the audience at my show were genuinely shock and dismayed to hear about the details of the contracts the girls signed when they joined about Motown; about Georgeanna Tillman leaving the group due to lupus and sickle cell and later dying of those conditions; the fake Marvelettes and how they took its toll on Gladys; and Gladys having a child with Cerebral Palsy.


    I don't know if the show will be restaged elsewhere after it closes in Chicago next month, but if you're going to Chicago in the next couple of weeks, do go see the show. Script problems aside, it was a fun show to see, thanks to the music and performances.

    P.S.: The program credited Lieber and Stoller as the writers of When You're Young and in Love. But as we know, the writer was Van McCoy.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by smark21 View Post
    While in Chicago last Sunday I went to see the musical Marvelous Marvelettes at the Black Ensemble Theater on the North Side. It's a small venue; the theater group is somewhere between a civic/community theater and a professional group. There was a lot of talent on stage and in the band playing behind them, but the script for the show needed work. First act was OK as we switch back and forth from watching present day Katherine and Juanita at LAX after Gladys Horton's funeral reminiscing about the group to seeing the rise of the group from the talent show at Inkster High to closing Act One with Georgeanna Tillman collapsing onstage after The Marvelettes perform Beechwood. Second act rushes things along with girls dropping out and at times the story loses focus as we watch performances of What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin and Heat Wave by Martha and the Vandellas. The only rational reason I can think of why those songs were included was because the actors who played Ruffin and Reeves had bit parts as other characters and the company wanted to showcase their talents. But it stops the narrative momentum dead in its tracks. The show ends with the entire company performing a medley of Marvelettes songs. The show is a fine celebration of the Marvelettes music and it was a kick to hear such songs as Please Mr. Postman, Twistin' Postman, Young and in Love [[which was performed as the Inkster High talent show number--not accurate, but the song works thematically as we watch the girls go from young and in love to disillusioned adults as the story progresses), Too Many Fish, Beechwood, Strange I Know, Playboy, Hunter, Baby Must be A Magician, Don't Mess with Bill and Locking Up My Heart performed live. In addition the Chantals song Look in My Eyes is performed as their Motown audition number.


    The actors cast as the Marvelettes don't really resemble the real Marvelettes, and the choreography didn't try to recreate any of their routines, which was fine, though I wished they had recreated the famous CFM Heels and pencil skirts dance number for Locking up My Heart from the Apollo as that was The Marvelettes at their best. Clothes and wigs weren't recreations either but they were fun suggestions of the styles The Marvelettes wore from their teen days to their more Sophisticated Soul look.


    The story did touch on all the highlights [[and low lights) of the Marvelettes career. Berry Gordy was the villain of the story, mostly due to being more concerned about business and putting the girls' overall welfare on the back burner. The script does single out Gladys Horton for being the leader of the group and the one who held them together. Wanda was portrayed as a budding diva, happy to clash with Gladys when she disagreed with an edict from Gladys, and later getting a big ego as she took on more leads and started to drink and drug. The actress playing Wanda played it drunk and high for the performance of Magician which was staged as a rehearsal of the song before they recorded it and the actress was very funny doing the drunk and unsteady business while doing that song, got the audience laughing.




    As a big Marvelette fan, I enjoyed the music, but already knew the facts presented and it was irritating that sometimes they got the time lines wrong or mixed up. But then I remember this show is directed at a general audience and the audience at my show were genuinely shock and dismayed to hear about the details of the contracts the girls signed when they joined about Motown; about Georgeanna Tillman leaving the group due to lupus and sickle cell and later dying of those conditions; the fake Marvelettes and how they took its toll on Gladys; and Gladys having a child with Cerebral Palsy.


    I don't know if the show will be restaged elsewhere after it closes in Chicago next month, but if you're going to Chicago in the next couple of weeks, do go see the show. Script problems aside, it was a fun show to see, thanks to the music and performances.

    P.S.: The program credited Lieber and Stoller as the writers of When You're Young and in Love. But as we know, the writer was Van McCoy.
    hi smark thanks for your wonderful review of the marvelettes, the show hopefully will move to other cities . I would like to know without u giving too much away how much of the marvelettes story was covered after gladys left the group and ann came in as u know there r no performances with the post gladys group at all. And after gladys left turmoil ran its course.

  13. #13
    smark21 Guest
    No mention is made of Anne Bogan and the older Katherine character only makes passing reference to how hard it was to deal with Wanda after Gladys left. There were only two scenes after the scene in which Gladys announced she was leaving to take care of her child--an LAX scene between the older Katherine and Juanita, then the finale Marvelettes Medley in which the whole cast came on stage to sing. I thought it was a great way to end the show and return the focus to it being a salute to the music of the Marvelettes.

  14. #14
    smark21 Guest
    Here's a promo clip Black Ensemble theater put together to promote the show:



  15. #15
    supremester Guest
    I saw the Dionne Warwick and Marvin Gaye plays - horrendous theatre but excellent tributes to the stars. I hate that I missed this one. I spoke to Jackie Taylor a few years ago and knew she was going to do this. She wants desperately to do Miss Ross' story - but is afraid she won't do justice to her idol.
    Smark: were you happy with the song choices and arrangements?

  16. #16
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    Interesting reviews, guys. Keep 'em coming.

  17. #17
    smark21 Guest
    With the exception of the odd inclusion of Heat Wave and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, I liked the song choices. The band was very good; just wished two other Marvelette songs were performed instead of HW and Broken Hearted as The Marvelettes had so many good songs. I just pulled out the Marvelettes Deliver set which I haven't played in years and totally enjoying it so kudos to the show for motivating me to listen to it again. May have to download the Forever and Forever More sets at some point, we shall see.

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