milven
04-16-2013, 01:17 PM
MY BROTHER MARVIN
THE MARVIN GAYE STORY
While all the important people were at the opening of Motown The Musical, I was uptown at the Beacon Theater watching MY BROTHER MARVIN. This is the show that Janis Gaye, Marvin's last wife is trying to close. It was written by Marvin's sister.
There is another thread devoted to it here
http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?8014-Janis-Gaye-not-happy-with-Marvin-play
While the Beacon Theater is located on Broadway, it is not a legitimate theater and even though the play was literally being performed on Broadway, it will never make it to Broadway in its current form.
Marvin's sister was not allowed to use any of Marvin's music. So the story was padded, there was some preaching and when Marvin sang, they were not his songs. Too much padding. For instance , there was a segment that lasted at least twenty minutes where Teddy Pendergrass, Tina Turner and Gladys Knight were performing in a concert. After they individually performed, an announcer said that Marvin Gaye had cancelled his performance. Obvious padding. Two sentences could have moved the story along much faster by saying that Marvin was missing performances because his mother was in the hospital. Having Teddy Bear, Tina and Gladys perform for twenty minutes did nothing for the story.
Three actors played Marvin Gaye. Without knowing it, we had pizza with one of them before the show at a pizza place across the street. We realized it when we saw him on stage later.
I am not sure why Janis is objecting to the show. There are no revelations about his life that we did not already know. It does show what provoked Marvin's father to shoot him, but even that is common knowledge.
At the end of the show, and before the cast took its bow, Marvin's real life sister came on stage and talked to the audience telling why she wrote the play and how it has been a challenge for her to keep it going, and how she was not allowed to use the music. She said that will continue to try to keep the play running while she attempts to get the rights to use his music.
The play did only highlight the negative but without the music, wasn't most of his life negative? An addict ! An abusive father ! Murdered ! What's positive about that?
Having seen Motown the Musical recently I saw a similar scene in both plays.
In Motown The Musical, during an argument with Berry , Marvin says "You're not my father. I have a father !" In MY BROTHER MARVIN, during the same argument with Berry, Marvin says, "You didn't make me. God made me !"
Thankfully, they did not charge Broadway prices or I would have been disappointed because it is not Broadway worthy with the excessive padding and no Marvin music . And the acting reminded of the over acting seen in a Tyler Perry Madea movie. And the audience was not very responsive to anything. Very little applause. No standing ovation. Big difference from Motown The Musical audience. Very little applause.It is not Broadway worthy, but, I am a fan of Marvin and Motown and I am glad that I saw it. It is traveling the country. I posted touring info below in case anyone else is interested.
http://frontrowtickets.com/my-brother-marvin-tickets.aspx
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Coronado Performing Arts Center
Coronado Performing Arts Center
Rockford, IL 04/18/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 18, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/19/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 19, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/20/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 20, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/20/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 20, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Louisville Palace
Louisville Palace
Louisville, KY 04/21/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 21, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Louisville Palace
Louisville Palace
Louisville, KY 04/21/2013 7:30 PM
Apr 21, 2013
Sun, 7:30 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/26/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 26, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/27/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 27, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/27/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 27, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/28/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 28, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/02/2013 8:00 PM
May 02, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/03/2013 8:00 PM
May 03, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/04/2013 3:00 PM
May 04, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/04/2013 8:00 PM
May 04, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/05/2013 3:00 PM
May 05, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/05/2013 7:30 PM
May 05, 2013
Sun, 7:30 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sacramento Community Center Theater
Sacramento Community Center Theater
Sacramento, CA 05/16/2013 8:00 PM
May 16, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/17/2013 8:00 PM
May 17, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/18/2013 8:00 PM
May 18, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/19/2013 5:00 PM
May 19, 2013
Sun, 5:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/23/2013 8:00 PM
May 23, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/24/2013 8:00 PM
May 24, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/25/2013 3:00 PM
May 25, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/25/2013 8:00 PM
May 25, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Terrace Theater - Long Beach Convention Center
Terrace Theater - Long Beach Convention Center
Long Beach, CA 05/26/2013 4:00 PM
May 26, 2013
Sun, 4:00 PM View Tickets
THE MARVIN GAYE STORY
While all the important people were at the opening of Motown The Musical, I was uptown at the Beacon Theater watching MY BROTHER MARVIN. This is the show that Janis Gaye, Marvin's last wife is trying to close. It was written by Marvin's sister.
There is another thread devoted to it here
http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?8014-Janis-Gaye-not-happy-with-Marvin-play
While the Beacon Theater is located on Broadway, it is not a legitimate theater and even though the play was literally being performed on Broadway, it will never make it to Broadway in its current form.
Marvin's sister was not allowed to use any of Marvin's music. So the story was padded, there was some preaching and when Marvin sang, they were not his songs. Too much padding. For instance , there was a segment that lasted at least twenty minutes where Teddy Pendergrass, Tina Turner and Gladys Knight were performing in a concert. After they individually performed, an announcer said that Marvin Gaye had cancelled his performance. Obvious padding. Two sentences could have moved the story along much faster by saying that Marvin was missing performances because his mother was in the hospital. Having Teddy Bear, Tina and Gladys perform for twenty minutes did nothing for the story.
Three actors played Marvin Gaye. Without knowing it, we had pizza with one of them before the show at a pizza place across the street. We realized it when we saw him on stage later.
I am not sure why Janis is objecting to the show. There are no revelations about his life that we did not already know. It does show what provoked Marvin's father to shoot him, but even that is common knowledge.
At the end of the show, and before the cast took its bow, Marvin's real life sister came on stage and talked to the audience telling why she wrote the play and how it has been a challenge for her to keep it going, and how she was not allowed to use the music. She said that will continue to try to keep the play running while she attempts to get the rights to use his music.
The play did only highlight the negative but without the music, wasn't most of his life negative? An addict ! An abusive father ! Murdered ! What's positive about that?
Having seen Motown the Musical recently I saw a similar scene in both plays.
In Motown The Musical, during an argument with Berry , Marvin says "You're not my father. I have a father !" In MY BROTHER MARVIN, during the same argument with Berry, Marvin says, "You didn't make me. God made me !"
Thankfully, they did not charge Broadway prices or I would have been disappointed because it is not Broadway worthy with the excessive padding and no Marvin music . And the acting reminded of the over acting seen in a Tyler Perry Madea movie. And the audience was not very responsive to anything. Very little applause. No standing ovation. Big difference from Motown The Musical audience. Very little applause.It is not Broadway worthy, but, I am a fan of Marvin and Motown and I am glad that I saw it. It is traveling the country. I posted touring info below in case anyone else is interested.
http://frontrowtickets.com/my-brother-marvin-tickets.aspx
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Coronado Performing Arts Center
Coronado Performing Arts Center
Rockford, IL 04/18/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 18, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/19/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 19, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/20/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 20, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Arie Crown Theater
Arie Crown Theater
Chicago, IL 04/20/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 20, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Louisville Palace
Louisville Palace
Louisville, KY 04/21/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 21, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Louisville Palace
Louisville Palace
Louisville, KY 04/21/2013 7:30 PM
Apr 21, 2013
Sun, 7:30 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/26/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 26, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/27/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 27, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/27/2013 8:00 PM
Apr 27, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark, NJ 04/28/2013 3:00 PM
Apr 28, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/02/2013 8:00 PM
May 02, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/03/2013 8:00 PM
May 03, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/04/2013 3:00 PM
May 04, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/04/2013 8:00 PM
May 04, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/05/2013 3:00 PM
May 05, 2013
Sun, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Sarofim Hall - Hobby Center
Houston, TX 05/05/2013 7:30 PM
May 05, 2013
Sun, 7:30 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Sacramento Community Center Theater
Sacramento Community Center Theater
Sacramento, CA 05/16/2013 8:00 PM
May 16, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/17/2013 8:00 PM
May 17, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/18/2013 8:00 PM
May 18, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Paramount Theatre - CA
Paramount Theatre - CA
Oakland, CA 05/19/2013 5:00 PM
May 19, 2013
Sun, 5:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/23/2013 8:00 PM
May 23, 2013
Thu, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/24/2013 8:00 PM
May 24, 2013
Fri, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/25/2013 3:00 PM
May 25, 2013
Sat, 3:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Pantages Theatre - CA
Pantages Theatre - CA
Los Angeles, CA 05/25/2013 8:00 PM
May 25, 2013
Sat, 8:00 PM View Tickets
My Brother Marvin My Brother Marvin Terrace Theater - Long Beach Convention Center
Terrace Theater - Long Beach Convention Center
Long Beach, CA 05/26/2013 4:00 PM
May 26, 2013
Sun, 4:00 PM View Tickets