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Somewhat disappointing but the advance sale for the show is great as is word of mouth.
Motown topics do well with these kinds of shows even if they don't win a lot of Tonys.
I caught the first part of the Tony Awards and luckily the “Tempts” were one of the first performances. Let me say that I am glad for the shows success and all the exposure. But what I saw was not good at all.
I would agree with you. I saw the show the week before the Tony's and I didn't care for it. The songs are great, the performers are terrific, but so much of it was not the Temptations. The choreography was overdone and frenetic. The guys handled it well, but it was not Temptations choreography. Also, the voices were great, but as the Tony performance shows, much of the vocals were overdone and not at all period. On the Tony performance, "David Ruffin" just seemed to scream the lyrics, sing behind the beat, and riff a lot. Not the Temptations to me. In performance the Supremes are seen twice. The first time their part of their choreography consisted of pushing their butts back and shaking them. Sorry but this is more Marvelettes rather than Supremes who wouldn't be caught dead doing that kind of stuff. The show did encourage me to pull out my old albums and listen to the early stuff. Now, that is pure joy.Quote:
Originally Posted by khansperac
Jukebox musicals never do well at the Tony's. People love them because they recognize the songs, but most of these shows lack creativity and a solid book. The Tony's like originality and shows of substance. From what I heard, Ain't Too Proud suffers from a lack of a strong book and is filled with historical inaccuracies. Motown The Musical suffered the same thing...it had a terrible book with no backbone or driving story. I'm sure Ain't Too Proud was much in the same as Motown The Musical where it was more about the performance and song rather than anything of substance. People will still pay to see them and they will leave having had a good time, but there's nothing in these shows that leave a lasting impression like Oklahoma, Gypsy, or My Fair Lady.
When I said a few months ago, that the dancing was not much like the Temptations, this what I meant!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCjiLbGzcmY
Yeah,t they were doing way too much. Over the top performances. I saw the play in Los Angeles. It was entertaining, but me knowing the Temptations story I was too busy picking it apart.
Is it picking it apart or just giving a honest critique?Quote:
Originally Posted by rod_rick
I don't watch a whole lot of tv, so I didn't see the Tony awards show. I did see the ATPTB clip on YouTube just now. I must say that the performers are certainly energetic, but the choreography and the lead vocals totally took me out of the segment as a whole. I understand wanting to make the performance your own to a certain degree, but something was lost in the translation. If a young person were to see this show and was never exposed to the Tempts before, he/she may walk away with a totally different idea of what the Tempts truly were.
That being said, I am glad that the show is doing as well as it is.
Which doesn't make sense to me when you consider that there are tons of video of the actual Temptations performances. Do they even do "The Temptations Walk" in the play?Quote:
Originally Posted by lockhartgary
I honestly don't remember them doing the Temptations Walk, but they did do the 4 Tops side to side step which was just wrong, wrong, wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by marv2
The only Tony won by the show went to Sergio Trujillo for BEST CHOREOGRAPHY. They don't give awards for duplicating someone else's choreography. Also, everything in theatre is larger than life. Seeing it on TV, is different than seeing it in person.Quote:
Originally Posted by marv2
When I went to see the show, I did expect to see Tempts choreography and the famous Temps Mike. Neither was there, but I suspended reality and accepted what I saw.
I know that Hamilton was not black. I know that the adult actors playing children in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD were not really children. I know that the character, Ado Annie in “Oklahoma!" didn't have a disability and yet the actress played her in a wheelchair and uses a wheelchair in real life. So I think the choreography was fine.
I will say that the David Ruffin character did seem over the top on the awards show. Either because he did not tone it down for the intimate medium of TV, or because he was hamming it up because he had an audience of millions instead of the 1400 Imperial Theatre audience.
I love live theatre and I love Motown. So seeing this live was a joy to me
Good observations and good points. I have seen only a handful of theater productions in my life, and the few that I've seen were not based on the lives of real life.Quote:
Originally Posted by milven
I'm in the party pooper camp too. Too much pseudo-MJ posturing. Caught a clip on YouTube. Actually saw Dennis Edwards' Temps & The Temptations Revue back inaday. No comparison. Just an opinion.
Ok. Best Choreography. Huhn?!! I thought choreography meant in sync, precision, flawlessness! Everyone seemed to be doing their own thing! With all the weird spins, splits, and weird hand flailings!!Quote:
Originally Posted by lockhartgary
I did not enjoy Ain't Too Proud.
This is so over the top and false it is ridiculous.Quote:
Originally Posted by marv2
Ain't to proud to care.