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  1. #1
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    'Ain't Too Proud' Temptations Musical on Broadway - One Perspective

    Told from the first-person point of view of group founder Otis Williams [[performed by the excellent Derrick Baskin, who originated the role in 2017) the show is a fast-paced but sufficiently thorough history of The Temptations from their earliest incarnations up to the present day. Due to time limitations the other members have less individually devoted time but the audience is at least given a thumbnail idea of each member's personality and contributions to the group.


    Choreography, vocal and musical arrangements are sufficiently close to the original versions. Songs are presented both as plot-forwarding devices and performance pieces. All performers are uniformly excellent.


    Negatives? At least a few uninterrupted, complete song performances would have been greatly appreciated [[as well as increasing audience excitement; it seemed that far too often a groove got going just in time to be paused for dialogue). The presentation of The Supremes is a total fail, the three talented women playing the group capturing none of the Sup's vocal or visual charm or style. One utterly ghastly, miscalculated scene of the entire group [[minus Williams) free-basing during the reunion tour is played for [[or at least attains) laughs from parts of the audience. And the inclusion of the Philly Int'l standard 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' is a WTF moment for a musical from Motown. And for the performance I attended there were some substitute performers so the group dancing was not quite in perfect unison.


    Self-proclaimed 'experts' would most likely drone on about factual discrepancies and who-said-what-to-whom, so that crowd is encouraged to stay away. However, for more generous-spirited fans 'Ain't Too Proud' is an entertaining and respectful overview of one of the most successful and influential performing groups in history.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    Told from the first-person point of view of group founder Otis Williams [[performed by the excellent Derrick Baskin, who originated the role in 2017) the show is a fast-paced but sufficiently thorough history of The Temptations from their earliest incarnations up to the present day. Due to time limitations the other members have less individually devoted time but the audience is at least given a thumbnail idea of each member's personality and contributions to the group.


    Choreography, vocal and musical arrangements are sufficiently close to the original versions. Songs are presented both as plot-forwarding devices and performance pieces. All performers are uniformly excellent.


    Negatives? At least a few uninterrupted, complete song performances would have been greatly appreciated [[as well as increasing audience excitement; it seemed that far too often a groove got going just in time to be paused for dialogue). The presentation of The Supremes is a total fail, the three talented women playing the group capturing none of the Sup's vocal or visual charm or style. One utterly ghastly, miscalculated scene of the entire group [[minus Williams) free-basing during the reunion tour is played for [[or at least attains) laughs from parts of the audience. And the inclusion of the Philly Int'l standard 'If You Don't Know Me By Now' is a WTF moment for a musical from Motown. And for the performance I attended there were some substitute performers so the group dancing was not quite in perfect unison.


    Self-proclaimed 'experts' would most likely drone on about factual discrepancies and who-said-what-to-whom, so that crowd is encouraged to stay away. However, for more generous-spirited fans 'Ain't Too Proud' is an entertaining and respectful overview of one of the most successful and influential performing groups in history.
    Thank you so much for your interesting review. I guess if you go there with an open mind and are willing to turn a blind eye to some of the discrepancies on display you are likely to seduced by the wonderful songs of a bygone era. Thank you again.

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