Motown the Musical ... is at best simply a string of great timeless Motown hits sung by less than stellar Motown impersonators. It is incoherent. There is no plot ... no beginning ... no end ... peppered with pathetic clichés that have been used so often that they are simply commercialized sound-bites for instant failure.
Why does Berry continue to change, relocate and improvise Motown history and its re-birthing cities? A Broadway musical needs two things: substance and songs. Otherwise it becomes just a music catalogue being sung on a stage. High school kids could put on the same costumed performance for their parents.
The best book I have read on Motown is Hype & Soul ... Behind the Scenes At Motown ... the stories are poignant, funny and gives Motown a history without being malicious. It showcases the trials and tribulations that Motown and Gordy faced in those early years. And it provides back up documentation and a gallery of photos.
Good reading …never saw a bad book review posted. And the stories this guy doesn’t vent in Hype gives it clever honesty without injecting the proverbial BB grudges, gossip and mean boy/girl street dirt.
The guy knows Berry well; knows Motown material as an insider; has an archive named after him; and knows how to write. According to his book, he would most likely do it for “$15 and chili” … “reach out” to him – that is a thought. The musical would have one heck of a storyline. Poignant; funny; and sincere.
Saw the nice link that I think Woodward or Methuselah 2 posted. Guy did an interview with Suzi Quatro on BBC. BB and most Motowners and fans would find it refreshing. It was well done.
Motown the Musical … with a coherent and creative story line and a plot in three-four weeks – it would be a “miracle”.
Contact this guy privately. Anyone got his contact info might want to pass it directly to BB or his “not so smart” handlers. Ask him to rewrite the script for a few pounds. Put BB’s name on the script as part of the deal. According to his bio this guy wrote a lot of books; is a former journalist and probably has the ability to birth a Motown script in "record" time.
Put pride aside; get out the “chili” checkbook; have the guy sign a confidentiality clause; and have a happy NYC Motown ending to what is fast becoming a Broadway Chrysler car going off-road at record speed.
Couple of other good Motown books on my shelf … but if I invested millions in a Broadway musical … I’d want a former insider who seems like a decent guy to dig deep and give it a twist and a tuneup. Let the Broadway critics revise their reviews April 14.
Bookmarks