The African-American Theatre Ensemble’s production of “Motown” immerses the audience in an era when Diana Ross broke off from the Supremes, Marvin Gaye seduced his lady fans with “Let’s Get It On” and a cherubic Michael Jackson kicked off his glory days with the Jackson 5.
“Motown,” a musical revue, features nine songs from 60s and 70s artists on the legendary Motown Records label such as Martha and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross and a dance number to the Jackson 5’s “ABC.”
“I hope (audience members) come out feeling that they were at a real revue show,” says director Gayl Braddix, a Communication sophomore. “Motown (artists) did bus tours performing on raggedy stages before 50 screaming kids. I hope they come out feeling they saw a part of history.”
AATE strives to bring a part of musical history to the Northwestern stage, decorating it with a glittering Motown sign and an old-style decorated piano for a Stevie Wonder performance. Discs “autographed” by stars such as Gladys Knight and the Temptations cover the walls of McCormick Auditorium.
“Motown” MCs speak to the audience as if the cast were actually on a Motown bus tour, telling anecdotes from on the road and referring to the performers by their personalities rather than real names.
Throughout the, play slide shows document the history of Motown Records and the life of Berry Gordy and display pictures of the artists performing.
The production’s historian, Education sophomore Marcia Walker, compiled the pictures and, according to Braddix, taught the cast members a lot about the performers they were playing.
AATE hatched the idea for a Motown revue last spring, and many of the singers auditioning came in with an idea of the personality they wanted to adopt. Soloists rehearsed their performances individually before rehearsing as a group with backup singers and dancers.
“Some of (the performers) really try to become the person they’re playing, vocally and emotionally,” says director Kim Brown, a Weinberg sophomore.
Weinberg junior Dawen Wang performs as Stevie Wonder, singing a passionate rendition of “Ribbon In the Sky.”
Performing true to the character, the blind “Stevie” is escorted to the piano by a cast member and places his hands on the keys.
“The songs mostly had to do with who tried out,” says Braddix. “We knew we wanted Smokey Robinson and we knew we wanted Marvin Gaye. We had to make ‘Motown’ fit the cast.”
“We’re honoring some great musicians who have influenced music up to the present,” says Pranidhi Varshney, a Communication sophomore who sings “Midnight Train to Georgia” as Gladys Knight.
Songwriter and producer Berry Gordy of Detroit started the Motown Records label in 1957, creating one of the most successful record companies in music history.
The label led groups such as the Temptations, the Four Tops, Martha and the Vandellas and solo singers such as Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and Stevie Wonder up the charts.
“I had a big interest in (the subject),” Walker, the historian, says. “We incorporated Berry Gordy and his life, how he started with $800 and a one room studio at the bottom of the studio and basically formed a one man empire.”
The group also watched a video with clips of different Motown artists performing, according to Walker.
The music of Marvin Gaye makes two appearances in the revue, first in an “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” duet with Tami Tarrell, played by Communication senior Shalonda Scott and Weinberg sophomore Anthony Ward Jr.
“Motown” also ends in a soulful group rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On.”
Weinberg senior Rachel DeShay, who sings as Diana Ross in “Can’t Hurry Love,” believes the genre of music itself will make the performance unique.
“Motown is the kind of music almost everybody knows and can dance to,” says DeShay. “It will be a good time.”
Medill freshman Crystal Nicholson is a writer for PLAY. She can be reached at [email protected].