"Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations" Broadway tour at the Ordway Center

The trend of biomusicals about musicians and their lives and careers has reached The Temptations, one of the most successful groups to come out of Motown. Ain't Too Proud is based on a book written by Otis Williams, one of the founding members, and the musical's book was written by acclaimed playwright Dominique Morisseau, whose plays have been produced by several local theaters. The musical is similar in structure to Jersey Boys, one of the first (and in my opinion best) biomusicals, which follows the life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. In both musicals the story of the group is narrated by its members, but there's just one narrator here - Otis Williams. He tells the story of The Temptations directly to the audience, from their formation, to their early hits, to the rotating door of members. And it's chock full of great Motown hits of the '60s and '70s, by other artists as well as The Temptations. The tour first came to town two years ago (at the Orpheum*), and is now bringing its high energy, sharp choreography, and classic hits to the Ordway for one week only.

Ain't Too Proud is told from the viewpoint of Otis Williams, who walks us through the life of The Temptations from the early '60s to the present (the group is still touring, including now 82-year-old Otis). We hear about how he formed the group, working with songwriter Smokey Robinson, coming up with a name and identity for the group, the frequent changes in membership, competing with The Supremes for top billing, and also a bit of life happening off stage (sex, drugs, and R&B). The show touches briefly on the Civil Rights movement, mentioning the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and playing in segregated clubs in the South, but doesn't delve too deeply into it. It's a whirlwind story through the decades, all accompanied by this music that is so much a part of pop culture that even if you think you don't know The Temptations, you know this music. The hits keep coming one after the other - "Get Ready," "Just My Imagination," and of course their signature hit "My Girl."

photo of the UK cast by Johan Persson.

This dynamic and hard-working touring cast is led by the amiable Rudy Foster as Otis, leading us through the story. Other highlights include Bryce Valle as Paul Williams, the sharpest dancer, Jameson Clanton as the bass Melvin Franklin, Lowes Moore as the sweet-voiced high tenor Eddie Kendricks, and Josiah Travis Kent Rogers as the showman David Ruffin (with some serious Sammy Davis Jr. vibes). But with the rotating door of members in this group, pretty much every man (and woman) in the cast gets a chance to be one of the Temps, and they all shine.

The Tony-winning choreography by Sergio Trujillo (who also choreographed Jersey Boys and a slew of other Broadway shows) is super smooth, crisply performed by the cast. On the dancing front, I think this crew might even be better than the original. The 5-piece band is kept hidden backstage until they are revealed in all their splendor during the curtain call. The music and dancing absolutely sell this show. The sound mix was a little off on opening night, making it difficult to hear some of the vocals at times; hopefully they'll resolve that as the run continues.

The Temptations' signature look is deliciously replicated, with multiple different sets of matching suits in bold colors and styles. The set has perhaps been minimized a bit since the tour last came through, but still includes a gray brick proscenium arch and liberal use of projections, including to indicate location on tour. (Costume design by Paul Tazewell, scenic design by Robert Brill, and projection design by Peter Nigrini).

The Temptations are an integral part of 20th Century American music, and if Broadway is going to be all about the biomusical, they absolutely deserve to be a part of it. There's nothing not to love about men in matching sharp suits, performing smooth choreography, and singing passionately in harmony.  Ain't Too Proud is a fun celebration of this iconic group, while giving us a glimpse behind the curtain. The tour continues at the Ordway Center in downtown St. Paul through October 13 - click here for tickets.

*Much of this post is borrowed from my review of the 2022 tour at the Orpheum.