THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN
Record company launched a musical revolution
On Jan. 12, 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla Records in Detroit. By April 14, 1960, the label was renamed Motown — a mix of motor and town in recognition of the city’s nickname. An AfricanAmerican musical revolution began.
The small label would chart 79 top 10 records in the next decade and introduce such seminal artists as The Jackson 5, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Stevie Wonder on its roster.
Its first signing was the Miracles, whose singer, William (Smokey) Robinson Jr., would eventually go on to become the vice-president of Motown.
Motown: The Musical recounts the story of the label and the personalities behind it. Based upon Gordy Jr.’s 1994 autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown, the musical had its Broadway première in 2013. Broadway Across Canada presents the show as part of this year’s offerings.
The musical contains a whopping 66 songs from the Motown catalogue. Few of these are the full version, as the show would clock in at nearly three hours before any of the storyline was added.
Kenneth Mosley plays Gordy Jr. and admits that it must have been challenging selecting what songs to include from a catalogue of music that we still hear almost daily and is such a permanent fixture of pop culture.
It wasn’t hard discerning who the show is really about. Out of 52 scenes, his Gordy Jr. character is in “around 47.”
“Perhaps, for younger generations, it’s hard to recognize how
monumental an achievement this was at a time when the performers themselves couldn’t walk through the front door of the venue where they were performing and where black and white audiences were segregated in different sections,” said Mosley. “Motown became another tool to dismantle and remove the stigma and stereotypes that pervaded the (U.S.) at that time. It’s a profoundly powerful story.”
It’s a story that resonates all the more in today’s times of renewed public racism and hate across America. Add in that it’s also a story about building something beautiful in a city as down on its luck as Detroit, which was at a low in the ‘60s as it is today. The contributions of artists to building civic pride and revitalizing the Motor City connects on more than just nostalgic levels.
“One of the cast members who sings Dancing in the Streets is from Detroit and you can really see that deep sense of pride she has about it,” he said. “It was such a landmark place for music and cars, and to see it making a comeback is really inspiring.”
Gordy Jr.’s story is recounted from his youth to becoming a budding songwriter who penned such tunes as Reet Petite for Jackie Wilson, to his eventual rise to industry mogul.
Mosley says that there is a lot of depth to the storyline and, particularly, the personal relationships that the man developed with key artists such as Ross, Marvin Gaye and — obviously — the late, great Michael Jackson.
Kai Calhoun is a 12-year-old seventh-grader tasked with playing young Gordy Jr., the young Wonder and the young Jackson. He splits the role with Chase Phillips. An experienced YouTube poster, Calhoun was surprised and honoured to be selected to play such a legendary role.
“This is my first big gig, my first big professional theatre thing because before that it was always school plays like the Little Mermaid,” said Calhoun.
“I was really surprised to hear back after my audition that I got the part. But I knew all the words and all the songs since I’ve been a Michael Jackson fan since age three.”
By the time that the late Vancouver-based musician Bobby Taylor discovered and mentored the Jackson 5, Michael was already a pro with signature dance moves. Calhoun found following in the footsteps of the King of Pop took a lot of serious work.
“I really didn’t have dance or vocal training when I auditioned, but then it was like, ‘ Wow, I can do this,’ ” said Calhoun.
“The toughest part in rehearsals was getting Michael’s footwork, because he had the most intense moves ever and he did it singing. I did get winded early on, but now I’m fit for it.”
Besides getting down the Jackson material and digging into Gordy Jr.’s young memories, Calhoun and Phillips had to get special training for the role of the young Wonder.
“We had classes in how to move our heads and wear the glasses like he did and to make it look right,” he said.
Looking and sounding right is a big part of Motown: The Musical. Both Calhoun and Mosley have nothing but praise for the work of associate director Schele Williams, associate choreographer Brian Harlan Brooks and costume designer Emilio Sosa.
Anyone with a taste for sharp vintage threads will be wishing that a lot of the stage wear was available for sale.
Calhoun is particularly fond of the classic Jackson 5, brightly coloured bell-bottoms and platformera dress. He sports it performing ABC, I Want You Back and I’ll Be There.
Sadly, meeting Jackson was impossible. But both of the cast members say that meeting Gordy Jr. was inspirational.
Mosley had read the autobiography coming into the show, Calhoun hadn’t.
“Getting to be able to perform this show for him, after all he has done for music and culture, is a great privilege,” said Mosley. “It’s a phenomenal story and told differently than all those other movies — both real and fictional — that have been told to date about the Motown history.”
“The first time I met him, I was so nervous because here was the man himself, but he cracked jokes and we had fun together,” said Calhoun. “Now I’m cool with it. It’s an honour to meet someone who has done so much for the musical world.”
Motown: The Musical exists inbetween the world of jukebox and story. Most of all, it’s Gordy Jr.’s story told his way.
That means that the full-scale, all-out renditions of the hits the audience may crave will have to come later on the home stereo. Gaining insight into how it all went down makes for an interesting backstory to the soundtrack of so many of our lives.
Just remember, no dancing in the aisles.