If Broadway was personified as a young Michael Jackson, its theme song would be “I Want You Back.” It won’t be long before Broadway will have back its high-grossing box office hit Motown: The Musical based on the story of the record label’s founder Berry Gordy, who recently made the announcement.
http://youtu.be/zqV2Md6qLsM
When the show closed in January, producers already had plans for a New York return. The opening date and venue have been set: July 12. Nederlander Theatre. The number of weeks: 18.
At the end of its debut run, which began in April 2013, 738 performances and 37 previews graced the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The musical frequently reached $1 million a week in box office sales prior to its hiatus; it netted four Tony nominations; and by April 2014, it embarked on a national tour – which is still underway.
Capturing Gordy’s autobiography “To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown,” the musical has had audiences mesmerized by its set list of 66 numbers. CBS Sunday Morning called it “more than a Broadway show… a celebration of music that transformed America.” Other reviews have bcalled Motown:
“A joy ride!” – The New York Times
“Stunning!” – Associated Press
“Something close to a rapture spreads through the audience!” – The New York Times
“Sets the theatre on fire!” – Time Out New York
“This hit machine is running on all cylinders!” – USA Today
Some production and creative changes (casting has yet to be announced) are expected to streamline the show before it sets the New York stage afire again. Yet, it surely will still have a hold on all who participate in listening to “the beat of a generation, the soul of a nation.”
Tickets now are on sale HERE for the West End premiere, which opens February 2016 at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre.
