Harrell Holmes Jr., Jalen Harris, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, E., E. Clayton Cornelious and Michael Andreaus in ‘Ain’t Too Proud’, Photo by Emilio Madrid
I’ve been guilty of this mildly sniffy attitude towards jukebox musicals: Ah, they’re really just cynical nostalgia-bait. While I’ve never been fully astounded by one, I have consistently enjoyed myself. Perhaps I’m more appreciative of the form than I thought. The North American tour of Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, presented by Mirvish, is one of the most kinetic and satisfying I’ve seen.
Essentially, we’re here for the songs, to witness some fine gentlemen harmonizing, tossing microphones up in the air and doing the splits. And we get plenty of that! As a narrative frame for this glorified concert (31 numbers!), Dominique Morisseau’s book provides an express train trip through the group’s history—from roughing it in Detroit to being the toast of Motown. Keeping us on track, the troupe’s founder and our narrator, Otis Williams (Michael Andreaus), serves as conductor.
In a very cute early scene, we see William’s ask Melvin Franklin’s (Harrell Holmes Jr.) mother (Shayla Brielle G.) for permission to join his troupe while Melvin sheepishly hides around the corner. From there, he discovers and recruits the other founding members of The Temptations—Paul Williams (E. Clayton Cornelious), Eddie Kendricks (Jalen Harris) and David Ruffin (Elijah Ahmad Lewis).
They fall in with Motown founder Berry Gordy (Jeremy Kelsey) where they get tugged between various producers and songwriters—Smokey Robinson (Derek Adams), Norman Whitfield (Devin Price) and, initially jarring as the first white face in their trajectory, Shelly Berger (Ryan M. Hunt). Egos, drugs and alcohol lead to drama. Over the years, members come and go. There are solo careers, in-fighting, and The Supremes! The Civil Rights Movement gets a weirdly perfunctory shout-out—though, the image of the entire company taking a knee during “I Wish It Would Rain” does have a certain raw power.
One of the more distinctive leitmotifs is the use of “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” as a theme for Williams’ distant, fraught relationship with his wife, Josephine (Quiana Onrae’l Holmes), and son, Lamont (Felander). I was particularly impressed with the emotional resonance of a scene between Williams and Lamont, their one and only on-stage interaction. And “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” becomes an emotive soundtrack of grief as a whole slew of Temptations succumb to various ailments.
Director Des McAnuff’s production has some very slick moves. Sergio Trujillo’s choreography is smooth and gestural, showcasing some signature toe tapping, hand clapping and spins. It’s all about the synchronicity. Characters and set pieces glide in and out with thrilling precision. Robert Brill’s grayscale scenic design suggests the weathered brick and corrugated metal sheeting of a city under construction. The iconic Motown logo looms prominently as a symbol of prestige. Peter Nigrini’s stirring projections fill out the space, providing title cards for context and dynamic imagery for dimension and heightened spectacle.
We are given just enough dramatic detail for there to be some narrative momentum. McAnuff is deft and efficient, delivering punchy moments that feel earned despite the slightness of their set-ups. There is humour and poignancy, but the creatives know why we’re here—for the music and the vibes. And the vocals alone are worth the price of admission. Lewis as David Ruffin has the most devastatingly intense solo belting, though Holmes as Josephine is a close second.
Overall, Ain’t That Proud is great fun and a decent tribute.