The Ain’t Too Proud company in rehearsals. Picture: Craig Sugden
Full casting has been confirmed for the West End premiere of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud The Life And Times of The Temptations.
As previously announced, the five actors who will bring iconic R&B group The Temptations to the West End stage are: Cameron Bernard Jones (The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre, South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre) will take on the role of Melvin Franklin, alongside Kyle Cox (Elf, Dominion Theatre, Crazy For You, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Paul Williams, Sifiso Mazibuko (Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre, Motown The Musical, West End) as Otis Williams, Tosh Wanogho-Maud (The Drifter’s Girl, Garrick Theatre, Dreamgirls, Savoy Theatre) as David Ruffin and Mitchell Zhangazha (Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Caroline or Change, National Theatre) as Eddie Kendricks.
They will be joined by Evonnee Bentley-Holder ,Natalia Brown, Ryan Carter, Hannah Fairclough, Christopher Gopaul ,Daniel Haswell, Naomi Katiyo, Akmed Junior Khemalai, Holly Liburd ,Darnell Mathew-James, Simeon Montague, Posi Morakinyo, Sadie-Jean Shirley ,Michael James Stewart, Toyan Thomas-Browne, Dylan Turner and Kevin Yates.
Reuniting many of the award-winning creatives behind the hit show Jersey Boys, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, will begin performances at the Prince Edward Theatre on 31 March 2023.
Commenting on the show’s London debut, one of the founding members of The Temptations and an executive producer of the musical, Otis Williams said: “I am truly thrilled that our Tony Award-winning musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, which was a smash hit on Broadway and is currently touring to 50 cities in the US, will be opening in the West End next spring.
“The UK has always loved our music and embraces it as much today as it did 60 years ago. All of us involved with the show can’t wait to share this very production with you all.”
The winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, follows the formula of the Jersey Boys by intermingling the personal story of one of American music’s enduringly popular groups with the hits that led to an ingoing six-decade career including the group’s induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Featuring a book by Kennedy prize-winning Dominique Morisseau, the musical reunites Jersey Boys’ original award-winning creative team of director Des McAnuff, choreographer Sergio Trujillo, lighting designer Howell Binkley and sound designer Steve Canyon Kennedy.
The high-powered creative team also includes scenic design by Robert Brill, costume design by Paul Tazewell, projections design by Peter Nigrini, with hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, music supervision and vocal arrangements by Kenny Melrose, music direction by Matt Smith and orchestrations by Harold Wheeler.
Tracing The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the top of the music business, the musical’s story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal is played out accompanied by a hit packed soundtrack including the pop classics ‘My Girl’, ‘Just My Imagination’ and ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’.
Angela Thomas
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