The original Broadway cast of ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
I’ve got sunshine! Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, the jukebox musical based on the songs and stories of The Temptations, announced casting for its Broadway return, and it features many familiar faces: Nik Walker as Otis Williams, James Harkness as Paul Williams, Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin, Matt Manuel as David Ruffin, and Jelani Remy as Eddie Kendricks reprise their roles as The Temptations. This quintet of actors played these leading parts when the production closed due to COVID-19 in March 2020.
Ain’t Too Proud opened on Broadway in 2019 and received 12 Tony Award nominations, winning one for Best Choreography for Sergio Trujillo. The show’s cast album was also nominated for a Grammy Award. A U.S. tour was announced to travel the country for July 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus.
The company of featured roles and ensemble members also includes Esther Antoine, Saint Aubyn, E. Clayton Cornelious, J. Daughtry, Tiffany Francés, Taylor Symone Jackson, Jahi Kearse, Darius Jordan Lee, Jarvis B. Manning Jr., Morgan McGhee, Joshua Morgan, Aaron Patterson, Christian Thompson, Sir Brock Warren, Correy West, Drew Wildman Foster, Curtis Wiley, and Candice Marie Woods.
Ain’t Too Proud follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. The rest is history — how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This jukebox musical chronicles brotherhood, family, and loyalty, set to the music of the band’s beloved hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” and of course the title song “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.”
The musical is set to return to Broadway’s Imperial Theater on October 16; masks and proof of vaccination are required to attend.
