Cast of Motown the Musical

Source: Tristram Kenton

Left to right: Mireia Mambo, Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli, Angela Marie Hurst, Cleopatra Joseph (The Marvelettes) in Motown the Musical.

Motown The Musical will be leaving the West End next April before embarking on a UK wide tour. 

Ahead of refurbishment work at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Motown The Musical will conclude its run on 20th April 2019 having celebrated over three years of performances.

With music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue, book by Motown founder Berry Gordy and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Motown the Musical tells the story behind the classic hits. 

The UK tour will begin on 11th October this year, opening at Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre.  

The cast for the tour will include Chester Gregory as Berry Gordy and Allison Semmes as Diana Ross. Jesse Nager will play Smokey Robinson and Jarran Muse will perform as Marvin Gaye.

Synopsis: Motown the Musical

With just $800 borrowed from his family, Motown founder Berry Gordy, goes from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more. 

The production features a 15-piece orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop!  In The Name of Love, My Girl and I Heard It through the Grapevine.  

Selected tour dates:

Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre: 11th October - 3rd November

Leeds Grand theatre: 6th - 17th November

Edinburgh Playhouse: 20th November - 8th December

Bristol Hippodrome: 8th January - 2nd February

Bord Gais Energy Theatre: 5th - 23rd February

Manchester Opera House: 26th February - 23rd March

Wales Millennium Centre: 26th March - 6th April

Newcastle Theatre Royal: 4th – 22nd June

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: 1st – 12th October

Group organisers should contact their chosen theatres for information on group bookings.

More about Motown

Motown The Musical received its world premiere in April 2013 in New York with Berry Gordy and Motown artists Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Mary Wilson, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder attending the opening night. 

The show began its West End run in February 2016 with Gordy, Robinson and Wilson once again supporting the production.

In January 2019, Motown the record label will mark its 60th anniversary.

For more information, visit www.motownthemusical.co.uk