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AIN’T TOO PROUD: The Life and Times of The Temptations

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The Grammy-Winning Songs. The Tony-Winning Moves. Tony Winner! Best Choreography Dazzling & Electrifying! -The Washington Post Pretty Close to Perfection! -The New York Times
Ain't Too Proud | Title Treatment

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

CHECK BACK FOR MORE DATES

Dallas, TX
05/01/2025 - 05/04/2025
Winspear Opera House
St. Louis, MO
05/09/2025 - 05/11/2025
The Fabulous Fox
Washington, DC
06/17/2025 - 06/22/2025
National Theatre
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Five Guys. One Dream.

And a Sound That Would Make Music History.

AIN'T TOO PROUD is the electrifying new musical that 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 thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal is set to the beat of the group's treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and so many more.

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Company

Casting to be announced at a later date.

Creative Team

Book Writer

Dominique Morisseau

Dominique Morisseau

DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU (Book Writer) is the author of The Detroit Project (a three-play cycle): Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre) and Detroit ’67 (The Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theater), Sunset Baby (Labyrinth Theater), Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me to Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the Tony-nominated book writer on the Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations (Imperial Theatre). TV/film projects: she most recently served as co-producer on the Showtime series “Shameless.” She’s currently developing projects with Netflix, HBO and A24, and wrote the film adaptation of the documentary Step for Fox Searchlight. Awards include Spirit of Detroit Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-Cooper Prize, TEER Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Audelco Awards, NBFT August Wilson Playwriting Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, Obie Award (two), the Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship, and was named one of Variety’s Women of Impact for 2017–18 and a recipient of the 2018 MacArthur Genius Grant.

Music and Lyrics From

The Legendary Motown Catalog

Based on the Book Entitled

The Temptations
by Otis Williams

Otis Williams

OTIS WILLIAMS (Original Temptation/Author of The Temptations/Executive Producer) is a five-time Grammy A ward-winning singer, and a songwriter, author, producer and executive producer, born in Texarkana, Texas and raised in Detroit. Recognized as the founding and sole surviving original member of The Temptations, one of the most prolific musical institutions of all time. Williams, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, rose to superstardom after the group released the Grammy Hall of Fame mega-hit “My Girl” in the ’60s. Today, The Temptations are one of the greatest brands worldwide and their presence across multi-media platforms has never been more vivid. Williams’ life story was originally chronicled in his critically acclaimed autobiography, Temptations, and then sourced for the Emmy Award-winning television “The Temptations,” which he co-produced and is still on air or streaming every day somewhere in the world. Now, Williams’ personal story is the source for the Broadway theatrical release, Ain’t Too Proud and he serves as an executive producer. Named the #1 R&B Artists of All Time (Billboard), The Temptations throughout their evolution, have released countless chart hits, many American masterpieces. The Temptations are celebrating their 60th anniversary with a global concert tour, and Williams executive produces, writes and sings for a new TEMPTATIONS 60 album, coming next year.

Music by Arrangement with

Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Sony/ATV Music Publishing

SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING (Music Licensing), established in 1995, is the world’s leading music publisher. It owns or administers more than 3 million copyrights, including those of EMI Music Publishing and iconic music catalogs such as Leiber & Stoller, Mijac Music, Motown, and Famous Music. In addition, it represents the copyrights of such legendary artists as The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Carole King, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Hank Williams, and Stevie Wonder. Its contemporary roster includes The Chainsmokers, Drake, Calvin Harris, Lady Gaga, P!nk, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams.


Choreographed by

Sergio Trujillo

Sergio Trujillo

SERGIO TRUJILLO (Choreographer). Sergio’s Broadway credits include On Your Feet (Tony Award nominee, Outer Critics Circle/Astaire Awards), Memphis (Olivier/OCC Award, Drama Desk/Astaire Award nominations), Jersey Boys (Drama Desk/OCC/Greenroom/Dora nominations), Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Chita Rivera Award), A Bronx Tale (Chita Award nomination), The Addams Family, Next to Normal, Hands on a Hardbody (Drama Desk nomination), Leap of Faith (Drama Desk nomination), Guys and Dolls (Astaire Award nomination), and All Shook Up. Director/ choreographer credits include Arrabal (American Repertory Theater—Elliot Norton Award), Gloria Estefan on Broadway (Minskoff Theatre), Flashdance: The Musical (national tour), and White Noise (Royal George Theatre). Other theatre credits include Invisible Thread (Second Stage Theater, Astaire Award nomination), Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Musical (Olney Theatre—Helen Hayes Award nomination), Freaky Friday (Signature Theatre), and The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse). International credits include Tarzan (Disney), Peggy Sue Got Married (West End), and The Sound of Music and West Side Story (Stratford Festival).

Directed by

Des McAnuff

Des McAnuff

DES McANUFF (Director) is a two-time Tony Award-winning director and former Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival. Broadway: Summer, Doctor Zhivago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls, Aaron Sorkin’s The Farnsworth Invention, Jersey Boys (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical), Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays (Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event), Dracula, the Musical, How to Succeed..., The Who’s Tommy (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Director), A Walk in the Woods, Big River (Tony Awards for Best Director, Best Musical). Selected New York: Fetch Clay, Make Man (NYTW). Opera: Faust (Met, ENO). Film: Cousin Bette (director), Rocky and Bullwinkle (director), The Iron Giant (producer, BAFTA Award), Quills (executive producer). He is also Director Emeritus of La Jolla Playhouse, where during his tenure as Artistic Director, he staged more than 35 productions of classics, new plays, and musicals. Under his leadership, the Playhouse received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater. Raised in Canada, he was a part of the Toronto alternative theatre scene in the 70s. While at Stratford, he directed multiple productions including A Word or Two, The Tempest, and Caesar and Cleopatra (all starring Christopher Plummer), Tommy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Twelfth Night (starring Brian Dennehy), ...Forum, As You Like It, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. In 2006, he received the prestigious Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing and in 2011, he was honoured with a doctorate from Ryerson University where he attended the Theatre School. In 2012, he was awarded Canada’s esteemed Governor General’s National Arts Center Award and the Order of Canada.

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