Let's get it on Broadway
Engrossed in what could be a final hurrah, the 83-year-old Gordy has been eager and recharged — a life of long rehearsal days and late-night brainstorms.
"His energy is like a teenager," said actor Bryan Terrell Clark, who plays Marvin Gaye, "like he's had this amazing second wind."
Motown is Broadway-big: A 19-piece band will put gloss and grandeur on Motown's songs, with full-scale dance numbers from a colorfully costumed cast of three dozen.
In Broadway terms, Motown has been a quick process: It was summer 2010 when Randolph-Wright first met with Gordy at the Motown icon's California mansion. Three years earlier, another Gordy musical — Ain't No Mountain High Enough — had been quietly shelved before a scheduled L.A. debut. This time, Gordy was intent on getting it right.
"I picked Charles over some very renowned people," Gordy said. "He turned out to be the most incredible director you could find."
Over lunch, lead actors Dixon and LeKae talked about their two-year immersion in Motown and each other.
At 6 feet, Dixon's got half a foot on the real-life Gordy. LeKae carries a quiet elegance, and with her coy voice and delicate manner, the Diana Ross vibe is almost startling.
The chemistry between the two romantic leads is crucial to "Motown."
"These two people really loved each other," LeKae said. "I mean, (Gordy) still loves her unconditionally — he never forgets to remind me about that. But she has such a strong belief in him that she shares the same feelings. When it's time for us to do a scene, it becomes very natural for us to fall into that place."
Gordy said the Gordy-Ross relationship made a natural centerpiece to his story "because that was the thing that inspired me to do almost everything else I did," he said. "And I was a sucker for anybody who believed in me, because growing up, nobody did."
A hit: Signed, sealed, delivered
The show will be accompanied by a pair of albums: Motown: The Musical — The Classic Songs That Inspired the Broadway Show, in stores Tuesday, features the original recordings of tracks such as My Girl, Shop Around and I Want You Back.
A Broadway cast album will be released by the end of spring.
Universal's Resnikoff said the company is embarking on "a massive marketing campaign" tied to the show, which it sees as a unique opportunity.
"If you think about it, the classic Motown songs have been marketed to some extent through nostalgia," Resnikoff said. "This really helps us bring it current, and gives us a new story to work with."
Chrysler's chief marketing officer, Olivier Francois, said he's "convinced that this show will be a very important piece of Broadway history."
As for Gordy — there's a new working definition for success.
"I'm not really looking for glory, honors, even money or fame," Gordy said. "That's all passed. When I give back to people, especially those who believed in me, I feel good. And that's way more important than the money or fame. I'm just looking to do good work. To do great work is an art."
