Temptations founder reflects on Motown memories and 'Ain't Too Proud' musical

For Temptations founder Otis Williams, the Broadway musical about the enduring but ever-changing Motown quintet sparks pride and sorrow.

The national tour of “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” will open April 18 for a week’s nearly-sold-out run at the Ohio Theatre.

“I’ve lived a very interesting life with the Temptations, which had a lot of highs and lows. The musical lets people see the trials we went through,” said Williams, 81, the sole surviving original member and the musical’s executive producer.

Who were the Temptations?

Despite frequent shifts in the vocal group’s lineup, the musical shows how members of the quintet learned to mesh their finely tuned vocals into a smooth aesthetic.

“It’s a humanistic story, with more to it than just making hit records … We went through all kinds of ups and downs like everyday people,” Williams said.

Playwright Dominique Morisseau (Broadway’s “Skeleton Crew”) and director Des McAnuff (“Jersey Boys”) wove songs from the Temptations and the Motown catalog into their biomusical, based on Williams and Patricia Romanowski’s 1988 book “Temptations,” which combined Williams’ autobiography with the band’s history.

Spring fun: Big names, festivals and events coming to Columbus area

“All we wanted to do was sing. We achieved more than we ever would have thought, but what happened to us, with the heartache and drugs, was tough,” Williams said.

After signing with Motown Records in 1961, the group journeyed from the streets of Detroit to frequent touring, national TV performances and 44 Top 10 R&B hits. The group was inducted in 1989 into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and ranks first on Billboard magazine’s list of the “Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artists.”

What songs are in the show?

“My Girl,” the group’s first number-one single in 1965, became their signature song.

“When I first heard ‘My Girl,’ I had no idea it would become the hit it is now. It’s a quantum leap beyond what we thought it would be,” Williams said.

Also among the show’s 31 songs: “Ball of Confusion,” “Cloud Nine,” “Come See About Me,” “Don’t Look Back,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” ““War,” ‘The Way You Do the Things You Do” and “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted.”

“People relate to these musicians and their work and appreciate getting a chance to see behind the scenes what creating that work was like … how the sausage was made, so to speak,” said actor-singer Michael Andreaus, who plays Otis on tour.

“What made them such a strong and enduring group is they were able to grow, change and adapt their sound to different times, while holding onto their identity and harmonies,” Andreaus said.

How does the lead actor view his role?

As Otis, Andreaus narrates the two-act musical.

“He’s a man on a mission, singularly focused but not to the point of being mean or harsh with anybody,” Andreaus said.

“For Otis, the Temptations is really a calling, finding the right pieces and people to make the songs and the group a hit,” he said.

The story, narrated from Williams’ perspective, charts the Temptations’ successes and setbacks from 1961 through their early-1980s reunion tour.

Summer preview: Columbus Commons announces summer schedule featuring free concerts, family day and classes

“It’s a memory play — Otis’ memory. He sets the stage for the audience, tells them what’s happening and then goes into the memory and lives it out,” Andreaus said.Researching his role, Andreaus learned that Williams, growing up, spent time in juvenile detention.“He made up his mind he wasn’t going to do anything to fail again. He knew music and singing would get him out from the streets,” Andreaus said.Williams, meanwhile, recognizes himself onstage.

“It’s pretty accurate. I’d describe him (Otis) as truthful, with strength enough to endure all the different guys who’ve been in the Temps,” he said.

How did the changing lineup affect the group?

Since its start, the band has had 27 members, a recurring focus of the two-act musical.

For instance, David Ruffin, a lead singer, was fired in 1968 for drug use and skipping a concert. Eddie Kendricks, known for his falsetto, left in 1971 after personal conflicts and disagreements over the band’s direction.Baritone Paul Williams died in 1973 by apparent suicide from a gunshot. Bass vocalist Melvin Franklin died of heart failure in 1995.

“I absolutely loved those guys. We went through all that upheaval, and I still miss them,” Williams said.

“To lose that many members, to withstand that and continue on, many people would have stopped. But those things give the play body and reality,” he added.

Andreaus agreed.

“There’s no progress without sacrifice. That’s one of the first lines in the show … Is it all worth it? I put it into the audience’s lap whether the heights they reached were worth everything they had to give up along the way,” he said.

How personal is the show for Williams?

To help shape the musical, which Williams and his manager Shelly Berger first envisioned just over a decade ago, they met with Morisseau and McAnuff in 2016 for an extensive interview.

“They asked deep questions. … They said this can’t just be based on the music. They said we need to talk to you in depth to show the trials and tribulations,” Williams said.

At one point, Williams said, he got so emotional that Morisseau grabbed his hand in support.

When the musical previewed in 2017 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Williams found himself so moved that he wept. He’s seen it more than a dozen times since.

“It still hits me the way it did when I first saw it. … It’s a shame many of the guys couldn’t have stayed together longer,” he said.

Also ahead: Christian acts MercyMe, TobyMac and Zach Williams to play Nationwide Arena on Nov. 19

How did the musical do on Broadway?

“Ain’t Too Proud,” which had a pandemic-interrupted 2019-22 Broadway run, was nominated for 11 Tony awards including best musical and won for Sergio Trujillo’s choreography.

“While honoring all the expected biomusical clichés, which include rolling out its subjects' greatest hits in brisk and sometimes too fragmented succession, this production refreshingly emphasizes the improbable triumph of rough, combustible parts assembled into glistening smoothness,” critic Ben Brantley wrote in his New York Times review.

Like “Jersey Boys” and “Mamma Mia!,” “Ain’t Too Proud” uses previously recorded songs, defining the "jukebox-musical" genre. Williams, who still sings and tours with the Temptations, sees his show as something more.

“I’m happy audiences don’t look at it as just another jukebox musical,” he said, “but as a play put together so well about our ups and downs, strength and courage.”

mgrossberg1@gmail.com

@mgrossberg1

At a glance

PNC Broadway in Columbus and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts will present “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” at 7:30 p.m. April 18-20; 8 p.m. April 21; 2 and 8 p.m. April 22; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. April 23 at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Limited tickets available. (capa.com)

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Temptations show 'Ain't Too Proud' runs April 18-23 at Ohio Theatre