The Broadway jukebox musical, like the VH1 “Behind the Music” special, has become a rite of passage for music legends from the Four Seasons to Cher. Now the Temptations are getting the “Jersey Boys” treatment, in “Ain’t Too Proud” (starting previews on Feb. 28, at the Imperial), starring Jawan M. Jackson, James Harkness, Derrick Baskin, Jeremy Pope, and Ephraim Sykes (above). Expect backstage drama (egos, drugs, lawsuits) to keep the action moving and Motown earworms (“My Girl,” “Just My Imagination”) to make it go down smooth.
The Temptations Get a Broadway Jukebox Musical
“Ain’t Too Proud,” at the Imperial, offers a combination of Motown earworms and backstage drama.
Photograph by Pari Dukovic for The New Yorker
