The Broadway musical, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” made its way to the West Coast for performances spanning from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30. The two-hour show tells the story of the ‘60s and ‘70s soul and blues group, The Temptations.
The five-man crew from Detroit, MI, formed a group in their late teens and lasted into their 30s before untimely deaths, drama and other health issues split them apart.
The group’s founder, Otis Williams, was once a troubled teen with a criminal record and rebellious spirit. A short stint in juvenile detention straightened up the musically inclined teen, and he vowed to use his freedom and gifts to sing rather than cause trouble.
Rudy Foster played Williams in the musical, bringing much-needed charisma and humor as the play’s narrator and main character. The show relied on his recounting of the group’s story as he took us from the streets of Detroit to the studios of CBS.
Williams’ first addition to The Temptations, once called The Elgins, was Melvin Franklin who was played by deep-voiced Jameson Clanton.
Franklin and Williams were able to persuade another duo from their school to join The Elgins, and with the addition of Eddie Kendricks, played by Lowes Moore and Paul Williams, played by Bryce Valle, the foursome was inching closer to becoming “performance-ready.”
There were more growing pains that the young group endured, but the four began performing songs for the crowd and the musical started to come alive. The Elgins officially became The Temptations with the addition of Williams’ childhood friend, the legendary David Ruffin.
An already captivating show turned into a groovy performance as most of the backstory was behind us, and the newly formed group of five got to singing. There were brilliant performances of “My Girl,” “Gloria,” “Shout” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do.”
The collection of soul and blues classics grew with each scene as the group rifted off more and more of The Temptation’s greatest songs and covers. The crowd was collectively amazed at the performers’ ability to mimic soul’s most unique voices, like Clanton’s bellowing tune honoring Mel Franklin or Moore’s reenactment of Kendrick’s distinct falsetto style.
A personal favorite moment from the musical was Williams’ introduction of the female-led group, The Supremes. The two groups were “frenemies,” Williams explained, since throughout both of their primes, they competed for the top spot in the same genre.
The trio, made up of the magnificent Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, were played by Jasmine Barboa, Reyanna Edwards and Kaila Simone Crowder. The portrayal of The Supremes was truly enchanting, and their renditions of “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me” and “You Can’t Hurry Love” were spot on.
The musical wasn’t just one big parade for the soul music legends, and topics like the war, the Civil Rights Movement and the drug epidemic were addressed throughout. The ringleader, Williams, was the true example of what it means to be a group’s backbone. Despite all the drama, fame and turmoil that comes with a life in front of the camera, he hardly ever wavered and managed to remember what was important.
His partners, on the other hand, weren’t as disciplined. Williams walked us through Ruffin’s battle with both fame and addiction, describing how a puffed up chest and brain full of narcotics got him booted from the group.
The lesser-known Williams, Paul Williams, couldn’t stay out of the bars while they toured. It was alcohol that ended his tenure as a member of The Temps, and Kendricks trialed with similar vices that got him removed from the group and landed him in a dual partnership with the disgruntled Ruffin.
Franklin, fittingly, Williams’ first addition to the group way back in the beginning, was also the last one to throw in the towel. Both a lost desire for the bright lights and health issues left Williams without a group, as Franklin had no choice but to retire from music.
There was no way a show this lively and funky could end in such a somber tone, and Williams was sure to not let that happen. In the final act of the show, Williams recalled when The Temptations were able to make a short “reunion” stint and perform a few times before the deaths of Ruffin and Paul Williams. These final songs and another brief appearance from The Supremes wrapped up the show in a lighthearted way.
I was impressed throughout the show with how well these performers replicated the musical brilliance of the top artists from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The final scenes of the musical had an extra touch of flair and soul that brought the entire San Diego Civic Theatre to their feet.
“Ain’t Too Proud” was a touching testimony of brotherhood, transformative music and resilience. On the surface, The Temptations have always appeared as a shining group of blues singers with a knack for catchy tunes but this show peeled back the layers and revealed the real journey to stardom these men encountered.
Spencer Gorka