Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations, which played its final performance at Broadway's Imperial Theatre January 16, 2022, officially opens at London's Prince Edward Theatre April 20 following previews that began March 31.
The Temptations are played by Cameron Bernard Jones (Motown the Musical, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) as Melvin Franklin, Kyle Cox (Elf, Crazy for You) as Paul Williams, Sifiso Mazibuko (Hamilton, Motown the Musical) as Otis Williams, Tosh Wanogho-Maud (The Book of Mormon, Dreamgirls) as David Ruffin, and Mitchell Zhangazha (Dear Evan Hansen, The Lion King) as Eddie Kendricks.
The West End company also includes Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Natalia Brown, Ryan Carter, Hannah Fairclough, Christopher Gopaul, Daniel Haswell, Naomi Katiyo, Akmed Junior Khemalai, Holly Liburd, Darnell Mathew-James, Simeon Montague, Posi Morakinyo, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Michael James Stewart, Toyan Thomas-Browne, Dylan Turner, and Kevin Yates.
Check out production photos below:
Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Mitchell Zhangazha, Sifiso Mazibuko, Cameron Bernard Jones, and Kyle Cox in Ain't Too Proud
Cast of Ain't Too Proud
Kyle Cox, Sifiso Mazibuko, Posi Morakinyo, Mitchell Zhangazha, and Cameron Bernard Jones in Ain't Too Proud
Holly Liburd, Sadie-Jean Shirley, and Evonnee Bentley-Holder in Ain't Too Proud
Tosh Wanogho-Maud in Ain't Too Proud
Cast of Ain't Too Proud
Sifiso Mazibuko in Ain't Too Proud
The musical, which played a total of 488 performances on Broadway, uses The Temptations' hits to tell the story of their journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Songs include “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”
Ain’t Too Proud has a book by Kennedy Prize-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau and reunites two-time Tony-winning director Des McAnuff with Tony- and Olivier-winning choreographer Sergio Trujilio, whose previous collaborations include the Tony-winning Jersey Boys.
The musical also has scenic design by Tony nominee Robert Brill, costume design by Tony winner Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Tony winner Howell Binkley, sound design by Tony winner Steve Canyon Kennedy, projection design by Drama Desk Award winner Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, music supervision and arrangements by Kenny Seymour, orchestrations by Drama Desk Award winner Harold Wheeler, and music direction by Matt Smith.
Casting is by Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher.
The musical opened on Broadway March 21, 2019, and was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Trujillo won the Tony for Best Choreography. Ain't Too Proud had its world premiere at California’s Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2017 before going on to play Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Toronto.
Ain't Too Proud is produced in the West End by Ira Pittelman, Tom Hulce, Stephen Gabriel, and Jamie Wilson.
