Motown Launches Casting Call for Actors to Play Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson

By Adam Hetrick

Producers of the upcoming Broadway musical Motown are launching a nationwide casting search for African-American actors to portray young versions of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder as well as such music legends as Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson.

In addition to a previously launched online casting campaign, the creative team has announced open auditions in Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City in advance of Motown's Broadway debut this spring at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The musical is based on the life of record mogul Berry Gordy.

The casting breakdown is seeking one actor between the ages of 8 and 11 with a "phenomenal high tenor" voice who can sing and move like Jackson at 10-years-old, during his Jackson 5 days and also portray 11-year-old Stevie Wonder and a pre-teen Gordy himself, described as a "bit of a hustler and bit of a dreamer."

In addition, adult actors are being sought to portray the physical and vocal likenesses of Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson. An additional African-American actor with a low bass range (solid low C) and female African-American singers who can cover the songs of Diana Ross are also being sought during these calls.

Auditions will take place in Detroit and New York City on Nov. 3; followed by Los Angeles on Nov. 10; Chicago on Nov. 18; and Atlanta on Dec. 1.
Click here for more information on the auditions. Online submissions are also being accepted.

Gordy, who also authored the book to Motown, is producing the musical along with Tony winner Kevin McCollum (Rent, In the Heights, Avenue Q) and Sony Music CEO Doug Morris. The jukebox musical will begin Broadway previews March 11, 2013, towards an April 14, 2013, opening.

Charles Randolph-Wright will direct Motown, which will be studded with songs made famous by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five.

Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple, The Scottsboro Boys) and Valisia LeKae (Ragtime, The Book of Mormon) will co-star as Gordy and Diana Ross, respectively.

The musical promises "a gripping story about the protégés and stars of a uniquely talented musical family who, under Berry Gordy's guidance, began as 'the Sound of Young America' and went on to become some of the greatest superstars of all time."

Your 10 Personal Favorite Michael Jackson Songs

By Waddie Grant

www.worldwidewaddie.com

With the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson, a.k.a. The King Of Pop, looming tomorrow, I wanted to share with you all my ten personal favorite songs of Mr. Jackson.

Above all artists, his musical has been one of the most influential as far as how I want to express my own creativity. His trend-setting, thinking outside-the-box and social awareness significantly affected the music industry positively, and my creativity has been affected as well. I admired his perfection. I feel the emotions he spews in my favorite tunes of his. The upbeat tempos bring up my spirits where I want to dance whenever I hear them. Ultimately, Jackson’s music takes me onto an imaginary journey where I visualized my own visual soundtrack to his music.

Thus, these ten songs below are the Michael Jackson tunes I will never grow out of loving.

10. “In The Closet” (Dangerous album, 1992)

I love the New Jack Swing era of Michael Jackson. That kind of rhythm with one of Jackson’s sexiest lyrics and music videos kept me jammin’ for a long time. Also, this song has that extended instrumentation that was popular in the 80′s and 90′s that keep us party people dancing.

9.”Heal The World” (Dangerous album, 1992)

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8.”Break Of Dawn” (Invincible album, 2002)

When I first listened to Invincible album, I remember loving every second of the album because I was glad that Michael finally released new music since his 1995 HIStory album. Immediately after, I realized how dated the album sounded, but this song stood out to me. I remember creating this beautiful imagery in my head of a beautiful, sunny morning atmosphere with the one I would love.

7.”They Don’t Care About Us” (HIStory album, 1996)

There are many sides of Michael that I love, and his militant side is what I appreciate the most. His pro-Black and caring for the world approach in his music about social injustice makes his catalog of music stand out above all other artists. I love singing the lyrics of this tune when I feel militant-minded. I even love the music video with Jackson protesting with the poor residents of Brazil.

6.”Ain’t No Sunshine” (Got To Be There album, 1972)

Who knew that a 14 year old male pop singer could sing a song with so much soul as Michael did with this remake of this Bill Withers classic? His vocal dynamics of this heart-wrenching soulful ballad made me feel the melancholy anguish of the lyrics. His rendition outperforms the vocal talents of his contemporaries twice his age.

5.”Got To Be There” (Got To Be There album, 1971)

I first fell in love with Chaka Khan’s remake of this tune before I even knew that Michael was the original singer from a decade prior. When I learned that revelation, I’m thinking Chaka’s version had to make Michael’s forgettable. Fortunately, I was wrong. Like “Ain’t No Sunshine,” I could not picture a young male teen singing his soul out like a seasoned adult performer about such experience a teen may be too young to endure. At that point, I realized Michael was able to sing anything at any age.

4.”Scream” (Naughty Pretty Pella remix) featuring Janet Jackson & Treach (HIStory album, 1995)

The pairing of Michael and his equally popular sister Janet made me go bananas on this tune. I admit that I was enamored with the high-tech music video more than the song’s album version until I heard the official remix with Treach of Naughty By Nature. The rock and neo-soul groove of the remix is one of my favorite instrumentations I have ever listened.

3.”Billie Jean” (Thriller album, 1993)

What is not to love about this tune? The bassline beat is the hottest. Jackson’s moonwalk changed the game of stage performance and became a legend instantly. The subject matter was ahead of its time, especially for a R&B/pop singer. I didn’t even understand what the lyrics were about. I was seven years old at that time. Regardless, I enjoy the song now as much as I did then.

2.”Man In The Mirror” (Bad album, 1988)

The humanitarian in Michael Jackson is what I will always admire most about his legacy. I remember being in middle singing this song all the time and realizing for the first time how I could be more socially aware especially about communities and countries who really need the help and love that I have been blessed to have.

1.”Remember The Time” (Dangerous album, 1992)

Hands down, this is my favorite song to perform at karaoke. I remember at first listen when I was 15 years how this song made me want to dance. The song could never get out of my head either…and that was before the video came out with all that Black star power and the hottest choreography of that era. When I got the Teddy Riley extended remix of this song, I fell in love with this song much more. I wish I had the talent of dancing because I would create the hottest choreography for this.

From this list you would think that Dangerous is my favorite Jackson album, but Thriller is really my favorite. What are your favorite Michael Jackson songs and albums?