Motown the Musical, Penned by Motown Records Founder Berry Gordy, Confirms Broadway Plans

Motown the Musical, based on the life of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, will open on Broadway in the spring of 2013 at a Nederlander theater to be announced. As previously reported, Motown will be directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and feature a book by Gordy and music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue, including 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. Casting, additional creative team, dates and theater will be announced shortly.

On January 12, 1959, a young African-American songwriter named Berry Gordy founded Tamla Records with a loan of $800 from his family, marking the birth of the “Motown Records Corporation.” Motown is the story of the protégés and stars of a uniquely talented musical family who went on to become some of the greatest superstars of all time.

"Broadway is the pinnacle of live theater and provides a challenging and exciting opportunity to tell my story and share the magic of Motown," Gordy, who is producing the show with Kevin McCollum and Doug Morris, said in a statement. "I’ve discovered that Motown and Broadway have a lot in common—a family of wonderfully talented, passionate, hard-working young people, fiercely competitive but also full of love and appreciation for the work, for each other and for the people in the audience. I can’t wait to feel that same Motown spirit come alive on stage every night."