Charl Brown to Play Smokey Robinson in Broadway's MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL; Additional Cast Announced!

Producers Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris and Berry Gordy have just announced additional Broadway casting for the world premiere of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL, based on the life of iconic Motown founder Berry Gordy.

As previously announced, Tony Award® nominee Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) and Valisia LeKae (The Book of Mormon) will star in the leading roles of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross. Broadway veteran Charl Brown will join them as Smokey Robinson, leading an ensemble cast of 40 featuring Timothy J. Alex, Nicholas Christopher, Bryan Terrell Clark, Rebecca E. Covington, Ariana DeBose, Andrea Dora, Preston W. Dugger III, Wilkie Ferguson, Dionne Figgins, Marva Hicks, Sasha Hutchings, Lauren Lim Jackson, Morgan James, John Jellison, Crystal Joy, Grasan Kingsberry, Marielys Molina, Sydney Morton, Jarran Muse, Jesse Nager, Milton Craig Nealy, N’Kenge, Dominic Nolfi, Saycon Sengbloh, Ryan Shaw, Jamal Story, Eric Lajuan Summers, Ephraim Sykes, Julius Thomas III, Daniel J. Watts and Donald Webber, Jr.

Additional casting will be announced.

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL will open on Broadway at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46 Street) on April 14, 2013 following preview performances beginning March 11, 2013.

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL will feature a book by Berry Gordy and music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue.

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is the real story of the one-of-a-kind sound that hit the airwaves in 1959 and changed our culture forever. This exhilarating show charts Motown Founder Berry Gordy's incredible journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and so many more.

Featuring all the classics you love, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL tells the story behind the hits as Diana, Smokey, Berry and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of change in America. The music that shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat finally comes to Broadway in the season's most anticipated world-premiere event. MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL’s creative team will feature choreography by Patricia Wilcox (Blues in the Night) and Warren Adams (Toy Story), scenic design by David Korins (Bring It On: The Musical, Annie), costume design by Tony Award® nominee ESosa (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, “Project Runway”), lighting design by Tony Award® winner Natasha Katz (Once, Sister Act), sound design by Tony Award® nominee Peter Hylenski (Rock of Ages, The Scottsboro Boys), projection design by Daniel Brodie (Jekyll and Hyde).

MOTOWN : THE MUSICAL will feature arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp (Rock of Ages), who will supervise the 18 piece orchestra and reproduce the classic “Sound of Young America” for the Broadway stage, with co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Crook (“Smash”), dance arrangements by Zane Mark (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and music direction by Joseph Joubert (Nice Work If You Can Get It).

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