Photo Flash: Motown Legend The Hightops' Duke Fakir Meets MOTOWN THE MUSICAL's West End Cast
By: Ashlee Latimer Oct. 20, 2016
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Last night (19 October 2016), Duke Fakir, the last remaining original member of legendary Motown group The Four Tops, attended the performance of Motown the Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre and joined the West End cast on stage for the finale when he and the company received a standing ovation from the sell-out audience.
With just $800 borrowed from his family, Motown founder Berry Gordy, goes from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and many more. Motown the Musical uncovers the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation.
Earlier this year the West End production of Motown the Musical released over 350,000 tickets for sale with the show now booking at the Shaftesbury Theatre to 28 October 2017. With music and lyrics from the legendary Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, the production features a sixteen piece orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks including Ain't No Mountain High Enough, I'll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The Name Of Love, My Girl and I Heard It through the Grapevine, Charles Randolph-Wright's production tells the story behind the classic hits.
Motown the Musical is directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, has music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Ethan Popp, co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Cook, dance arrangements by Zane Mark and music direction by Gareth Weedon. Choreography is by Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams, scenic design by David Korins, costumes
by Esosa, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Peter Hylenski and projections by Daniel Brodie.
UK associate director is Tara Wilkinson, UK associate set designer is Andrew Edwards and UK associate lighting designer is Alistair Grant. Motown the Musical will be produced in the West End by Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris, Berry Gordy and Adam Spiegel.
Motown the Musical is proudly supported by Swarovski crystal who originally partnered with the show on Broadway and provided 400,000 Swarovski crystals for costume and set.
Check out the photos of the event below!
Photo credit: Craig Sugden
Duke Fakir and Company of Motown
Duke Fakir and Company of Motown
Jordan Shaw, Daniel Bailey, Brian Jamesleys, Duke Fakir, Samuel Edwards, and Lucy St. Louis
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