Tuesday night I arrived for the first of four Broadway shows in New York City. The first show was "Motown - the Musical" the Berry Gordy Story. Berry Gordy was the force behind Motown Records in the 60s, 70s and 80s. He brought an amazing array of talented people to the masses, including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 just to name a few. The story is interspersed with amazing music tributes to the artists of the time. It's a great show, telling one of America's best musical rags to riches to struggles story.
Wednesday afternoon, it was a date with Emmy-award winning actress Cicely Tyson in the drama, "The Trip to Bountiful" in a limited engagement. The story revolves around Ms. Tyson's character who longs to return to her home of Bountiful, TX. The cast featured award winning singer Vanessa Williams as the over-bearing daughter-in-law, and "Dukes of Hazard" star, Tom Wopat in the role of the kindly sheriff. The production was poignant, as anyone who has dealt with eldercare issues can testify to.
Wednesday night, it was Disney's production of "Newsies". The story was about the newspaper strike around the start of the 20th century in New York City, by their young newsies (carriers). The music and the energy of these young guys is so heartwarming to watch. The story is well-written, but it's the singing, dancing and tap dancing that steals the show. Don't miss this one when it comes to your town!
My last evening, Thursday, I took in the off-beat production of "Kinky Boots." The music was written by Cindy Lauper and was surprisingly very, very good. The story is one, of two main characters trying to discover who they really are down deep inside. In this case, it's the young newly minted president of a family shoe business who's trying to save the fortunes of the company, while the other is a young drag queen, trying to discover his/her hidden talents and dreams. A great production actually with lots of camp, comedy and of course some oh so fabulous boots!
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