Wonderful music, an eventful story, and a scintillating production provide a splendid evening of theater in Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. The show’s national tour is now visiting the Fox Theatre.

Ain’t Too Proud is a jukebox musical that tells the story of The Temptations. Their brilliant stage moves, distinctive harmonies, and elegant apparel made The Temptations one of the most popular groups in popular music history.

The story is based on the book, The Temptations, written by the group’s founder, Otis Williams, with Patricia Romanowski. Playwright Dominique Morisseau adapted Williams’s memoir into a sturdy framework for 31 great songs from the Motown catalog. Williams narrates the history of The Temptations from the group’s founding through the deaths of the other four members of the group’s Classic Five configuration.

Director Des McAnuff drives the show forward in fast-moving scenes punctuated by musical numbers that sustain the drama instead of interrupting it. Sergio Trujillo’s choreography captures The Temptations’ style and adapts it for a musical theater context.

The look of the show favors shades of gray over colors. Striking stage pictures are created by the thoroughgoing integration of designs by Robert Brill (set), Howell Binkley (lighting), Peter Nigrini (projections), and Paul Tazewell (costumes).

Heading the superb cast are Marcus Paul James as Otis Williams, Elijah Ahmad Lewis as David Ruffin, Jalen Harris as Eddie Kendricks, Harrell Holmes Jr. as Melvin Franklin, and James T. Lane as Paul Williams.

Brett Michael Lockley is Al Bryant, the original member who was replace before the Classic Five lineup was established. Later members of the group are played by Dwayne P. Mitchell as Dennis Edwards, Devin Holloway as Richard Street, and Lawrence Dandridge as Damon Harris.

The cast members playing well-known people include Michael Andreaus as Berry Gordy, Lawrence Dandridge as Smokey Robinson, Amber Mariah Talley as Diana Ross, Traci Elaine Lee as Mary Wilson, Shayla Brielle G. as Florence Ballard and Tammi Terrell, and Reed Campbell as Shelly Berger, the group’s manager.

Ain’t Too Proud continues through October 2 at the Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard.

—Gerry Kowarsky

Photo by Emilio Madrid
From left, Marcus Paul James, Jalen Harris, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Harrell Holmes Jr., and James T. Lane from the National Touring Company of Ain’t Too Proud.