At first glance, you may think you know what Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations is about, but do you? Yes, it’s a jukebox musical that celebrates the music and choreography of one of the longest-running and successful pop acts of the 20th century with a playlist that is literally a parade of straight bangers. Long-time ticket buyers at The Lincoln Center can liken this show to Beautiful – The Carole King Musical and Jersey Boys, where audiences may be surprised to learn how much of the music of their own lives was brought to life by The Temptations.
From their very first hit “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” to one of their last, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” The Temptations shaped the soundtrack of American life. With a long list of hits including “My Girl,” “Don’t Look Back,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me),” audiences are guaranteed to walk away singing and humming their favorites. But thinking of this production as just a jukebox musical misses the mark.
Ain’t Too Proud is a complex look at the trials and tribulations of success blended into a historical civil rights setting that is scored by a playlist filled with hit after hit. Fair warning, this is not Escape to Margaritaville or Momma Mia, where favorite songs string along a flight of fancy. This show focuses on truth, from the glitz and glam of The Temptations stage shows filled with dynamic choreography and polished vocals to the grit of the hard-knock life these black men faced while they and their countrymen and women fought for the natural rights that they were owed. This show gives audiences a raw look behind the curtain at the suppressive and egoist music industry and the personal joys and struggles these ground-breaking artists faced as they navigated through a tumultuous time in history while finding their way into America’s hearts.
Tickets are limited. Don’t miss your chance to see this unforgettable look into American musical history with a soundtrack so rich that you can’t help but find yourself humming and toe-tapping along. Tickets start at $28 and are available at LCtix.com