We heard it through the grapevine! Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes have been cast as Berry Gordy and Diana Ross, respectively, in the first national tour of Motown The Musical. The foot-tapping and finger-snapping show is set to begin performances April 22 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago before continuing to cities across the country. Additional casting will be announced soon.
Oliver (Berry Gordy) has performed in the Broadway productions of The Lion King, In The Heights and Wicked. His other stage credits include national tours of The Lion King, Rent and Ragtime. Semmes (Diana Ross) has appeared on Broadway in Motown The Musical and The Book of Mormon. Her other stage credits include the natioanl tour of The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Bubbling Brown Sugar, The Wiz and Candide.
Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, Motown The Musical is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy's 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 more than 50 classic hits such as "My Girl" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," 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. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat.
Motown The Musical features choreography by Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams, scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Tony nominee ESosa, lighting design by Tony winner Natasha Katz, sound design by Tony nominee Peter Hylenski, projection design by Daniel Brodie and hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe.