Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and More Get Ready for the Opening Night of Broadway's Motown: The Musical

Guests at the starry opening also included Mary Wilson, LMFAO's Redfoo, Jane Fonda, and Bono.

New York City

April 14, 2013

Photo gallery loading...

Valisia LeKae and Brandon Victor Dixon share their triumphant curtain call.
(© David Gordon)

Overcome with emotion, Brandon Victor Dixon (center) hugs director Charles Randolph Wright and cochoreographer Warren Adams.
(© David Gordon)

Berry Gordy and the cast of Motown are surprised by the one-and-only Diana Ross.
(© David Gordon)

Diana Ross hugs her on stage portrayer, Valisa LeKae.
(© David Gordon)

A host of Motown family members, including (from left) Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson take the stage for a curtain call.
(© David Gordon)

Smokey Robinson joins Berry Gordy for a bear hug.
(© David Gordon)

Berry Gordy hugs Stevie Wonder.
(© David Gordon)

Berry Gordy and Diana Ross share an embrace.
(© David Gordon)

The trio of the hour: Motown founder Berry Gordy gets close with legendary singers Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross. Diana Ross is thrilled to show her support for Broadway’s Motown.
(© David Gordon)

Berry Gordy snuggles up to Diana Ross.
(© David Gordon)

It's the legendary Diana Ross.
(© David Gordon)

Smokey Robinson is looking dapper on opening night.
(© David Gordon)

Mary Wilson is eager to check out Motown on Broadway.
(© David Gordon)

Gladys Knight is stunning at the opening night of Broadway’s Motown.
(© David Gordon)

The Commodores show their love for Motown.
(© David Gordon)

Grammy Award winner Bono has a laugh on the red carpet.
(© David Gordon)

Trudy Styler and Sting get close for the cameras.
(© David Gordon)

LMFAO’s Redfoo shows up to his dad's (aka Berry Gordy) Broadway opening in style.
(© David Gordon)

Claudette Robinson of The Miracles is excited to see Motown on opening night.
(© David Gordon)

Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams spend their night off from Broadway’s The Trip to Bountiful with Motown.
(© David Gordon)

Songwriter Eddie Holland also appears as a character in the new musical Motown.
(© David Gordon)

Legendary songwriter Lamont Dozier is not only supportive of Broadway’s Motown, but he’s a character in it, too!
(© David Gordon)

Boxer Evander Holyfield shows us his iron fist.
(© David Gordon)

Jane Fonda is a stunner on the red carpet.
(© David Gordon)

On a night off from Lucky Guy, Courtney B. Vance takes in a splashy new musical.
(© David Gordon)

S. Epatha Merkerson is on hand to support her pal, Motown costume designer ESosa.
(© David Gordon)

Rosanna Arquette shows her support for Broadway’s newest musical.
(© David Gordon)

Even Jesse Jackson is on hand for the occasion.
(© David Gordon)

Record mogul Tommy Mottola and his wife, singer Thalia, smile on their way into the Lunt-Fontanne.
(© David Gordon)

Record mogul Clive Davis shows his support for Broadway’s latest musical.
(© David Gordon)

Smile! It’s Kathie Lee and Hoda!
(© David Gordon)

Debbie Allen is excited to see Motown.
(© David Gordon)

Melba Moore shows off her opening night finest.
(© David Gordon)

CBS head honcho Les Moonves and his wife, Julie Chang, are dressed to the nines.
(© David Gordon)

Bravo’s Andy Cohen is ready for a night out at Motown.
(© David Gordon)

The always stunning Mary Hart smiles for the camera.
(© David Gordon)

What’s a Broadway opening without Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell?
(© David Gordon)

Broadway vets Orfeh and Andy Karl get close for the camera.
(© David Gordon)

Broadway pals Norm Lewis and LaChanze are each other’s dates for the evening.
(© David Gordon)

Jennifer Prescott and Brian d’Arcy James smile for the camera.
(© David Gordon)

Motown producer Kevin McCullum joins Submissions Only stars Kate Weatherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger for a photo.
(© David Gordon)

Warren Adams and Patricia Wilcox choreographed this journey through some of the most danceable American music ever produced.
(© David Gordon)

Tony Award nominee Christiane Noll shows up to support her husband Jamie LaVerdiere, who is a swing in Motown. Here they are with their daughter Rianna.
(© David Gordon)

Here’s a group of Motown’s men with the real-life Diana Ross, who is overwhelmed by the whole experience.
(© David Gordon)

Fresh from last season’s Godspell, Motown ensemble member Morgan James just can’t seem to stay away from Broadway for very long.
(© David Gordon)

Like Madonna and Cher before him, costume designer ESosa knows that you only need one name to be utterly fabulous.
(© David Gordon)

Another fierce one-named diva, N’Kenge is making her sophomore appearance on Broadway after her debut in 2010’s Sondheim on Sondheim.
(© David Gordon)

Based on Motown’s strong preview box office numbers, producers Doug Morris and Kevin McCollum have plenty of reasons to smile.
(© David Gordon)

It was a starry opening night for Broadway's Motown: The Musical on Sunday, April 14 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Following the performance, the cast and their guests headed to Roseland Ballroom to celebrate.

Written by Motown Records founder Berry Gordy with a score culled from Motown's legendary catalogue, the musical, directed by Charles Randolph Wright, tells the story of Gordy's rise to prominence in the record industry and tracks his romantic relationship with singer Diana Ross. The production stars Brandon Victor Dixon and Valisia LeKae as Gordy and Diana Ross, respectively.

Guests at the opening night performance included Gordy and Ross, as well as legendary Motown singers Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Mary Wilson, Claudette Robinson, The Commodores, and songwriters Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier; LMFAO member Redfoo; Bono; Sting and Trudy Styler; record moguls Clive Davis and Tommy Mottola (with wife Thalia); Broadway veterans Brian d'Arcy James, Jane Fonda, S. Epatha Merkerson, Norm Lewis, LaChanze, Orfeh, Andy Karl, Kate Weatherhead, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Melba Moore, and Debbie Allen; The Trip to Bountiful stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vanessa Williams; Lucky Guy star Courtney B. Vance; Kathie Lee Gifford; Hoda Kotb; Andy Cohen; CBS head honcho Les Moonves and wife, Julie Chang; Rosanna Arquette; Star Jones; Mary Hart, and more.

The cast also includes Charl Brown as Smokey Robinson; Bryan Terrell Clark as Marvin Gaye; Raymond Luke Jr. and Jibreel Mawry alternating in the roles of Young Berry Gordy, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder; and an ensemble that includes Timothy J. Alex, Nicholas Christopher, Rebecca E. Covington, Ariana DeBose, Andrea Dora, Preston W. Dugger III, Wilkie Ferguson, Dionne Figgins, Marva Hicks, Sasha Hutchings, Lauren Lim Jackson, Morgan James, John Jellison, Crystal Joy, Grasan Kingsberry, Marielys Molina, Sydney Morton, Jarran Muse, Jesse Nager, Milton Craig Nealy, N'Kenge, Dominic Nolfi, Saycon Sengbloh, Ryan Shaw, Jamal Story, Eric LaJuan Summers, Ephraim Sykes, Julius Thomas III, Daniel J. Watts, and Donald Webber, Jr.

Click here for more information and tickets to Motown: The Musical.

Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and More Get Ready for the Opening Night of Broadway's Motown: The Musical

Guests at the starry opening also included Mary Wilson, LMFAO's Redfoo, Jane Fonda, and Bono.

Tagged in this Story