Opening night of Motown: The Musical went very well until right after the curtain call. With the cast still buzzing at 10:15 p.m., producer Kevin McCollum had bad news: The show was ending its return run on Broadway early.
The song-heavy story of Motown Record’s tumultuous history was expected to run until Nov. 13, but producers faced with lackluster box-office sales will now pull the plug after the July 31 performance.
Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy on ‘Motown the Musical’ and the Label’s Evolving Legacy
The show’s original incarnation played 775 performances between 2013-15 and the show also went out on a national tour.
The musical is told from the perspective of founder Berry Gordy, who wrote the story.
News of the show’s demise comes a few days after word that the Fiddler on the Roof revival will close Dec. 31.