Riley: 'Motown the Musical' Is A Concert-Like Show Where Fans Know All the Words

Rochelle Riley, writing in the Freep about a theatergoing trip to New York, describes why "Motown the Musical" is "not your typical Broadway musical."

Clue 1: Music isn't just on stage.

There was singing, loud singing even before the Diana Ross character asked us to "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand."  . . .

Yes, we were on Broadway. And we were singing. Every song. . . .

Another sign: Audience bonding.

At first, it seemed like we were headed to a concert -- one packed, shuffling, conversation-laden crowd. But as I looked around, I realized it was more like a church crowd. . . . 

The crowd was a group of strangers who became friends for an afternoon, who not only loved the Sound of Young America, but knew all the words.

The columnist drops other details from a sold-out preview of the show opening April 14.