Continued…
…to resume the daily cycle again.
Dick’s contributions to the success of the show were fundamental; sharp, funny, structural, transformative. He had the power in the room to make the changes that I would never have been permitted to have made, had I come up with them; he had the ability to articulate his vision in a way that was comprehensive, unassailable, convincing; he was able to be authoritative without ever losing the sense of collaboration. Just an extraordinary writer, artist and human being.
Mr. Gordy loved him right away. I did too. We didn’t win every battle with the Chairman – we wrote multiple drafts of the scene in which Diana comes to Berry to tell him that she’s pregnant with their child, which would have been a powerful addition, but ultimately an area into which Mr. Gordy refused to venture – but we won a lot more than we lost, and the difference to the final product was unassailable. I’ll always be grateful that Dick chose to collaborate with me rather than insist he replace me. Most – or many – people in his position would have done just that. Having said that, the result of both of us working toward realizing Mr. Gordy’s vision was what I consider to be the musical’s two metrics of success: one, it recouped on Broadway, London, two National Tours and one International tour; and two, it was the show Berry Gordy had in his head with which to carry on the Motown legacy.
This photo was taken outside the Lunt-Fontanne theatre on Broadway, before the show’s opening in April of 2013.