Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson attend 'Motown: The Musical'

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Published on October 9, 2012 08:53PM EDT

Motown: The Musical is coming to Broadway this spring and we've got an exclusive video from the launch! The musical tells the story of Motown founder Berry Gordy (played by The Color Purple's Brandon Victor Dixon) from his early days as a songwriter in Detroit to the establishment of his legendary record label. The production features songs from Motown's extensive catalog, which includes artists such as Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Michael Jackson, and the Jackson Five.

Last Thursday, the cast assembled at the Nederlander Theatre (home to current hit Newsies) to preview numbers from the show. The audience included a number of real-life Motown icons including Gordy (a producer of the show) and Robinson, as well as soul legend Aretha Franklin, who offered praise for what she saw. "Berry does not attach his name to anything that's not going to be a winner and first class," she said.

Check out an inside look at the musical, which begins previews at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on March 11 before an official opening on April 14.

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