Hello there - We are thrilled that you are coming in for AIN’T TOO PROUD with THE GATEWAY PLAYHOUSE!
IMPORTANT: This is a QUICK turnaround. Our only in-person, invite-only callback will take place on May 11 in NYC, and the first rehearsal is scheduled for June 2. Please review the full breakdown below and confirm your availability for all dates before attending.
As I have limited time to coordinate this casting session, I would appreciate a prompt response to either confirm or cancel your appointment.
Note on Style: This production takes a slightly different lens. The creative team is drawn to the darker, grittier edges of the Temptations’ journey—looking closely at what it cost to become who they were. While the group’s precision and polish remain essential, equal focus is placed on the struggle, resilience, and raw determination that shaped their rise out of working-class Detroit in the ’50s and ’60s. These characters should read as powerful and driven, with an undercurrent of danger just beneath the surface.
MATERIAL
Please prepare the FULL material for your assigned role(s) plus the dance combination. You may be asked for some or all of this material at this callback.
OTIS WILLIAMS (Click here to access material)
DAVID RUFFIN (Click here to access material)
*Choreography for David Ruffin in the show will involve the actor being on their knees. If you are being considered for this role, you should be willing/able to do this safely.
MELVIN FRANKLIN (Click here to access material)
EDDIE KENDRICKS (Click here to access material)
PAUL WILLIAMS (Click here to access material)
BERRY GORDY (Click here to access material)
*For Male-Presenting and Female-Presenting Ensemble Material, please prepare your specified roles as assigned. *
MALE-PRESENTING ENSEMBLE (Click here to access material)
*In this packet: AL/NORMAN, DENNIS, LAMONT, RICHARD STREET, SHELLY BERGER & SMOKEY ROBINSON. Please prepare ONLY the role(s) assigned to you in your callback appointment.
FEMALE-PRESENTING ENSEMBLE (Click here to access material)
*In this packet: JOSEPHINE, TAMMY TERRELL/MAMA ROSE, JOHNNIE MAE/MARY WILSON & DIANA ROSS. Please prepare ONLY the role(s) assigned to you in your callback appoitment.
FOR ALL- CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE DANCE COMBINATION
For the dance combination in the room - Male Presenting performers should wear a jacket - preferably a blazer. Character/Dress/Jazz shoes. Female Presenting performers should where character heels.
This team strongly prefers to see candidates in person. If you’re unable to attend, taped submissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you’d like to be considered, please make every effort to attend the in-person callback on May 11, as no alternate date is currently scheduled.
If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at hdbauditions@gmail.com.
AIN’T TOO PROUD – GATEWAY PLAYHOUSE
Producer/Theatre Company: The Gateway Playhouse
Executive Artistic Director: Paul Allan
Associate Artistic Director: Michael Baker
Director: DeMone Seraphin
Musical Director: Jacinth Greywoode
Choreographer: Ian Coulter-Buford
Casting: Holly Buczek, HDB Casting
Rehearsals: June 2, 2026 - June 19, 2026
Performances: June 19, 2026 - July 19, 2026
In Person Invited Callback: Monday, May 11th, 2026 in NYC
Contract:
AEA: $640/week minimum (Ref. to COST) *Principal tracks starting at $750/wk and up
Non-Union: $550/week
Housing is provided on property in Bellport, NY. Transportation provided at top of rehearsal and at the end of the run-- all rehearsals and performances take place at the Gateway Playhouse on Long Island in Bellport, NY.
Storyline:
AIN’T TOO PROUD is the story about five legendary guys with a dream
From Detroit’s streets to Motown’s hit factory and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Ain’t Too Proud tells the story of The Temptations’ rapid rise and the cost of their success. Five young men chase a sound that will change music forever, only to discover that fame tests everything: marriages, friendships, loyalties, and even their sense of who they are. In this grittier, edgier take on the humans behind the hits, seamless harmonies intertwine to form a story of ambition, addiction, ego, and survival. The Temptations’ journey asks what you’re willing to sacrifice for greatness, and what it takes to hold onto each other when the spotlight starts to burn.
OTIS WILLIAMS: (Male, Black, 20s-40s) The founder and narrator of The Temptations. Smart, ambitious, disciplined, and deeply driven. Otis is the anchor of the group—the steady hand amid chaos. He carries the emotional and narrative spine of the show. Vocal Range: Baritone (strong upper extension) Dance Requirement: Excellent mover
DAVID RUFFIN: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) Explosive, magnetic, and complicated. David is a star in every sense—electrifying, seductive, and self-destructive. He transforms the group artistically while destabilizing it personally. Vocal Range: High Tenor / Tenor with powerful belt Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer
EDDIE KENDRICKS: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) Stylish, elegant, and emotionally perceptive. Eddie’s voice is iconic—light, agile, and instantly recognizable. He is sensitive, often caught between loyalty and ambition. Vocal Range: High Tenor / Falsetto specialist
Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer
PAUL WILLIAMS: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) The heart and soul of the group. Paul is warm, soulful, and deeply human. He is also the group’s choreographer and emotional glue. His personal struggles add enormous depth. Vocal Range: Baritone/Tenor Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer
MELVIN FRANKLIN: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) The gentle giant. Loyal, grounded, funny, and deeply loving. Melvin provides the bass foundation musically and the emotional foundation personally. Vocal Range: Bass
Dance Requirement: Strong mover
AL BRYANT/ENSEMBLE: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) An original member of The Temptations. Talented but unreliable, resentful, and increasingly volatile. Vocal Range: Tenor Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer
DENNIS EDWARDS/ENSEMBLE: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) David Ruffin’s eventual replacement. Tough, confident, and commanding. Brings a more mature, muscular sound. Vocal Range: Tenor Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer. This track may US Principals.
SMOKEY ROBINSON/ENSEMBLE: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) Smooth, charming, and effortlessly cool. Vocal Range: High Tenor / Falsetto. Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer. This track may US Principals
BERRY GORDY/ENSEMBLE: (Male, Black, 20s-30s) Visionary, polished, strategic. The architect of Motown. Vocal Range: Baritone. This track may US Principals *AN OFFER IS OUT FOR THIS ROLE
SHELLY BERGER/ENSEMBLE: (Male, White, 30s-60s) The Temptations’ manager. Sharp, humorous, and pragmatic. Non-singing or light singing
DIANA ROSS/ENSEMBLE: (Female, Black, 20s-30s) Elegant, poised, and iconic. Brief but memorable appearance. Star Quality with polish and style. Vocal Range: Soprano / High Mix Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer/mover.
JOSEPHINE/ENSEMBLE: (Female, Black, 20s-40s) Otis’s wife. Strong, loving, and resilient. Vocal Range: Mezzo Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer/mover. *OFFER IS OUT FOR THIS ROLE
TAMMI TERRELL/ENSEMBLE: (Female, Black, 20s-30s) Warm, luminous, and full of life. Marvin Gaye’s duet partner and a significant emotional presence. Vocal Range: Strong Mezzo / Belt. Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer/mover. *OFFER IS OUT FOR THIS ROLE
MARY WILSON/JOHNNIE MAE MATTHEWS/ ENSEMBLE: (Female, Black, 20s-40s) Mary Wilson is a member of the Supremes. Johnnie Mae is the “Mother of Motown.” Tough, savvy, and nurturing. Vocal Range: Flexible Dance Requirement: Excellent dancer/mover *OFFER IS OUT FOR THIS ROLE
ENSEMBLE: (All Gender Identities, 20s-30s) Elite precision dancers with strong harmony and blending skills to embody different characters through multiple eras (1950s-1970s). Strong collaborative storytellers. All vocal ranges. Ensemble may cover Principal tracks.