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Joburg Theatre's artistic director Ngcobo musical director Margaret Motsage and cast member Liesl Penniken, who is also a member of the girl-band Jamali, share their experiences with An ODe to Motown's first edition and let us in on the second edition.
A deserved ode to Motown Records
The show is Ngcobo’s way of giving Joburg Theatre audiences an experience of different forms of theatre and storytelling, continuing the Joburg Theatre’s vision to be a space where these art forms can exist.
Motown deeply influenced the global musical landscape, including that of South Africa, with multiple local stars borrowing from Motown artists.
An Ode to Motown is a nostalgic walk down memory lane to the iconic Motown Records that gave the world Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Jackson 5 and many others in the 1970s, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s solo career in the 1980s, as well as Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight in the 1990s.
Some of the most prominent Motown women include Diana Ross, Queen Latifah, Erykah Badu, Gladys Knight and Valerie Simpson.
He describes the show as more than just a collection of songs, as it aptly depicts Motown Records as a significant cultural movement that gave Black artists a platform, created global stars and allowed Black music and stories to travel across borders.
“We grew up with it, our musicians were influenced by it and generations of South Africans continue to connect with these songs. Bringing Motown to the Mandela Stage allows us to celebrate a global Black musical legacy through the voices and artistry of South African performers,” says the director.
His appreciation for the importance of levelling up is applause-worthy as he explains that when popularity demands for a show to make a return, his responsibility is not just to respect what audiences loved about the first version, but to also give them a reason to experience it again.
The show was first staged in February, which is Black History Month in the USA, and Ngcobo intentionally brings it back during Heritage Month in his home country because of what he calls a “very natural relationship between the two.”
“Black History Month gave us an opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of Black artists and the role Motown played in changing popular culture.
Heritage Month allows us to extend that conversation and ask what happens when that legacy travels, influences other cultures and becomes part of our own musical memory,” he explains.
Motown factors into Heritage Month for Mzansi because it found its way into South African homes, radio stations, family gatherings and other social gatherings because whether we unite in joy or sorrow, music will form part of any convention.
Ngcobo asserts that when local stars ascend the Mandela Stage and reinterpret this music through their voices, they are not simply revisiting history – they are continuing its story.
Liesl concurs, saying as an artist, one can’t really understand where they’re going musically without knowing what came before them.
Unpacking the show
In addition to the original songs, Anele Precious Mthethwa and Hlengiwe Pearl lead Zhané’s hit Crush, Stevie Wonder’s timeless Knocks Me Off My Feet (which was covered by Donell Jones in the 90s) is led by Tamara Dey, and there are many others to indulge in.
Margaret says the song choices were a collaborative effort between herself and the director to best reflect on Motown’s legacy.
“My mandate was to take the sound of the show to even greater heights the 2nd time around. There were 4 more songs that were added onto the repertoire. The show resonated with the audiences every night because we didn’t deviate from the Motown sound the audiences are accustomed to,” she says.
South Africa's musical palate is as varied as the country's inhabitants, and Margaret had to be cognisant of this when curating a show about Motown so that it services the South African palate. But she says this was more exciting than it was difficult.
“Most of the generation of the 70s, 80s and 90s grew up listening to Motown songs on radio. What we wanted to do was to introduce this sound to the Amapiano generation. We had to make it an intergenerational experience and they loved it!” she reflects.
Liesl, on the other hand, is booked and busy as she’s back on stage with Motown while Jamali is also doing the most across various media platforms after a long hiatus. She says both represent meaningful chapters of her life, describing the experience of doing both simultaneously as very special.
“To have people reconnecting with our music while I’m also celebrating the music that shaped so much of who I am as an artist feels like a beautiful full-circle moment. I’m deeply grateful to be experiencing both at the same time,” she says.
In my previous interview with the Motown cast in February, we spoke about their individual childhood memories with Motown's music, and Liesl says Motown has challenged her to listen to music differently, with a special focus on harmonies and arrangements.
Exploring other artists keeps her humble and inspired, and Liesl believes that music you genuinely connect with leaves a little fingerprint on you, even when you don’t realise it.
She’s excited about the addition of Knocks Me Off My Feet as Donell’s 1996 cover is one of her favourite songs.