Berklee College of Music presents Trouble Man, a play with music and dance that tells the story of American music icon Marvin Gaye. Scripted by Berklee students, the production features guest songwriting legend Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson), who will sing her anthem “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” as part of the performances on Wednesday, May 1 and Thursday, May 2.
Trouble Man covers roughly two decades of Gaye’s career, from the mid-60s, when he was a member of the Moonglows, to his Motown years with Berry Gordy, Anna Gordy, and Tammi Terrell, culminating in the release of What’s Going On. It also covers his later, more tormented years in which he struggled with marriage, family, and addiction, yet continued to make great albums and touch people’s lives. The show includes some of Gaye’s greatest hits, such as “Hitch Hike,” “Dancing in the Streets,” “Sexual Healing,” and “When Did I Stop Loving You,” as well as the Moonglows hit “If You Go Away” (Jacques Brel) and Bob Marley’s “Them Belly Full (But We Hungry).”
Trouble Man takes place on May 1 and 2, 7:30 pm, at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Mass. Ave., Boston. General admission tickets are $8 in advance, $12 day of show, and are available online at berklee.edu. For more information, call 617 747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com. The BPC is wheelchair accessible.
Featuring a large and diverse cast of Berklee students, Trouble Man is produced by associate professor Amy Merrill, directed by associate professor Rebecca Perricone, with Grammy-winning faculty drummer Terri Lyne Carrington serving as ensemble director.
