Zion Middleton was probably destined to be musical. His maternal grandfather played saxophone and, for a time, played with Jimi Hendrix. His parents named him after a Lauryn Hill song, “To Zion,” released shortly before he was born in 2000.
But it was specifically musical theater that ignited his passion as a student at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy in McDonough. His younger brother, Caleb, was in the kids’ chorus in “Annie,” and Zion had to hang out at rehearsals to wait for their ride home.
He started helping out, and before he knew it, he was a stagehand.
“So then I did my first musical at 14, ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,’ and just kept doing it, and it turned into this burning passion for musical theater,” he says.
By junior year, he played Jean Valjean in the school production of “Les Mis,” which is his favorite musical, opposite Caleb, who played Marius.
That passion brings Middleton to the Fox Theatre this weekend, where he performs as a “swing” (understudying multiple roles) in the Broadway in Atlanta national touring company of the jukebox musical “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations.” The limited engagement is an unusually short run for a Broadway show at the Fox — just three performances as opposed to the usual six days.
Credit: (Courtesy of Zion Middleton)
Credit: (Courtesy of Zion Middleton)
McDonough Mayor Sandra Vincent will present Middleton with a city proclamation in honor of his accomplishments and charity work on Saturday, June 7, at the Georgian Terrace, across Peachtree Street from the Fox, following the show.
“We’re very proud of Zion and all of the students who have embraced the arts and are living within their authenticity,” says Vincent, calling him “a shining example of perseverance, artistry and hometown pride.”
The proclamation and following reception are private, and Middleton says he expects some former teachers and classmates from Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy to attend, as well as family and the show’s cast.
Front and center will be his mom, Lisa. “I don’t think she has ever missed a performance that I’ve been in,” he says. “She has not a musical bone in her body, but she has honestly dedicated her life to making me and my brother’s dreams come true.
“And it came true, because I get to perform at the Fox, where I literally saw my first professional musical ever.”
His parents are divorced, and his father, Carl, has also been supportive of his theater career, he says.
“McDonough is not really a big area for theater,” says Middleton. “So I do my best to come back and serve my community by sharing what I know and letting people know that your dreams are so achievable. You just have to work for them. You have to be attentive and be hungry.”
Credit: (Courtesy of Joan Marcus)
Credit: (Courtesy of Joan Marcus)
They don’t come any hungrier than the young Temptations, formed in 1961 in Detroit. “Ain’t Too Proud” is narrated as a retrospective by Otis Williams, the only surviving member of the original group whose memoir was adapted by playwright Dominique Morisseau and staged by the “Jersey Boys” team of Des McAnuff (director) and Sergio Trujillo (choreography) for the 2019 Broadway show, which won a Tony Award for choreography.
Williams becomes the dramatic through line as 24 group members come and go over the years. (“Sometimes, ‘Temps’ also stood for ‘Temporary,’” Williams cracks.) Together, they had 42 Top 10 hits and 14 No. 1s.
In addition to Williams, in what is now called the “Classic Five,” the Temptations were David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin.
“I remember the first time I saw the show, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t even realize half of these songs were Temptations songs,’” says Middleton, who was born a quarter century after the Temps stopped making the Top 40 charts.
“I guess I didn’t know some of the songs were by them,” he continues. ‘Like ‘Papa was a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Ball of Confusion.’ I knew those by name, and I’ve been hearing them my whole life, not even realizing where they were from.”
In addition to the songs, “Ain’t Too Proud” is very candid about the many missteps of the various Temps, including some dark journeys into drug use, alcoholism, domestic abuse, paranoia and suicide.
But the show pivots at the end to get the audience on its feet for a massive sing-along of the Temptations’ catalog of impeccably crafted hits.
“I thought we’d live forever,” Williams says near the end, right before that massive medley. “But it was the music that lives forever.”
THEATER REVIEW
“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”
Friday and Saturday, June 6-7, at the Fox Theatre. $46.75-$192.50. 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 855-285-8499. foxtheatre.org.
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