Motown director Charles Randolf-Wright with Hackney Empire’s Susie McKenna. Photo: Fabrice Bourgelle
by Charles Randolph-Wright –
Charles Randolph-Wright
Charles Randolph-Wright is an American film, television, and theatre director, television producer, screenwriter, and playwright.

One of the great benefits of working in theatre is discovering new family – people who become as close to you as if they were blood relatives. As the director of Motown the Musical, it feels very much like the company are all my children. They truly are a special and spectacular group of artists, and their appearance at the event Motown at the Empire was a powerful display of their spirit and generosity.

At the beginning of the year when we were rehearsing Motown the Musical, I was having dinner with adopted family members Sharon D Clarke and Susie McKenna. I knew that Susie had worked at the Hackney Empire for years, and she told me about the artist development programme that takes place every summer. Immediately I was intrigued, and when she mentioned that they had chosen Motown as a theme this summer, I jumped at the chance to get the Motown the Musical company involved. So, an incredible collaboration developed with the Hackney Empire.

Hackney Empire Artist Development Programme participants rehearse with West End cast of Motown the Musical. Eight (8) Photos: Fabrice Bourgelle