-Brenda Hillegas
feature photo- (L to R) Michael Andreaus, Jalen Harris, Harrell Holmes Jr., Elijah Ahmad Lewis, E. Clayton Cornelious, by Emilio Madrid
Just before the holiday break, E. Clayton Cornelius spoke to me from Detroit where the first national tour of Ain’t Too Proud- The Life and Times of the Temptations was making a stop. Cornelius, who is from Pittsburgh, has worked on shows in London’s West End, on Broadway, and this marks his 10th national tour. Read below to find out more about his role on tour, his goal as a Broadway investor/producer, and what he’s looking forward to while in Philadelphia. Ain’t Too Proud- The Life and Times of the Temptations runs through January 21st and the Kimmel Cultural Campus Academy of Music. Tickets here.
Q: Tell me a bit about your character, Paul Williams, and his role in the musical.
A: Paul was the choreographer of the group. He is best friends with Eddie [Kendricks], they came into the group pretty much at the same time. Like all of them, Paul dealt with his own demons. At the height of their career, he was an unknown alcoholic…until it was all exposed. Paul was also the first one to pass on, tragically.
Q: How did you prep to play Paul? Did you speak with any former bandmates or family?
A: I was a part of the original Broadway cast, playing Richard Street and I got to know Otis [Williams, founder of The Temptations]. We had a lot of good one on one conversations. I also got to know Shelly Berger [longtime manager of The Temptations]. James Lane, the original Paul on tour, happened to have a past addiction. We’ve been friends for 20 years and I’ve been pulling from my own experiences and what we’ve dealt with.
Q: What’s your favorite song by The Temptations?
A: My favorite song, in the show, is “My Imagination”. Jalen Harris, who plays Eddie, sings it. I also love “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, it’s the first song in the show.
Q: So why should the Philly crowd come see the show?
A: I think Philly is like a part of NYC. This show is rocking theatres across the nation and anyone who didn’t see it in NYC should come check it out. People who don’t even see musicals love this one. It’s right up Philly’s alley- you’re going to love the singing, the dancing. You’re going to learn about these five guys and the challenges that happened between those Grammy wins.
Q: The show’s here for a couple weeks, anything you’re looking forward to in the city?
A: The tour ends in March [in New Orleans], so I’m hoping some of the show’s original cast comes down from NYC to see it in Philly.
Q: You are currently getting another degree in Business Management. I know you invest in/produce some Broadway shows. What is your end goal? How do you hope to utilize your degrees?
A: I’m getting my second degree from ECCC. My goal is to then get my MBA. I’ve been investing in and producing shows- with a Tony nomination for New York, New York– so having a degree will go hand in hand with what I do now. I’m working toward what I want for the future and I’m proud to be an actor who is also invested in my own shows. I think it’s important for actors to invest in their own piece of the pie in this industry.
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