From the Artistic Team:

How to tell Marvin Gaye's story? All of us have danced to his music; many of us have made
love to it. Yet, his story is a tragic one. How could a man with Marvin Gaye’s charm, intelli-
gence and prodigious musical gifts have lost total control of his personal and professional life?
What really happened that terrible night of April 1, 1984, when fatal shots were fired in the
Los Angeles home of the Gaye family?

These are the questions and others that we and our students have struggled over, both in the
Advanced Musical Theater Scriptwriting and Production classes. We have tried to answer
them in TROUBLE MAN. Since we always look for other ways to tell our story, this year we
grabbed hold of the powerful Biblical metaphor, suggested by a student in the scriptwriting
class, of Joseph’s coat of many colors. This metaphor and the idea of the ways clothes do or
don’t make the man help us show the complicated relationship Marvin Gaye had with his
musical colleagues, his audience, his family and his God.

We will always mourn Gaye’s untimely death, just as we adore his glorious music. In this show,
TROUBLE MAN, we pay tribute to a great man and artist who warned us that “war is not the
answer.” Said many years ago, those words have never seemed truer to us today.

Terri Lyne Carrington Amy Merrill Rebecca Perricone

A Message from the Dean

Greetings and welcome to the performance of Trouble Man, an original Berklee production
recognizing and honoring the artistry of Marvin Gaye. This work was created under the fine
leadership and guidance of an impressive Artist Team comprised of faculty from the Liberal
Arts and Ensemble Departments. Throughout the year, our faculty members engaged students
in this project with their vision, collaboration, passion, creativity, and reflection on the life,
career, music, and contributions of a great American musician — Marvin Gaye. Together they
allowed his art to inspire their work, found a new way to tell his story, and fostered original
interpretations of his music.

We are pleased to have Valerie Simpson with us our guest artist. Her musical performance and
connections to Marvin Gaye add a rich dimension to the show and enhanced the educational
experience our students received to create this production.

Thanks for being here to experience Gaye’s music and story performed in a Berklee style...
Enjoy the show!

Best,
Darla S. Hanley