​"Motown the Musical" to take a break from Broadway

"Motown the Musical"is taking a break from Broadway.

Producers said Friday the $18 million show will play its final performance at the Lunt Fontanne Theatre on Jan. 18 and intends to reopen in July 2016 at a still-to-be-announced Nederlander-owned theater.

The show, a hit in New York, has spawned a national tour and a production is planned for Britain next summer. Producer Kevin McCollum explained that by closing in January "we have an opportunity to use the production assets from Broadway for the U.K. production next year."

The show about Berry Gordy tells the story of how his Motown Records empire rose and fell and then rose again. It uses dozens of songs, including "War," "What's Going On?" "My Girl" and "Dancing in the Streets."

"Motown: The Musical" received four Tony Award nominations last year.