MJ | |
---|---|
THE MUSICAL | |
Music | Various Artists |
Lyrics | Various Artists |
Book | Lynn Nottage |
Basis | The life and music of Michael Jackson |
Premiere | December 6, 2021 : Neil Simon Theatre, New York City |
Productions | 2021 Broadway 2023 U.S. Tour 2024 West End 2024 Hamburg 2025 Sydney |
MJ the Musical is a jukebox musical based on the life of the American entertainer Michael Jackson. It features Jackson's music with a book by Lynn Nottage, [1] [2] and choreography by Christopher Wheeldon.
MJ was scheduled to premiere on Broadway in mid-2020, but this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] In November 2019, Ephraim Sykes was cast as Jackson, [4] [5] but in June 2021 it was announced that he had been replaced by Myles Frost. [6] The production opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on February 1, 2022, with previews beginning in December 6. [7] In April 2023, Frost was replaced by Elijah Johnson. [7]
MJ received mixed reviews, but has been a success at the box office. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, with the musical winning four awards, including Best Actor in a Musical for Frost, as well as Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. The original cast recording was also nominated for Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. By January 2024, the Broadway musical production had grossed $170.9 million, with an attendance of over 1.1 million.
Telling the story of Michael Jackson's life, MJ features over 25 of Michael Jackson's biggest hits.
"The show takes audiences behind the scenes as Michael prepares for the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, providing an in-depth look at his process. As Michael and his collaborators rehearse their setlist, we are transported to pivotal creative moments from his career." [8]
The show starts with the cast members preparing for rehearsals for the upcoming Dangerous World Tour, during which the first show is in two days. Rob, their manager then tells them to get into their places and warm up. Michael Jackson makes his grand entrance and watches the process, which leads to an epic opening number ("Beat It").
As Michael shares his new ideas with Rob, a woman called Rachel enters with her cameraman, Alejandro, in hopes of getting an interview with Michael. Michael sits with Rachel and recounts some of the terrors he suffered as a child and some of the memorable times when Berry Gordy played their hits on his Motown label.
As the interview carries on, Michael shares his collaboration with Quincy Jones, recording Off the Wall , Thriller , and Bad together. After Rachel and Alejandro leave, Rob and Nick escort Michael to a press-conference downtown, where he presents his tour and hopes to raise funds for his Heal the World Foundation by Christmas 1993 ("Earth Song" / "They Don’t Care About Us").
Act II starts with Michael sharing his new ideas for the tour ("Billie Jean"/"Smooth Criminal"), which Rob and Dave tell him are impossible and that they cannot afford it. He starts to recount a horrific accident when a spark ignited his hair in the making of an advert for Pepsi-Co. After listening to Rob go on and on with negativity, he reminds him of what Quincy Jones said to him, "Keep the faith. Don't let nobody take you down".
As the rehearsal carries on, Michael tells Rachel how the songs open up to him. However, during a break, commotion starts breaking out. Rob tries to keep Rachel away from Michael and doesn't want her near him. However, Michael manages to find her by disguising himself as a cleaner and explains to her how it is the only way he can go in public, which leads to him singing "Human Nature".
After the rehearsal, Michael explains to Rachel how emotional he feels about being loved by fans, and being teased in the newspapers. He tries to have it both ways by trying to blame everything sad and weird about himself on others (especially the press), but credit him alone for his every good deed and success.
As Rob comes to check up on him, Michael recounts when he played the Apollo Theater with the Jackson 5 and how he wasn't nervous. Rob tries to tell Michael how everything they created can be remembered for decades but he only replies by asking "Is it perfect", which starts the penultimate number, "Man in the Mirror".
The show ends with Michael appearing in the middle of the stage ready to start the first show of the Dangerous World Tour ("Jam (Reprise)", "Black or White" / "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' Reprise)".
Character | Broadway [9] | US National Tour [10] | West End [11] |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | 2023 | 2024 | |
Michael Jackson | Myles Frost | Roman Banks | Myles Frost |
Teenage Michael / Young Adult Michael | Tavon Olds-Sample | Brandon Lee Harris | Mitchell Zhangazha |
Little Michael | Christian Wilson / Walter Russell III | Josiah Benson / Ethan Joseph | Jaydon Eastman / Elliot Mugume / Ethan Sokontwe / Dylan Trigger |
Jackie Jackson | John Edwards | Jay McKenzie | Tavio Wright |
Tito Jackson / Quincy Jones | Apollo Levine | Josh A. Dawson | Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton |
Jermaine Jackson | Lamont Walker II | Bryson Jacobi Jackson | Simeon Montague |
Little Marlon | Devin Trey Campbell | Jaylen Lyndon Hunter | Cristiano Cuino / Sekhani Dumezweni / Khanya Madaka / Aidan Oti |
Marlon Jackson | Zelig Williams | Brion Marquis Watson | Toyan Thomas-Browne |
Randy Jackson | Raymond Baynard | Malcolm Miles Young | Aden Dzuda |
Joe Jackson / Rob | Quentin Earl Darrington | Devin Bowles | Ashley Zhangazha |
Katherine Jackson | Ayana George | Anastasia Talley | Phebe Edwards |
Berry Gordy / Nick | Antoine L. Smith | J. Daughtry | Matt Mills |
Rachel | Whitney Bashor | Mary Kate Moore | Philippa Stefani |
Alejandro | Gabriel Ruíz | Da'von Moody | Matt Gonsalves |
Dave | Joey Sorge | Matt Loehr | Jon Tsouras |
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Recording for the original Broadway cast album took place on February 7 and 8, 2022. [14] The original Broadway cast recording was released on July 15, 2022. [15] The original cast recording was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. [16]
MJ was set to premiere its pre-Broadway run in Chicago, US on October 29, 2019, at the Nederlander Theatre. [17] [18] The run would continue through December 1. The Michael Jackson estate decided to cancel the planned Chicago tryout, ostensibly due to "scheduling difficulties" brought about by an Actors' Equity Association strike. [19] Actors Equity wasn't shouldering the blame for the cancellation, stating "It is difficult to understand how a modest delay in February would impact a run that was scheduled for late October." [20]
The musical was expected to debut on Broadway in the summer of 2020. [21] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the production was postponed to 2021. The production is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, and it features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. [22] [23] [24] Scenery for the production is designed by Derek McLane with costuming by Paul Tazewell. Natasha Katz and Peter Nigrini are collaborating on lighting and projection designs respectively. Gareth Owen designed sound production, with hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe. [25]
The musical was first announced in June 2018. [26] Wheeldon spoke about the musical, stating, "The show is very much anchored in one particular moment in time. I always bring up the fabulous movie that Spielberg made about Lincoln: You take one key moment, I suppose, in the history of someone's life and then sort of use that as an anchor point for past storytelling and, perhaps, some kind of prophecy of what's to come. We'll be doing that with this story." Asked about the dance and choreography, he said he "intend[s] to put quite a lot of Michael's work in the show". [27]
The musical is a collaboration between The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage.
Myles Frost played his final performance on April 2, 2023 and was replaced by Mindless Behavior star Elijah Johnson on April 4, 2023. [13]
In March 2022, it was announced that the show will kick off its national tour in Chicago at the Nederlander Theatre, running from August 1, 2023 through September 8, 2024 with Roman Banks set to play the title role. [28] [29] [30] [31] [32]
In October 2022, it was announced that the show is scheduled to transfer to West End at the Prince Edward Theatre in 2024. [33] Myles Frost reprised his Tony Award-winning performance as the title character. [34] Performances began on March 6, 2024.
In September 2023, it was announced that the show is heading to the Hamburg, Germany to play in the Stage Theater an der Elbe. This marks the musical's fourth production. It will be the first non-English production of the show, with it being translated into German. [35] Performances are scheduled to begin on December 4, 2024.
On 7 December 2023, it was announced that an Australian production will be happening in Sydney NSW Australia at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on February 2025. There will be a local cast in this production and casting auditions are being held at the moment. [36]
MJ has been very successful at the box office, averaging over a million dollars each week on Broadway. [37] [38] [39] Following the Tonys, the show's weekly gross jumped to $1,661,000 with sold-out shows every day and advance sales booming. It was the biggest box office jump that week on Broadway and a new high for the show. [40] By September 4, 2022, it broke the Neil Simon theater's box office record five times with a total cumulative gross of $49.4 million. [41] As of February 2024, MJ the Musical on Broadway grossed around $177.6 million with 1,204,693 attendance and 869 performance. [42]
MJ has divided critics, with the show receiving mixed reviews. [43] Charles Isherwood of Broadway News criticized Lynn Nottage's book, in particular, writing, "where MJ loses its fleet footing is in the bland, exposition-heavy and often trite dialogue supplied by Nottage...Clichés, preachy speeches, and baldly obvious dialogue abound." [44] Adam Feldman of Time Out wrote, "'Listen to my music,' says Michael to his interviewer. 'It answers any questions you might have.' Does it? I left the theater entertained, but not convinced I had seen the man in the smoke and mirrors." [45] Critic Maya Phillips of The New York Times wrote, "The musical is inherently hollow; the opacity of Michael Jackson and his life of traumas and controversies make it difficult to find material compelling and cohesive enough to tell a story onstage". [46]
More positively, Deadline reporter Greg Evans said it was "visually & sonically ravishing!", [47] while the Chicago Tribune called the show's scenery gorgeous and the show "beautiful to experience throughout, which one almost never can say about jukebox musicals". [48] Peter Marks of The Washington Post also praised the show and the cast, especially the "utterly persuasive" Myles Frost, and called MJ "a riveting, adrenaline rush of a show". [49] Linda Armstrong of Amsterdam News called the production "spectacular", "stunning" and "off-the-charts". [50] Joe Westerfield of Newsweek said, "In many ways MJ is a living, breathing, even breathless, music video, but with that touch of inspiration, drive and art that only Michael Jackson can provide." [51]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Antonyo Awards | Best Musical Ensemble | MJ the Musical | Canceled | [52] [53] |
Best Actor in a Musical (Broadway) | Myles Frost | Canceled | |||
Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Broadway) | Tavon Olds-Sample | Canceled | |||
Ayana George | Canceled | ||||
Best Book of a Musical | Lynn Nottage | Canceled | |||
Best Costume Design (Broadway) | Paul Tazewell | Canceled | |||
Best Orchestration | Jason Michael Webb | Canceled | |||
Chita Rivera Awards | Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show | MJ the Musical | Nominated | [54] [55] | |
Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show | Myles Frost | Won | |||
Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated | |||
Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Myles Frost | Nominated | [56] [57] | |
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Tavon Olds-Sample | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Choreography | Christopher Wheeldon, Rich and Tone Taleuega & Michael Balderrama | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Orchestrations | Jason Michael Webb & David Holcenberg | Won | |||
Outstanding Lighting Design | Natasha Katz | Won | |||
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical | Gareth Owen | Won | |||
Outstanding Wig and Hair Design | Charles LaPointe | Nominated | |||
Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | MJ the Musical | Nominated | [58] | |
Distinguished Performance | Myles Frost | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated | |||
Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Myles Frost (principal vocalist), Tavon Olds-Sample (principal vocalist), David Holcenberg (producer), Derik Lee (producer), Jason Michael Webb (producer) | Nominated | [16] | |
Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | MJ the Musical | Nominated | [59] [60] | |
Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Myles Frost | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Choreographer | Christopher Wheeldon & Rich + Tone Talauega | Won | |||
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Quentin Earl Darrington | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Orchestrations | Jason Michael Webb & David Holcenberg | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Natasha Katz | Nominated | |||
Theatre Fans' Choice Awards | Best Musical | MJ the Musical | Nominated | [61] [62] | |
Best Ensemble | MJ the Musical | Nominated | |||
Best Leading Actor in a Musical | Myles Frost | Nominated | |||
Best Direction of a Musical | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated | |||
Best Choreography | Christopher Wheeldon & Rich + Tone Talauega | Nominated | |||
Best Book of a Musical | Lynn Nottage | Nominated | |||
Best Orchestrations | Jason Michael Webb & David Holcenberg | Nominated | |||
Best Costume Design | Paul Tazewell | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design | Natasha Katz | Nominated | |||
Best Scenic Design | Derek McLane & Peter Nigrini | Nominated | |||
Best Sound Design of a Musical | Gareth Owen | Nominated | |||
Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Walter Russell III/Christian Wilson | Nominated | |||
Quentin Earl Darrington | Nominated | ||||
Tavon Olds-Sample | Nominated | ||||
Joey Sorge | Nominated | ||||
Gabriel Ruiz | Nominated | ||||
Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Ayana George | Nominated | |||
Whitney Bashor | Nominated | ||||
Theatre World Awards | Outstanding Debut Performance | Myles Frost | Won | [63] | |
Tony Awards | Best Musical | MJ the Musical | Nominated | ||
Best Actor in a Musical | Myles Frost | Won | |||
Best Direction of a Musical | Christopher Wheeldon | Nominated | |||
Best Choreography | Christopher Wheeldon & Rich + Tone Talauega | Won | |||
Best Book of a Musical | Lynn Nottage | Nominated | |||
Best Orchestrations | Jason Michael Webb & David Holcenberg | Nominated | |||
Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Derek McLane & Peter Nigrini | Nominated | |||
Best Costume Design of a Musical | Paul Tazewell | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Natasha Katz | Won | |||
Best Sound Design of a Musical | Gareth Owen | Won |
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