MJ The Musical

Known to millions as the “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson was and still is one of the most globally known pop stars of the 20th century. Due to his popularity and status as a pop-culture icon, Jackson is often credited with popularizing hip-hop/street style dances into the mainstream, with moves like the robot, anti-gravity leans, and his signature moonwalk, all adding unique elements to his performances. Despite having passed away in 2009, his influence can still be seen in today’s music and his style of choreography has been recreated in a variety of ways by endless artists- with many citing him as a role model or favorite music artist of all time. Jackson is widely regarded as the greatest entertainer of all time due to his talent, stage presence, and lasting impact on the industry. 

MJ: The Musical, winner of multiple Tony awards, including Best Leading Actor, focuses not on his meteoric rise to fame or his troubled backstory, but rather on the development of his 1992 ‘Dangerous World’ Tour, and what occurs behind the scenes during this period of his life/career. This musical delves into the mind and creative process of Jackson, giving new insight into what helped create the icon we know and love. 

Born in 1958 to a working class family in Gary, Indiana, Jackson was the eighth child of ten. Both of his parents had musical backgrounds, and in 1964, Michael joined a band created by his father. In 1965, Michael was promoted to a more vocal centered role in the band- later renamed The Jackson Five. Due to the popularity of the 5, Michael was able to transition to solo work without facing the struggles of a true “beginner” to the industry- though he would face troubles of his own throughout his life and career. 

In 1982, Jackson released his sixth solo album “Thriller”, which became the best selling album worldwide in 1983, and the best selling album of all time in the US and worldwide. “Thriller” was the first album to produce seven of Billboard’s Hot 100 top 10 singles, and he later went on to win 8 awards at the 26th Grammys. All of this success is what catapulted him into a global pop icon, and into the figure still influencing countless artists to date. 

This production combines the electric energy of tour rehearsals and the emotional impact of Jackson’s background struggles, showing exactly what it cost Jackson to include certain songs and why he felt he needed the tour to be the biggest and best he’d ever done. While the production never actually touches on some of the issues and scandals Jackson was dealing with at the time, it’s obvious that his personal demons were very much influencing his decisions regarding the tour, and responsible for the extreme amount of pressure he was putting on himself to be “perfect”. Watching the performance of Jordan Markus (MJ) was truly like watching Michael himself on stage. He perfectly captured the energy and presence of Jackson and did a phenomenal job. Not only did he absolutely embody Michael vocally, but his dancing and fluidity were on another level. As said in the musical, it’s like watching an other-worldly being when he’s onstage. A special shoutout is also very much deserved to the choreographers and set designers of this production, Christopher Wheeldon and Derek McLane, respectively. It was truly special seeing classics such as “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, “Thriller”, “Smooth Criminal”, and many more brought to life in such a way that it felt like watching Jackson himself perform. 

Every performance was made even better by not just the set designs, costumes, and lighting, but also the incredible entourage of backup dancers and other performers, particularly Devin Bowles (Rob, Joseph Jackson) and younger Michael (Quentin Blanton Jr.).

Truly, this is a one of a kind show that isn’t to be skipped over. If you are a super fan or even just a casual listener, this is the show to see if you love watching show-stopping musical performances with incredible choreography bursting with so much heartfelt emotion and passion. 

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Emilie Giardina 

This production is playing Tuesday, June 17th through Sunday, June 22nd at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, WI. The Overture Center is located at 201 State Street, Madison, WI 53703. This production is approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes, with one intermission. Tickets can be purchased on the Overture’s website, linked here, or by calling the box office at 608-258-4141.