Among the spate of musicals about musicians that combine biography with a jukebox performances of their hits songs, some are standouts. “MJ,” the musical about Michael Jackson, is one of those, and among that top tier, a must-see even if one is not particularly a fan of Michael Jackson’s music. By focusing on his music and process as an artist rather than on his personal life, “MJ” avoids more problematic parts of his personal life, while still giving a sense of his personality and especially his work as a performer and innovator, especially in dance. The personal life portion is mostly about his unusual childhood and his relationship with his parents, especially the difficult one with his abusive stage father.
Some of these biographical/jukebox musicals, like the one that started it all, “Jersey Boys,” have been compelling musical theater, and even if one is not a fan of the group or musician, they offer a riveting, often untold story. Others have been less successful and more perfunctory, going through a list of biographical facts with basic staging of hits. But “MJ” is solidly entertaining theater, and like “Jersey Boys,” that is true even if you are not a fan.
“MJ” is firmly among the best in this genre, providing a well thought-out story-line and compelling storytelling, along with spine-tingling performances of his hits and performances by a gifted cast.
“MJ” is set during the preparations of a world tour, specifically the 1992 Dangerous World Tour. As the artist, called MJ by his staff, prepares the show, rehearsing songs, honing the choreography, designing staging, and selecting the numbers and their order in the performance, he periodically reflects on his childhood as a performer. There is a journalist, Rachel (Mary Kate Moore) and photographer Nick (J. Daugherty) on hand to report on the upcoming tour but Rachel is really hoping to get a more in-depth interview with the famously reticent star.
The lead role of Michael Jackson is so strenuous that two actors alternate in the part, Roman Banks and Jamal Fields-Green. On the night of the press performance, Jamal Fields-Green played the role of Jackson, as the perfectionist star rehearses the numbers and plans the choreography of his tour. Fields-Green was excellent, both in capturing Michael Jackson’s well-known soft voice and his familiar movements during spoken scenes, and giving riveting high-energy performances that recreate of Michael Jackson’s dancing and singing in startling fidelity in the production numbers.
The well-crafted book for this show is by the renowned Lynn Nottage. so it is no wonder it is outstanding. The framing devise of preparing for the tour allows us to observe Jackson’s process as a master of stagecraft and choreography – both fields in which he transformed musical performance in videos and on stage, and made a ground-breaking creative contribution to modern dance that still reverberates and is acknowledged to this day.
While MJ prepares and rehearses the touring show, the musical gives us glimpses of the young Michael in brief flashback sequences, and gives us other insights through the scenes where MJ talks to the journalist, who tries to suss out personal information from the reclusive star. Thus the show seamlessly combines a showcasing of his talent as a choreographer and showman, with biographical moments in flashback, and recaptures his skills as performer in the musical numbers.
The musical number are outstanding, ranging from full performances of select hits, ranging from rehearsal numbers or full stage productions, with other tunes incorporated into medleys. Some of these medleys are among the show’s best moments, with wildly visual staging and brilliant costuming. Some of the hits brought the audience to their feet, such as the showstopper staging of “Thriller.” Other knock-outs were performances that seemed to carefully recreate Michael Jackson’s performance in detail, such as “Billy Jean.” The show alternated between big production numbers and smaller more intimate numbers, which created an excellent balance. The musical includes 40 songs, in full or in medleys, with hit songs spanning his career, including “Man in the Mirror,” “ABC”, and “Beat It.”.
The younger Michael Jackson was played by two actors, with Josiah Benson and Bane Griffith, alternating as Jackson as a child, Little Michael, with young Bryce A. Holmes playing his young brother Marlon. Brandon Lee Harris played Michael as a teen and young adult. All were good in these roles as the young performer.
Overall, all the cast is good but one standout is Devon Bowles, who plays dual roles as MJ’s production assistant RJ, who is a little afraid of his perfectionist, changeable boss, and Michael Jackson’s forceful, demanding and cold father Joseph, who seems to be playing out his own ambitions through his musical children, especially Michael. Having the same actor share those roles is very effective but requires lightning turns for Bowles, who must clearly communicate to the audience who he is now.
The journalist, Rachel, is a role used as both a way to bring out Jackson in talking about his work, and as someone to represent the prying press who dogged his life. Mary Kate Moore does a fine job, never leaning too much to either aspect. J. Daughtry, as the photographer Nick, plays the part of adoring fan and provides some comic relief in that role. Daughtry also plays a variety of smaller parts, Berry Gordy, Don Cornelius and MJ’s doctor, and does them all well.
Other actors are cast in multiple roles, with Josh A. Dawson playing both Tito Jackson and Quincy Jones, and Anastasia Talley playing Michael’s mother Katherine Jackson and a smaller role as Kate. A number of other cast members play other smaller roles or provide voices, along with being dancers and/or singers in the production numbers.
From a near-perfect book that focuses more on Jackson’s musical process and hard-work to its eye-popping staging to its the remarkably gifted cast, MJ is a full-out winner.
“MJ” is on stage at the Fabulous Fox through June 9.
© Cate Marquis
© Cate Marquis
