Deadline reporter Greg Evans said it was "Visually & sonically ravishing!". Īyanna Prescod of the New York Theatre Guide gave it a perfect score and called it "A flawless production". The production, music, choreography and the cast have all been praised. MJ has received high praise from the general public and mostly very positive acclaim from critics. MJ has been very successful at the box office, averaging over a million dollars each week in Broadway. It was announced on March 21, 2022, that the show will kick off its national tour at the Nederlander Theatre, running from July 15 through September 10, 2023, with additional tour dates and casting for the tour to be announced at a later date. North American touring productions (2023) The musical is a collaboration between The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage. We'll be doing that with this story." Asked about the dance and choreography, he said he "intend to put quite a lot of Michael's work in the show".
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– 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.
Wheeldon spoke about the musical, stating, "The show is very much anchored in one particular moment in time. The musical was first announced in June 2018. Gareth Owen designed sound production, with hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe. Natasha Katz and Peter Nigrini are collaborating on lighting and projection designs respectively. Scenery for the production is designed by Derek McLane with costuming by Paul Tazewell. The production is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, and it features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the production was postponed to 2021. The musical was expected to debut on Broadway in the summer of 2020. 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." The Michael Jackson estate decided to cancel the planned Chicago tryout, ostensibly due to "scheduling difficulties" brought about by an Actors' Equity Association strike. The run would continue through December 1. MJ was set to premiere its pre-Broadway run in Chicago, US on October 29, 2019, at the Nederlander Theatre. Recording for the original Broadway cast album took place on February 7 and 8, 2022. "Jam (Reprise)" / " Black or White" / "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Reprise)" - Michael and Company." Thriller" - Little Michael, MJ, Joseph Jackson and Ensemble."Keep the Faith (Reprise)" - Rob, MJ and Ensemble." Can You Feel It" - Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie." For the Love of Money" - Joseph Jackson and Company." Earth Song" / " They Don't Care About Us" - MJ and Ensemble." Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" - Quincy Jones, Michael, MJ."Keep the Faith" - Quincy Jones and Michael."I Can't Help It" - Quincy Jones and Michael." You Can't Win" - Berry Gordy and Michael." Blame It on the Boogie" - Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie." Dancing Machine" - Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie." Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" - MJ and Company." I'll Be There" - Katherine, Little Michael, MJ.
" The Love You Save" / " I Want You Back" / " ABC" - Little Michael, Little Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie." Climb Ev'ry Mountain" - Little Michael." Shout" / " Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" / " (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" - Ensemble.
įrom its opening, MJ received mostly critical acclaim and has been a success in the box office. The production opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on February 1, 2022, with previews beginning December 6, 2021. On November 21, 2019, Ephraim Sykes was cast as Michael Jackson, but in June 2021 it was announced that the role would be played by Myles Frost. Initial plans to open were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MJ was originally scheduled to premiere on Broadway in mid-2020, with direction and choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. It tells the story of American singer, songwriter, and dancer Michael Jackson. MJ the Musical, also referred to as simply MJ, is a jukebox musical featuring the music of Michael Jackson with a book by Lynn Nottage. December 6, 2021: Neil Simon Theatre, New York City