**** Highly Recommended MJ The Musical, the summer’s must-see musical, is fabulous! If I were to rate it on a scale of one to 5 WOWs, MJ would get a 10! Roman Banks, the young man who played Michael Jackson, has the perfect voice for the part. Christopher Wheeldon’s brilliant choreography took Jackson’s signature moves to the next level in the production numbers. In all the years I’ve been reviewing, I’ve never/rarely seen a production number getting a standing ovation. MJ got three! By the way, I can’t remember seeing so many sequins – and that was in the audience! 4 BIG Spotlights
The only problem – the music was exceedingly loud – and Michael was not. Michael Jackson really did have a very soft speaking voice, which Roman Banks duplicated well. However, I had a really hard time hearing him so I thought his mic could have helped projecting his voice.
MJ, which was written by Lynn Nottage, features more than 25 of Michael Jackson’s songs. The production is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. After being postponed due to the Covid pandemic, MJ finally premiered on Broadway February 1st, 2022. The musical was nominated for 10 Tony Awards©, going on to win 4, including Best Actor in a Musical and Best Choreography. The Chicago engagement launches the national tour.
MJ has spectacular dance numbers with awesome choreography. At one point in the show, Michael mentions that his dance influences included Fred Astaire (Matteo Marretta), Bob Fosse (Croix Diienno) and the Isley Brothers (Janayé McAlpine & Chelsea Mitchell-Bonsu). Wheeldon melds those three styles and Jackson’s iconic signature moves into a fabulous whole. I always knew that Wheeldon was a brilliant choreographer, MJ proves my point. Kudos to the entire ensemble for their flawless execution of Wheeldon’s complicated choreography.
MJ takes the audience into rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous Tour, the proceeds of which Jackson planned to donate to various charities and his own Heal the World Foundation. By the way, the Tour, attended by 4,100,000 fans, ended up grossing over $140 million.
MJ opens in a rehearsal studio. Manager Rob (Devin Bowles), calls out “...six, seven, eight” and the rehearsal begins. As they’re dancing, Michael Jackson (Roman Banks) mentions a couple of changes he wants to see, then joins them in an ovation-worthy dance number to Beat It.
Although Michael hadn’t give an interview in 14 years, a reporter named Rachel (Mary Kate Moore) and her cameraman, Alejandro (Da’von Moody) were allowed into the rehearsal. As she talked with Michael, she observed that the music in the tour was kind of a mixtape of his life.
Hearing Little Michael (Josiah Benson or Ethan Joseph) sing, Joe Jackson (Devin Bowles) decided he would be the lead singer for the Jackson Five. Little Michael and his brothers, Little Marlon (Jaylen Lyndon Hunter), Jermaine (Bryson Jacoby Jackson), Tito (Josh A. Dawson) and Jackie (Jay McKenzie) sang a medley of Jackson Five hits including The Love You Save, I Want You Back, ABC, and more. Michael didn’t have a lot of love for his father who ruled his family with an iron fist, literally. Some of his best memories from childhood were around his mother, Katherine (Anastasia Talley) and the times Berry Gordy (J. Daughtry) played his music.
As Michael talked about his collaboration with Quincy Jones (Josh A. Dawson), the ensemble performed teasers from Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad, three of his biggest hits. Act 2 opens with another spectacular number, Billie Jean. Also featured in Act 2, spectacular performances of Thriller, Man in the Mirror and Black & White.
Kudos to Costume Designer Paul Tazewell for recreating many of Michael Jackson’s iconic costumes – the white jacket & fedora, the black sequined jacket with the silver sequined glove and the black sequined fedora with the silver band and more – as well as all the backup costumes for the ensemble.
Also appearing: Jamaal Fields Green as MJ (Alternate), and Brandon Lee Harris as Michael. With almost everyone else in the cast playing multiple parts, cast members not already mentioned in this review include Matt Loehr, Malcolm Miles Young, Kellie Drobnick and Brion Marquis Watson. Swings: Jojo Carmichael, Kyle Dupree, Zuri Noelle Ford, Jahir L. Hipps, Rajané Katurah, Kendrick Mitchell, Zion Pradier, Ayla Stackhouse and Charles P. Way.
The MJ Orchestra includes: Victor Simonson (Music Director/Conductor/Keys), Nathanael Wilkerson (Associate Music Director/Keys 2), Jimmy Bonaparte-Coggins (Drums), Mesia Austin (Percussion), John David Bratton II (Bass), Jen Leigh (Guitar 1), Felton Offard (Guitar 2), Steve Leinheiser (Reed 1), Jim Gailloreto (Reed 2), Carey Deadman (Trumpet 1), Adam Roebuck (Trumpet 2), Norman Palm (Trombone), Billy Jay Stein & Hiro Iida (Electronic Music Design for Strange Cranium), John Miller (Music Coordinator), Michael J. Keefe (Local Music Coordinator).
MJ runs through September 2nd at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph, Chicago. Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes, with an intermission. Performances are Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, Wednesdays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm, Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 & 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 & 7:30 pm. There will not be a 7:30 pm performance on Sunday, August 27th; there will be a performance on Monday, August 28th at 7:30 pm. Tickets range from $52.50 - $132.50. FYI www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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