BY JESSICA NEU
What comes to mind when you hear the name Michael Jackson? Perhaps “King of Pop,” Genius, the moonwalk, a Glove, white socks and black shoes, the Jackson 5, Bubbles the Chimp, the “Thriller” music video, media freak, the Neverland Ranch, “wacko Jacko,” or any other countless images or memories that can come to mind.
Regardless of how you remember him, Michael Jackson was a complicated individual scrutinized and obsessed over by the media and, therefore, the public on a level we have only experienced several other times throughout recent history (e.g., Princess Diana).
The PNC Broadway series opened its 2024-25 season with Hamilton, which prompts us to question, “who lives, who dies, who tells your story?”
The media broadly told Jackson’s story while he was alive, but since his untimely death in June 2009, who has told his story? There have been several documentaries and books about Jackson and the posthumous release of the film This Is It, which documented rehearsals for what was supposed to be Jackson’s farewell performances in London. Essentially, though, Jackson’s legacy became tangled somewhere between musical icon and unhinged pedophile. That was until 2022, when Lynn Nottage created MJ: The Musical. This five-time Tony Award-winning Jukebox musical that is still running on Broadway moonwalks into the Benedum Center from November 19th – December 1st.
Directed by Christopher Wheeldon, the latest installment in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s PNC Broadway Series, the touring cast and crew bring Jackson’s spirit back to life and help to retell and reframe a deeply complicated story.
The show begins in rehearsal for Jackson’s 1992-93 Dangerous World Tour to promote his 4th solo studio album of the same name. From 1992 to today, Jackson is affectionately called “MJ.”
MJ (played by Jamaal Fields-Green) leads the crew in rehearsal as he strives to perfect every minute detail from the setlist, the order of the setlist, choreography, music arrangements, staging, vocals, and so much more. His artistry is interrupted when Rachel (Cecilia Petrush), an MTV reporter, arrives to capture a behind-the-scenes interview with the elusive musician. Initially reluctant, MJ begins to answer Rachel’s questions about what led him to be weeks away from staging the biggest tour of all time despite speculation that the Dangerous album might not commercially amount to the same success as his two previous albums, Thriller and Bad, respectively.
MJ begins an exploration of his life, beginning with his childhood. He explained that music was always a part of his life and was often used as a vice for him and his brothers not killing each other since they grew up as a family of 11 in a house built for a family of 4.
It is here that Josiah Benson takes center stage as Little Michael. Along with Little Marlon (Bryce Holmes), Jackie (Jay McKenzie), Jermaine (Avilon Trust Tate), and Tito (Josh A. Dawson), Benson tells Jackson’s early life story as the lead singer of the Jackson 5. Paired with classic hit songs such as “I Want You Back” and “ABC,” we see the boys break out of Gary, Indiana, win over crowds at the Apollo Theater’s amateur night, sign with Motown Records, and eventually earn a number one record.
Their meteoric rise to fame was ruled by the iron fist of their infamous father, Joseph Jackson (Devin Bowles). Stories of Joseph Jackson’s physical abuse toward the boys are well-documented, but as MJ watches his childhood life unfold, we now see this abuse as the onset of demons that Jackson would battle for the rest of his life.
All five actors portraying the Jackson 5 shine in replicas of their iconic costumes, execute their memorable choreography, and harmonize to the rafters, while Benson’s lead vocals have the same old-soul feel as Jackson’s did back in the late 60s and early 70s. Little Michael’s bond with his mother, Katherine (Anastasia Talley), is a highlight of these scenes as she is his protector from Joseph and, as the two of them duet on “I’ll Be There,” we see how much solace MJ still feels from memories of his mother.
MJ watches his life unfold into his late teen/early 20 years with Erik Hamilton portraying Michael. Hamilton is the one who begins to showcase Jackson’s true genius as he begins to navigate a solo career. His range, mannerisms, and persona capture Jackson’s early years with grace and dignity.
Nottage’s script weaves seamlessly between MJ’s narrating the stories of his own life and Michael’s reenactment. Nottage incorporates songs such as 1995’s “Stranger in Moscow” into this time period to help enhance the storyline, but also highlights historical moments such as Michael’s introduction to producer-extraordinaire Quincy Jones (Josh A. Dawson). The two spearheaded Michael’s first solo project, “Off the Wall.” Although the album was a commercial success, it was still largely ignored by the Grammy Awards and MTV. Both Hamilton and Fields-Green convey the frustration this caused Jackson as he took pride in being a Black man and wanted to be as lauded and visible as less-talented White artists of the time.
As Jones and Jackson worked together again on Jackson’s sophomore album, Thriller, not only did Jackson finally earn the respect and recognition he deserved (Thriller won 8 Grammy Awards), the company came alive during electrifying performances of a truncated “Thriller” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin‘.”
Jackson’s relentless drive for perfection, a characteristic Joseph instilled at an early age, played a crucial role in his success, and this drive continued to motivate him through rehearsals for the Dangerous Tour. Fields-Green portrays Jackson’s attention to detail, work ethic, and professionalism with care and respect for his legacy. Whereas the media and some of society may have rendered Jackson difficult or hard to work with, this show and Fields-Green work relentlessly to refute any stereotype against Jackson. Fields-Green captures Michael’s child-like vulnerability, unique artistry, and unconventional approach to creativity while dispelling stereotypes and sensationalized stories about his changing skin color, rumors about where he slept, and his strange love of animals.
As MJ addresses the media during a press conference before the start of the Dangerous tour, he attempts to draw the media’s attention toward his desire to raise money for his “Heal the World” charity through the number “Earth Song,” but quickly delves into the emotional power-driven “They Don’t Care About Us” as the media relentlessly hounds him regarding salacious rumors surroundings his personal life. With fragmented headlines affixed as the backdrop (Derek McLane and Peter Nigrini), the brilliant choreography (Wheeldon) allows the company to inundate Fields-Green, which is partially reminiscent of the “bullet” choreography in Hamilton but slightly more aggressive and drowning without being heavy-handed. However, as Fields-Green states repeatedly throughout the show, the price of fame is difficult to bear.
Bowles plays dual roles in the production, also assuming the role of MJ’s tour manager, Rob. Bowles changes his affect, stance, and projection on a dime to play both Joseph and Rob in the same scene. Bowles’ gentle approach toward MJ proves how many around him respected his genius but were also skeptical about how financially detrimental Jackson’s vision could be.
Fields-Green portrays Jackson with attention to detail, which is necessary for a character of this magnitude, and he does it miraculously well. From the vocal staccatos to the signature dance moves, Fields-Green reintroduces the world to the man who heard melodies we could not hear and uses his voice to become every instrument we could ever imagine playing. His rendition of “Billie Jean” is an uncanny performance transporting us back to Motown 25. His unfortunate burn accident during the filming of a Pepsi commercial introduces us to Jackson’s supposed pain pill addiction – a rarely discussed topic but one that is portrayed with sensitivity and veracity.
Fields-Green hits every mark, every beat, and every moment. He becomes Michael Jackson. During the tour’s rehearsals, MJ continuously says he knows when the production is right because he will feel it. He refers to the circus, explaining that he wants his show to be similar in the sense that it is magical, scary, and dangerous, so you never want to look away. You, the audience, will not look away from this production. You will feel it. It’s magical.
So then, how will one of the most prolific and one-of-a-kind talents of our generation be remembered? Fields-Green and MJ: The Musical help to rewrite Jackson’s legacy. We see who wronged him, who betrayed him, and how we as a society may have misunderstood him. Ultimately, the world he tried to heal through his words and philanthropy was ultimately the one that broke him. This show is the comeback Michael Jackson never received.
Midway through Act One, Rachel asks Michael how he traversed the beginning of his solo career, and he replies that he went home and wrote a Grammy acceptance speech for the Grammy he had yet to win.
As I sit here reflecting on my experience at MJ: The Musical, I think I should be giving an award show acceptance speech as an audience member:
Thank you to the entire company for morphing between the various roles and seamlessly transitioning between large-scale dance numbers and personal scenes. Thank you to Rich and Tone Talauega for leading the “Michael Jackson movement” piece of the production. Thank you to Derek McLane and Natasha Katz for their scenic and lighting design, which brought new height and depth to numbers such as “Smooth Criminal” but also completely redefined and reimagined the likes of “Thriller” and “Human Nature.” Thank you to David Holcenberg for overseeing music supervision to showcase how songs such as “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us” were written decades before their time. Thank you to Paul Tazewell for the costumes that brought Jackson back to life, down to the details of his sunglasses that he removed at the beginning of the Dangerous tour. And finally, an enormous thank you to Fields-Green and the entire cast and crew who undoubtedly worked tirelessly to ensure that each and every one of the show’s elements measured up to Jackson’s only expectation: perfection.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
MJ The Musical is at the Benedum Center now through December 1st, 2024. For tickets visit: https://trustarts.org/production/94986/mj-the-musical
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Reviews
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