MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
A message from the estate:
Hello #MJFAM!
We wanted you to be the FIRST to know:
The Estate of Michael Jackson has partnered with Columbia Live Stage to develop a Michael Jackson stage musical which is expected to open on Broadway in 2020. The musical, which doesn’t yet have a title, will be written by Lynn Nottage – who is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and directed by Christopher Wheeldon, a Tony Award winner. And, of course, the music will be all Michael Jackson!
More to come!
Hello #MJFAM!
We wanted you to be the FIRST to know:
The Estate of Michael Jackson has partnered with Columbia Live Stage to develop a Michael Jackson stage musical which is expected to open on Broadway in 2020. The musical, which doesn’t yet have a title, will be written by Lynn Nottage – who is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and directed by Christopher Wheeldon, a Tony Award winner. And, of course, the music will be all Michael Jackson!
More to come!
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson Musical Coming to Broadway in 2020:
The Michael Jackson estate and Columbia Live Stage are developing a new stage musical inspired by the life of the beloved pop star. The as-yet untitled show is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
Playwright Lynn Nottage will pen the book, while Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph the show. The score will comprise hits from across Jackson's massive catalogue. Nottage has won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice, first in 2009 for Ruined – a play about women in war-torn Congo – and more recently in 2017 for Sweat, which is about residents in Reading, Pennsylvania, one of the poorest cities in America.
Wheeldon is an acclaimed choreographer and director best known for adapting the 1951 film An American in Paris into a Broadway musical. The show won several Tony Awards, with Wheeldon picking up the trophy for Best Choreography. The Broadway musical marks a new type of stage venture for the Jackson estate, which previously sanctioned two Cirque du Soleil shows, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour and Michael Jackson: One. Other projects the estate has produced in recent years include the 2017 compilation Scream, a 3-D rendering of the famed "Thriller" video and two posthumous albums, Michael and Xscape.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...oadway-w521692
New Musical Based on the Life of Michael Jackson Will Premiere on Broadway in 2020
A new musical framed around the life and music of the late singer-songwriter Michael Jackson is currently in development, Columbia Live Stage and The Michael Jackson Estate have announced. The stage show is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
The currently untitled musical will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage (Sweat) and a score made up of Jackson's song catalogue. Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris) will direct and choreograph.
Jackson's many albums included Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), Forever, Michael (1975), Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), Book I (1995) and Invincible (2001). His hit singles comprised "Just Can't Stop Loving You," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," "Dirty Diana," "Black or White" and "Remember the Time." Jackson was the recipient of 13 Grammy Awards.
Casting and a pre-Broadway production timeline for the Michael Jackson bio-musical will be announced at a later date.
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/192592...adway-in-2020/
The Michael Jackson estate and Columbia Live Stage are developing a new stage musical inspired by the life of the beloved pop star. The as-yet untitled show is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
Playwright Lynn Nottage will pen the book, while Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph the show. The score will comprise hits from across Jackson's massive catalogue. Nottage has won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice, first in 2009 for Ruined – a play about women in war-torn Congo – and more recently in 2017 for Sweat, which is about residents in Reading, Pennsylvania, one of the poorest cities in America.
Wheeldon is an acclaimed choreographer and director best known for adapting the 1951 film An American in Paris into a Broadway musical. The show won several Tony Awards, with Wheeldon picking up the trophy for Best Choreography. The Broadway musical marks a new type of stage venture for the Jackson estate, which previously sanctioned two Cirque du Soleil shows, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour and Michael Jackson: One. Other projects the estate has produced in recent years include the 2017 compilation Scream, a 3-D rendering of the famed "Thriller" video and two posthumous albums, Michael and Xscape.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/n...oadway-w521692
New Musical Based on the Life of Michael Jackson Will Premiere on Broadway in 2020
A new musical framed around the life and music of the late singer-songwriter Michael Jackson is currently in development, Columbia Live Stage and The Michael Jackson Estate have announced. The stage show is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
The currently untitled musical will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage (Sweat) and a score made up of Jackson's song catalogue. Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon (An American in Paris) will direct and choreograph.
Jackson's many albums included Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music & Me (1973), Forever, Michael (1975), Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), Book I (1995) and Invincible (2001). His hit singles comprised "Just Can't Stop Loving You," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," "Dirty Diana," "Black or White" and "Remember the Time." Jackson was the recipient of 13 Grammy Awards.
Casting and a pre-Broadway production timeline for the Michael Jackson bio-musical will be announced at a later date.
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/192592...adway-in-2020/
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson Musical Officially in Development
According to a new casting notice, the previously announced musical based on the life and career of pop icon Michael Jackson is gearing up for a New York City lab next month.
According to a recent casting notice, the lab will be presented under the title Westlake (also the name of the recording studio where Jackson recorded his most legendary hits) and will take place from September 24 - October 21, 2018.
The production is currently seeking Equity actors to fill several roles.
See casting details below: See in the link
https://www.broadwayworld.com/articl...Month-20180816
The new musical will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize® winner Lynn Nottageand a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph. The musical is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
Dubbed the "King of Pop", Jackson was one of the most popular entertainers in the world, and was the best-selling music artist during the year of his death. Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5. He began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. His music videos, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame. Jackson's 1987 album Bad spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana", becoming the first album to have five number-one singles in the nation. He continued to innovate with videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" throughout the 1990s, and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist.
Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article...Month-20180816
According to a new casting notice, the previously announced musical based on the life and career of pop icon Michael Jackson is gearing up for a New York City lab next month.
According to a recent casting notice, the lab will be presented under the title Westlake (also the name of the recording studio where Jackson recorded his most legendary hits) and will take place from September 24 - October 21, 2018.
The production is currently seeking Equity actors to fill several roles.
See casting details below: See in the link
https://www.broadwayworld.com/articl...Month-20180816
The new musical will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize® winner Lynn Nottageand a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph. The musical is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
Dubbed the "King of Pop", Jackson was one of the most popular entertainers in the world, and was the best-selling music artist during the year of his death. Jackson's contributions to music, dance, and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
The eighth child of the Jackson family, Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5. He began his solo career in 1971 while at Motown Records.
In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. His music videos, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller" from his 1982 album Thriller, are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame. Jackson's 1987 album Bad spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana", becoming the first album to have five number-one singles in the nation. He continued to innovate with videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" throughout the 1990s, and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist.
Through stage and video performances, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article...Month-20180816
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
![Immagine](http://static.playbill.com/dims4/default/7647009/2147483647/crop/1024x576%2B0%2B0/resize/970x546/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.playbill.com%2Ff2%2F27%2F6f0932e44d93b2f0957a3e54831f%2F21785563268-aecb06e158-b.jpg)
http://www.playbill.com/article/what...ackson-musical
By Ruthie Fierberg
Sep 16, 2018
Director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon shares preliminary details of the production.
It’s early yet to determine exactly what the Michael Jackson musical will look like when it hits Broadway (projected to bow in 2020), even for director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. “We’ve done one 29-hour reading, so we’re still working on the book,” he says of working with book writer and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.
As previously announced the musical is a collaboration between The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage. Wheeldon is about to begin a dance lab for the show, which leads into “a four-week overall lab” as the duo develops the work.
But one thing he is clear on is that this is not a sweeping bio-musical of the King of Pop’s entire life. “The show is very much anchored in one particular moment in time,” Wheeldon tells Playbill. “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. We’ll be doing that with this story.”
Aside from the script, Wheeldon has another daunting task ahead of him: choreographing the man who popularized the moonwalk.
The Tony winner for Best Choreography for his An American in Paris likens this project to that Broadway adaptation. “In the same way fans of the American in Paris movie would have wanted and, I hope, felt that they came away with a real sense of the style of that period and of [choreographer and star] Gene Kelly and of [star] Leslie Caron, that might kind of be the route we go with Michael,” Wheeldon reveals. “I also intend to put quite a lot of Michael’s work in the show, as well.”
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
![Immagine](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxhWbArU0AAmKAP.jpg)
![Immagine](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxhWVIMVsAAAtWx.jpg)
Email from the Estate of Michael Jackson (this image in NYC is advertising for the upcoming Broadway show based on Michael's life).
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.billboard.com/articles/n...-broadway-2020
The Michael Jackson estate and Columbia Live Stage revealed more information on the new musical inspired by the life of Michael Jackson on Wednesday (Jan. 23).
The previously confirmed production will be titled Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough and is currently in development. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage will create the book, while Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
The musical will premiere in Chicago with its first performance on Oct. 29 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre and run through Dec. 1. Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough is set to make its Broadway debut in 2020.
The Michael Jackson estate and Columbia Live Stage revealed more information on the new musical inspired by the life of Michael Jackson on Wednesday (Jan. 23).
The previously confirmed production will be titled Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough and is currently in development. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage will create the book, while Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
The musical will premiere in Chicago with its first performance on Oct. 29 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre and run through Dec. 1. Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough is set to make its Broadway debut in 2020.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
The new Michael Jackson musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough has been making its controversial way towards Broadway, first announcing a Chicago run then cancelling shortly after the documentary Leaving Neverland premiered. The production wasn't deterred, announcing a cold open on Broadway in summer of 2020.
It appears these plans are still in place as the project is seeking cast members for a creative lab this fall.
According to the audition notice, the production is seeking two characters, Rachel - female, any ethnicity, 20s-30s, smart, inquisitive, ambitious but warm, single-minded documentary filmmaker and journalist. Skilled actor and singer; and Young Michael Jackson - 10, Great singer/dancer/actor to portray Michael at age 10.
The lab dates are currently listed as Mid September - Mid November 2019.
The new musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
Buy tickets now:https://dontstoponbroadway.com/
https://www.broadwayworld.com/articl...l-Lab-20190808
https://www.broadwayworld.com/equity...Lab-2019-21920
https://twitter.com/DontStopOnBway
It appears these plans are still in place as the project is seeking cast members for a creative lab this fall.
According to the audition notice, the production is seeking two characters, Rachel - female, any ethnicity, 20s-30s, smart, inquisitive, ambitious but warm, single-minded documentary filmmaker and journalist. Skilled actor and singer; and Young Michael Jackson - 10, Great singer/dancer/actor to portray Michael at age 10.
The lab dates are currently listed as Mid September - Mid November 2019.
The new musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
Buy tickets now:https://dontstoponbroadway.com/
https://www.broadwayworld.com/articl...l-Lab-20190808
https://www.broadwayworld.com/equity...Lab-2019-21920
https://twitter.com/DontStopOnBway
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/M ... -oLwT2KV1U
Michael Jackson Musical DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH to Hold Creative Lab
by BWW News Desk Aug. 8, 2019
The new Michael Jackson musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough has been making its controversial way towards Broadway, first announcing a Chicago run then cancelling shortly after the documentary Leaving Neverland premiered. The production wasn't deterred, announcing a cold open on Broadway in summer of 2020. It appears these plans are still in place as the project is seeking cast members for a creative lab this fall.
According to the audition notice, the production is seeking two characters, Rachel - female, any ethnicity, 20s-30s, smart, inquisitive, ambitious but warm, single-minded documentary filmmaker and journalist. Skilled actor and singer; and Young Michael Jackson - 10, Great singer/dancer/actor to portray Michael at age 10.
The lab dates are currently listed as Mid September - Mid November 2019.
The new musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
![Immagine](https://cloudimages.broadwayworld.com/columnpiccloud/21565277857.jpg?ezimgfmt=rs:250x178/rscb1/ng:webp/ngcb1)
Michael Jackson Musical DON'T STOP 'TIL YOU GET ENOUGH to Hold Creative Lab
by BWW News Desk Aug. 8, 2019
The new Michael Jackson musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough has been making its controversial way towards Broadway, first announcing a Chicago run then cancelling shortly after the documentary Leaving Neverland premiered. The production wasn't deterred, announcing a cold open on Broadway in summer of 2020. It appears these plans are still in place as the project is seeking cast members for a creative lab this fall.
According to the audition notice, the production is seeking two characters, Rachel - female, any ethnicity, 20s-30s, smart, inquisitive, ambitious but warm, single-minded documentary filmmaker and journalist. Skilled actor and singer; and Young Michael Jackson - 10, Great singer/dancer/actor to portray Michael at age 10.
The lab dates are currently listed as Mid September - Mid November 2019.
The new musical Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
![Immagine](https://cloudimages.broadwayworld.com/columnpiccloud/21565277857.jpg?ezimgfmt=rs:250x178/rscb1/ng:webp/ngcb1)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Justice for The Falsely Accused
@JuliaBerkowitz1
Whether this particular comment from that Broadway message board is true or not, I have to say it is difficult for me to trust
@Lynnbrooklyn
with the MJ Broadway project. Her comments about LN were clear that she believed the allegations.
Common sense would tell us that the Estate would not allow it happen if she indeed portrayed MJ as a child molester. But then the Estate completely downplayed her media comments and acted like we were the fools. When in reality they are pretty clear about what she believes re. LN
So I am afraid that there will be some sort of compromise where she won't outright portray him as a molester, but would make subtle allusions in that direction or would leave room for "wondering". But that too would be unacceptable in an official MJ project.
@JuliaBerkowitz1
Whether this particular comment from that Broadway message board is true or not, I have to say it is difficult for me to trust
@Lynnbrooklyn
with the MJ Broadway project. Her comments about LN were clear that she believed the allegations.
Common sense would tell us that the Estate would not allow it happen if she indeed portrayed MJ as a child molester. But then the Estate completely downplayed her media comments and acted like we were the fools. When in reality they are pretty clear about what she believes re. LN
So I am afraid that there will be some sort of compromise where she won't outright portray him as a molester, but would make subtle allusions in that direction or would leave room for "wondering". But that too would be unacceptable in an official MJ project.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
kapowski
@santikapowski
I'm all for supporting EVERY show to celebrate Michael but unless they fire Lynn Nottage and Christopher Wheeldon they can shove this wherever they want. Cancel, shelve it, burn it to the ground. I don't want those two involved in anything MJ related, what an insult to his memory https://twitter.com/MJonTheBrain/s
@santikapowski
I'm all for supporting EVERY show to celebrate Michael but unless they fire Lynn Nottage and Christopher Wheeldon they can shove this wherever they want. Cancel, shelve it, burn it to the ground. I don't want those two involved in anything MJ related, what an insult to his memory https://twitter.com/MJonTheBrain/s
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Just a reminder for everyone.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/thea ... ttage.html
Michael Jackson Musical Creators: ‘We’re Not Judge and Jury’
![Immagine](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/04/24/arts/23JACKSONSHOW1/merlin_153840522_fd5dc1b6-76a8-4013-bde5-37254d6c68ff-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
By Michael Paulson
April 23, 2019
A Broadway-bound Michael Jackson musical is already stirring controversy, and it hasn’t even been seen yet.
Last week, the show’s book writer, Lynn Nottage, stepped into a minefield when she gave an interview to The Daily Mail in which she suggested that she found the two men who detailed abuse allegations against Jackson in a new documentary to be truthful.
Jackson’s most passionate defenders — a group known for its ardency — went to war, immediately demanding that Ms. Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer winner and one of America’s most respected dramatists, be fired.
This was not the first time the documentary, “Leaving Neverland,” has cast a shadow over the embryonic musical, “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” In the days before the documentary aired on HBO in March, the musical’s producers — the Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage — postponed a scheduled developmental session, citing a labor issue, and canceled a planned pre-Broadway production in Chicago.
But now the musical’s producers say they are back on track, planning a workshop this fall and aiming for Broadway next summer.
And Ms. Nottage, joined by the musical’s director and choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon, sat down for an interview to discuss the documentary and their show.
Both are lifelong Jackson fans — she was wowed by “ABC” and “Off the Wall,” and he by “Bad.” And both have impressive credentials — Ms. Nottage, best known for the plays “Ruined” and “Sweat,” is now adapting “The Secret Life of Bees” as an Off Broadway musical, and Mr. Wheeldon’s 2015 stage version of “An American in Paris” earned 12 Tony Award nominations.
Here are edited excerpts from the conversation:
When the documentary came out, did you think about withdrawing from this project?
WHEELDON I don’t think we did. This is obviously challenging — it makes this not without its complications, for sure — but part of what we do as artists is we respond to complexity.
NOTTAGE All of the emotions that I was feeling were very complicated, and I think a lot of people out there are processing and dealing with those same emotions. I see the artwork that we’re making as a way to more deeply understand Michael Jackson and process feelings, and ultimately that’s what theater can do.
Does either of you believe that Michael Jackson was a child molester?
WHEELDON It’s a very difficult question to answer, especially in the position that we are, making this musical right now. The recent documentary is very believable, but our position in making this show is that we’re trying to make a show that’s balanced. So I don’t know that I have a definitive answer for you. Those are questions that we’re asking in our process.
NOTTAGE It’s really hard to traffic in absolutes. Do I believe he was a pedophile? I don’t know that I can say one way or the other. I don’t think any of us can say with absolute certainty, because we’ve been presented with some information, but Michael Jackson is dead, he’s not in a position to defend himself. It does hurt my heart to think about the possibility that it could be true, and I pray that it isn’t true, and that’s all I can do. I’m not going to be a Michael apologist, but I can’t say 100 percent.
You were quoted saying you believed the men who accused him.
NOTTAGE What I was saying, and what I was getting at, is that the men came across as very believable. But here’s the caveat: Were they ultimately telling the truth? I cannot 100 percent say so, because I’m not judge and jury, and it’s not my place to do that.
WHEELDON You can’t watch the documentary without being profoundly disturbed by it, but again, we’re not judge and jury. In our process, we’re facing it pretty much head on, but we’re also studying the many facets of Michael Jackson.
NOTTAGE We’re not journalists. Folks have to remember we’re theater artists that are examining the life of this very complicated artist. We can ask certain questions, but our job is not to answer those questions. My job is to reflect and interrogate and present.
WHEELDON And paint a balanced picture. Yes, lean into the complexities, lean into the darkness, but also recognize the great amount of music and film and choreography that Michael left behind.
Did the estate put any restrictions on what you could address?
NOTTAGE No, they absolutely didn’t. Up until this point they have not, and I don’t believe they will. Initially when we sat down to do this musical we really had a very honest conversation with the estate — that if we can’t tell this full story then perhaps we are not the right people to do it. They know who I am as a writer. I’m very deeply invested in approaching my work with honesty and integrity.
WHEELDON I don’t think either Lynn or I would be working on this if we felt like there were restrictions on what we can and can’t talk about.
![Immagine](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/04/23/arts/23JACKSONSHOW2/merlin_151665705_ccf50271-5261-44ff-8add-026f3ab95b08-jumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
NOTTAGE That said, we don’t know whether it’s going to be a musical about some of the issues that your colleagues have raised. But we need the room for discovery and we need the room for process without being censored before we get there.
Have you considered walking away?
NOTTAGE I’m very committed to this collaboration with Chris. We have, up until this point, created a piece of art that I feel very proud of, and I think it would be a damn shame to walk away from it now. We created a piece of art that’s very truthful and very beautiful. That said, have I had restless, sleepless nights? Absolutely, and I probably will continue until the day we open.
Some fans are calling for you to be fired.
NOTTAGE There will be people from every side who, no matter what we create, will condemn us, and we are prepared to enter into that very difficult space in order to make art.
The fan base is intense.
NOTTAGE I would ask that the fans be respectful to the process, and trust us as artists. And I do in some ways feel up to the challenge of telling this story, as scary as it is, because of the great divide that exists. But, in this day and age, I feel like if we as artists run away from complexity, then who are we?
What is your approach to this project?
NOTTAGE We didn’t want to create the typical jukebox musical. One of the things that I reject is when you try to do these cradle-to-grave stories — I don’t think they’re that interesting. So we’re focusing on just one period of his life that’s really representative of his life as a whole — we opted to look at the early ’90s, and very specifically the “Dangerous” tour, which was the apotheosis of his creative journey.
How are you dealing with the more problematic aspects of his life?
WHEELDON We’re about to go back to our rewriting process, and obviously we’re not doing the show in a vacuum. We’re sensitive to what’s going on and we’ll see whether it works into the show or not. But the primary focus of our show has always been focusing on Michael’s creative process.
NOTTAGE I know that everyone wants us to say, “This is what we’re doing,” but we’re trying to figure out what we want to do day by day. We’re really trying to figure out how do we tell this story in a way that’s respectful.
Respectful to who?
NOTTAGE To all of us. To all of the people who are involved in the collaboration. Respectful to the music that was made. We’re doing the due diligence to think about how do you talk about the musical legacy of someone who was a genius but also came with a lot of baggage?
Does musical theater allow for a serious discussion of tough issues?
NOTTAGE We’re really deeply invested in shifting the paradigm of musical-making, and particularly the jukebox musical. And Broadway certainly is ready for a musical that’s a little more serious. We want this to be a musical that everyone can come to, regardless of how they feel about Michael Jackson, and they will leave with a better understanding of who he was as a human being.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/thea ... ttage.html
Michael Jackson Musical Creators: ‘We’re Not Judge and Jury’
![Immagine](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/04/24/arts/23JACKSONSHOW1/merlin_153840522_fd5dc1b6-76a8-4013-bde5-37254d6c68ff-superJumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
By Michael Paulson
April 23, 2019
A Broadway-bound Michael Jackson musical is already stirring controversy, and it hasn’t even been seen yet.
Last week, the show’s book writer, Lynn Nottage, stepped into a minefield when she gave an interview to The Daily Mail in which she suggested that she found the two men who detailed abuse allegations against Jackson in a new documentary to be truthful.
Jackson’s most passionate defenders — a group known for its ardency — went to war, immediately demanding that Ms. Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer winner and one of America’s most respected dramatists, be fired.
This was not the first time the documentary, “Leaving Neverland,” has cast a shadow over the embryonic musical, “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” In the days before the documentary aired on HBO in March, the musical’s producers — the Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage — postponed a scheduled developmental session, citing a labor issue, and canceled a planned pre-Broadway production in Chicago.
But now the musical’s producers say they are back on track, planning a workshop this fall and aiming for Broadway next summer.
And Ms. Nottage, joined by the musical’s director and choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon, sat down for an interview to discuss the documentary and their show.
Both are lifelong Jackson fans — she was wowed by “ABC” and “Off the Wall,” and he by “Bad.” And both have impressive credentials — Ms. Nottage, best known for the plays “Ruined” and “Sweat,” is now adapting “The Secret Life of Bees” as an Off Broadway musical, and Mr. Wheeldon’s 2015 stage version of “An American in Paris” earned 12 Tony Award nominations.
Here are edited excerpts from the conversation:
When the documentary came out, did you think about withdrawing from this project?
WHEELDON I don’t think we did. This is obviously challenging — it makes this not without its complications, for sure — but part of what we do as artists is we respond to complexity.
NOTTAGE All of the emotions that I was feeling were very complicated, and I think a lot of people out there are processing and dealing with those same emotions. I see the artwork that we’re making as a way to more deeply understand Michael Jackson and process feelings, and ultimately that’s what theater can do.
Does either of you believe that Michael Jackson was a child molester?
WHEELDON It’s a very difficult question to answer, especially in the position that we are, making this musical right now. The recent documentary is very believable, but our position in making this show is that we’re trying to make a show that’s balanced. So I don’t know that I have a definitive answer for you. Those are questions that we’re asking in our process.
NOTTAGE It’s really hard to traffic in absolutes. Do I believe he was a pedophile? I don’t know that I can say one way or the other. I don’t think any of us can say with absolute certainty, because we’ve been presented with some information, but Michael Jackson is dead, he’s not in a position to defend himself. It does hurt my heart to think about the possibility that it could be true, and I pray that it isn’t true, and that’s all I can do. I’m not going to be a Michael apologist, but I can’t say 100 percent.
You were quoted saying you believed the men who accused him.
NOTTAGE What I was saying, and what I was getting at, is that the men came across as very believable. But here’s the caveat: Were they ultimately telling the truth? I cannot 100 percent say so, because I’m not judge and jury, and it’s not my place to do that.
WHEELDON You can’t watch the documentary without being profoundly disturbed by it, but again, we’re not judge and jury. In our process, we’re facing it pretty much head on, but we’re also studying the many facets of Michael Jackson.
NOTTAGE We’re not journalists. Folks have to remember we’re theater artists that are examining the life of this very complicated artist. We can ask certain questions, but our job is not to answer those questions. My job is to reflect and interrogate and present.
WHEELDON And paint a balanced picture. Yes, lean into the complexities, lean into the darkness, but also recognize the great amount of music and film and choreography that Michael left behind.
Did the estate put any restrictions on what you could address?
NOTTAGE No, they absolutely didn’t. Up until this point they have not, and I don’t believe they will. Initially when we sat down to do this musical we really had a very honest conversation with the estate — that if we can’t tell this full story then perhaps we are not the right people to do it. They know who I am as a writer. I’m very deeply invested in approaching my work with honesty and integrity.
WHEELDON I don’t think either Lynn or I would be working on this if we felt like there were restrictions on what we can and can’t talk about.
![Immagine](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/04/23/arts/23JACKSONSHOW2/merlin_151665705_ccf50271-5261-44ff-8add-026f3ab95b08-jumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp)
NOTTAGE That said, we don’t know whether it’s going to be a musical about some of the issues that your colleagues have raised. But we need the room for discovery and we need the room for process without being censored before we get there.
Have you considered walking away?
NOTTAGE I’m very committed to this collaboration with Chris. We have, up until this point, created a piece of art that I feel very proud of, and I think it would be a damn shame to walk away from it now. We created a piece of art that’s very truthful and very beautiful. That said, have I had restless, sleepless nights? Absolutely, and I probably will continue until the day we open.
Some fans are calling for you to be fired.
NOTTAGE There will be people from every side who, no matter what we create, will condemn us, and we are prepared to enter into that very difficult space in order to make art.
The fan base is intense.
NOTTAGE I would ask that the fans be respectful to the process, and trust us as artists. And I do in some ways feel up to the challenge of telling this story, as scary as it is, because of the great divide that exists. But, in this day and age, I feel like if we as artists run away from complexity, then who are we?
What is your approach to this project?
NOTTAGE We didn’t want to create the typical jukebox musical. One of the things that I reject is when you try to do these cradle-to-grave stories — I don’t think they’re that interesting. So we’re focusing on just one period of his life that’s really representative of his life as a whole — we opted to look at the early ’90s, and very specifically the “Dangerous” tour, which was the apotheosis of his creative journey.
How are you dealing with the more problematic aspects of his life?
WHEELDON We’re about to go back to our rewriting process, and obviously we’re not doing the show in a vacuum. We’re sensitive to what’s going on and we’ll see whether it works into the show or not. But the primary focus of our show has always been focusing on Michael’s creative process.
NOTTAGE I know that everyone wants us to say, “This is what we’re doing,” but we’re trying to figure out what we want to do day by day. We’re really trying to figure out how do we tell this story in a way that’s respectful.
Respectful to who?
NOTTAGE To all of us. To all of the people who are involved in the collaboration. Respectful to the music that was made. We’re doing the due diligence to think about how do you talk about the musical legacy of someone who was a genius but also came with a lot of baggage?
Does musical theater allow for a serious discussion of tough issues?
NOTTAGE We’re really deeply invested in shifting the paradigm of musical-making, and particularly the jukebox musical. And Broadway certainly is ready for a musical that’s a little more serious. We want this to be a musical that everyone can come to, regardless of how they feel about Michael Jackson, and they will leave with a better understanding of who he was as a human being.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
This article calls MJ fans rabid. :???: Nevertheless - they can rant and rave all they like but they will never destroy Michael's legacy.
https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/the-fo ... 1838784064
The Force Don’t Stop: Michael Jackson Musical, MJ, Still Coming to Broadway
Angela Helm
10/04/19 3:56PM
![Immagine](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_1600/suplvb6j5ejsxoyeava6.jpg)
It’s back on like popcorn.
A musical on the life of Michael Jackson in his heyday originally called Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, has morphed—like Jackson did many, many times in his life—into MJ. It’s scheduled to hit Broadway in the summer of 2020, according to Playbill.
A spokesman for the show announced the new title, saying it was a “better and stronger choice than relying on the title of any one individual song,” reports Variety.
Last winter, the musical’s producers reportedly pulled out of Chicago after the controversial and explosive allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson were recounted in the HBO doc, Leaving Neverland.
Jackson may have lost some fans, but still remains wildly popular around the world, backed by a rabid fanbase (they make the Beyhive look like rank amateurs, see post below) and celeb friends. Clearly, with Jackson’s enormous catalog of hits during his 20s and 30s, the show will likely keep those seats packed, to the tune of millions.
What we all can agree on is that acclaimed two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage (By The Way Meet Vera Stark, Sweat) is an exciting choice to write MJ’s book. The music (although who will sing it?) reportedly includes many of Jackson’s contemporary hits, like “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and “Smooth Criminal.” Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
https://thegrapevine.theroot.com/the-fo ... 1838784064
The Force Don’t Stop: Michael Jackson Musical, MJ, Still Coming to Broadway
Angela Helm
10/04/19 3:56PM
![Immagine](https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_1600/suplvb6j5ejsxoyeava6.jpg)
It’s back on like popcorn.
A musical on the life of Michael Jackson in his heyday originally called Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, has morphed—like Jackson did many, many times in his life—into MJ. It’s scheduled to hit Broadway in the summer of 2020, according to Playbill.
A spokesman for the show announced the new title, saying it was a “better and stronger choice than relying on the title of any one individual song,” reports Variety.
Last winter, the musical’s producers reportedly pulled out of Chicago after the controversial and explosive allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson were recounted in the HBO doc, Leaving Neverland.
Jackson may have lost some fans, but still remains wildly popular around the world, backed by a rabid fanbase (they make the Beyhive look like rank amateurs, see post below) and celeb friends. Clearly, with Jackson’s enormous catalog of hits during his 20s and 30s, the show will likely keep those seats packed, to the tune of millions.
What we all can agree on is that acclaimed two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage (By The Way Meet Vera Stark, Sweat) is an exciting choice to write MJ’s book. The music (although who will sing it?) reportedly includes many of Jackson’s contemporary hits, like “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and “Smooth Criminal.” Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
STATEMENT FROM THE ESTATE
As we are sure you have recently read, tickets for the new Broadway play, “MJ The Musical”, go on sale January 15 with previews starting at the Neil Simon Theatre on July 6, 2020 and the show will premiere on August 13, 2020.
In the meantime, we wanted to say how excited we are about the show. We were excited when we worked with Cirque du Soleil and Jamie King in creating “Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour” which went on to become one of the most popular and highest grossing touring shows of all time. And we were equally excited about working again with Cirque de Soleil and Jamie King in creating the “Michael Jackson ONE” show in Las Vegas which just enjoyed its 3,000th performance and remains one of the top selling shows in Las Vegas.
We also were very pleased about the work we did with Spike Lee in creating the “Bad 25” documentary and the documentary “Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall.”
We are confident that this new Broadway show will be every bit as good as any show we have had a hand in creating.
Some of you have expressed concern about Lynn Nottage. Let us assure you that Lynn Nottage is a huge Michael Jackson fan. We are always careful about selecting the creative talent who will work on a Michael Jackson project. She was ambushed by the UK tabloid reporter and statements made in casual conversation were taken out of context and have been misconstrued. No show we ever create about Michael will be anything other than truthful and positive, and of course we would never validate the lies and slander that have been perpetrated by Reed, Robson, Safechuck and HBO in what the fans have called a “bullcrapumentary.”
The creative team on this Broadway show is outstanding. Lynn Nottage is the only living playwright who has won two Pulitzer Prizes. Christopher Wheeldon, also a huge Michael Jackson fan, is an acclaimed director and choreographer who won the Tony Award for his work on “An American in Paris” on Broadway.
Having seen rehearsals and read the book we can assure you fans will be very excited. Of course, no one can replace Michael. No one can do what Michael did. There was a reason that Berry Gordy confirmed that Michael is the greatest entertainer who ever lived. However, just as in any movie where a famous historical figure is portrayed, once we enter the playhouse, we have to suspend our disbelief and look forward to seeing a great show paying homage to Michael’s legacy.
You all know that the media has tried very hard to negate Michael’s influence in the world. To use their term, they tried to cancel Michael. The Michael Jackson fans and the Michael Jackson Estate will not allow that to happen. The love of Michael is too strong, it will always be with us. While some media outlets might be hesitant to telecast new Michael Jackson programs in the short term, that will turn around in the long term since everyone wants to see and enjoy Michael and his work. This Broadway show will go a long way toward reminding the world who the King of Pop is. Let’s celebrate it, let’s embrace it and let’s remind everybody that Michael is the greatest of all time.
THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL JACKSON
As we are sure you have recently read, tickets for the new Broadway play, “MJ The Musical”, go on sale January 15 with previews starting at the Neil Simon Theatre on July 6, 2020 and the show will premiere on August 13, 2020.
In the meantime, we wanted to say how excited we are about the show. We were excited when we worked with Cirque du Soleil and Jamie King in creating “Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour” which went on to become one of the most popular and highest grossing touring shows of all time. And we were equally excited about working again with Cirque de Soleil and Jamie King in creating the “Michael Jackson ONE” show in Las Vegas which just enjoyed its 3,000th performance and remains one of the top selling shows in Las Vegas.
We also were very pleased about the work we did with Spike Lee in creating the “Bad 25” documentary and the documentary “Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall.”
We are confident that this new Broadway show will be every bit as good as any show we have had a hand in creating.
Some of you have expressed concern about Lynn Nottage. Let us assure you that Lynn Nottage is a huge Michael Jackson fan. We are always careful about selecting the creative talent who will work on a Michael Jackson project. She was ambushed by the UK tabloid reporter and statements made in casual conversation were taken out of context and have been misconstrued. No show we ever create about Michael will be anything other than truthful and positive, and of course we would never validate the lies and slander that have been perpetrated by Reed, Robson, Safechuck and HBO in what the fans have called a “bullcrapumentary.”
The creative team on this Broadway show is outstanding. Lynn Nottage is the only living playwright who has won two Pulitzer Prizes. Christopher Wheeldon, also a huge Michael Jackson fan, is an acclaimed director and choreographer who won the Tony Award for his work on “An American in Paris” on Broadway.
Having seen rehearsals and read the book we can assure you fans will be very excited. Of course, no one can replace Michael. No one can do what Michael did. There was a reason that Berry Gordy confirmed that Michael is the greatest entertainer who ever lived. However, just as in any movie where a famous historical figure is portrayed, once we enter the playhouse, we have to suspend our disbelief and look forward to seeing a great show paying homage to Michael’s legacy.
You all know that the media has tried very hard to negate Michael’s influence in the world. To use their term, they tried to cancel Michael. The Michael Jackson fans and the Michael Jackson Estate will not allow that to happen. The love of Michael is too strong, it will always be with us. While some media outlets might be hesitant to telecast new Michael Jackson programs in the short term, that will turn around in the long term since everyone wants to see and enjoy Michael and his work. This Broadway show will go a long way toward reminding the world who the King of Pop is. Let’s celebrate it, let’s embrace it and let’s remind everybody that Michael is the greatest of all time.
THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL JACKSON
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Hope this is true.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... IK9mdDDe4M
Michael Jackson Broadway Musical Finds Its Star
![Immagine](https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2019/11/screen_shot_2019-11-21_at_10.07.20_am.png)
Tony nominee Ephraim Sykes is set to play the late King of Pop when 'MJ the Musical' makes its New York debut in the summer of 2020.
Producer Lia Vollack and The Michael Jackson Estate announced on Thursday that Ephraim Sykes is set to take on the role of the late King of Pop. Sykes has been cast as Jackson in Broadway's incoming MJ the Musical.
The production — previously titled Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, after Jackson's 1979 single — will begin preview performances July 6 with an official opening set for Aug. 13 at New York's Neil Simon Theatre.
The show — directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon — will cover Jackson's career milestones with an emphasis on his achievements throughout his 20s and 30s. MJ the Musical will feature Jackson's catalog of hits and a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.
News of Sykes' casting comes months after HBO's Leaving Neverland — which runs four hours and explores sexual abuse claims made against Jackson by former child stars James Safechuck and Wade Robson — won the Emmy for best documentary or nonfiction special. Following Leaving Neverland's debut in January at the Sundance Film Festival, Jackson's estate called the project "a tabloid character assassination" and insisted it "isn't a documentary," while Jackson's family called director Dan Reed and the pic's two accusers "opportunists."
Despite the scrutiny Jackson's legacy has faced, Sykes told Essence in a recent interview that he is looking forward to showcasing the iconic musician's "human" side. "I really want to do my best to bring it back down to show how human he truly was," he told the publication. "Putting those extraordinary circumstances, for better or for worse, so hopefully we can all have a little bit more empathy with him, his downfalls, his demons, his struggles as well."
Sykes is currently on Broadway in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, portraying Motown recording artist David Ruffin, a role that earned him a Tony Award nomination this year. The singer-dancer-actor has also received a Chita Rivera Award and the Helen Hayes Award, among other honors. Just yesterday, Sykes was nominated for a Grammy as a principal artist on the original cast recording of Ain't Too Proud.The Life and Times of the Temptations, portraying Motown recording artist David Ruffin, a role that earned him a Tony Award nomination this year. The singer-dancer-actor has also received a Chita Rivera Award and the Helen Hayes Award, among other honors. Just yesterday, Sykes was nominated for a Grammy as a principal artist on the original cast recording of Ain't Too Proud.
Sykes was last seen on screen as Seaweed J. Stubbs in NBC’s Hairspray Live!. His Broadway credits include Hamilton, Memphis, Newsies, Motown and The Little Mermaid.
Michael Jackson Broadway Musical Finds Its Star
![Immagine](https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2019/11/screen_shot_2019-11-21_at_10.07.20_am.png)
Tony nominee Ephraim Sykes is set to play the late King of Pop when 'MJ the Musical' makes its New York debut in the summer of 2020.
Producer Lia Vollack and The Michael Jackson Estate announced on Thursday that Ephraim Sykes is set to take on the role of the late King of Pop. Sykes has been cast as Jackson in Broadway's incoming MJ the Musical.
The production — previously titled Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, after Jackson's 1979 single — will begin preview performances July 6 with an official opening set for Aug. 13 at New York's Neil Simon Theatre.
The show — directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon — will cover Jackson's career milestones with an emphasis on his achievements throughout his 20s and 30s. MJ the Musical will feature Jackson's catalog of hits and a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.
News of Sykes' casting comes months after HBO's Leaving Neverland — which runs four hours and explores sexual abuse claims made against Jackson by former child stars James Safechuck and Wade Robson — won the Emmy for best documentary or nonfiction special. Following Leaving Neverland's debut in January at the Sundance Film Festival, Jackson's estate called the project "a tabloid character assassination" and insisted it "isn't a documentary," while Jackson's family called director Dan Reed and the pic's two accusers "opportunists."
Despite the scrutiny Jackson's legacy has faced, Sykes told Essence in a recent interview that he is looking forward to showcasing the iconic musician's "human" side. "I really want to do my best to bring it back down to show how human he truly was," he told the publication. "Putting those extraordinary circumstances, for better or for worse, so hopefully we can all have a little bit more empathy with him, his downfalls, his demons, his struggles as well."
Sykes is currently on Broadway in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, portraying Motown recording artist David Ruffin, a role that earned him a Tony Award nomination this year. The singer-dancer-actor has also received a Chita Rivera Award and the Helen Hayes Award, among other honors. Just yesterday, Sykes was nominated for a Grammy as a principal artist on the original cast recording of Ain't Too Proud.The Life and Times of the Temptations, portraying Motown recording artist David Ruffin, a role that earned him a Tony Award nomination this year. The singer-dancer-actor has also received a Chita Rivera Award and the Helen Hayes Award, among other honors. Just yesterday, Sykes was nominated for a Grammy as a principal artist on the original cast recording of Ain't Too Proud.
Sykes was last seen on screen as Seaweed J. Stubbs in NBC’s Hairspray Live!. His Broadway credits include Hamilton, Memphis, Newsies, Motown and The Little Mermaid.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
MJJJusticeProject
@MJJJusticePrjct
Look what I found on Broadway ...mellie #mjmusical @ Times Square, New York City
@MJJJusticePrjct
Look what I found on Broadway ...mellie #mjmusical @ Times Square, New York City
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
@michaeljackson
“My actual wildest dream is coming true…I’ll do my best to honor the man who made me wanna sing and dance in the first place. Love you MJ!” – @ephsykes who will play Michael Jackson in the upcoming MJ: The Musical.
Tickets on sale in January! http://mjthemusical.com
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... ew-929643/
Rehearsing Neverland: Ephraim Sykes Talks Becoming Michael Jackson in 2020 Musical
“I’m the most excited person in the entire world, but also the most frightened,” says actor who also appears in Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud
By DAVID BROWNE
![Immagine](https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/michael-jackson-musical.jpg?resize=900,600&w=1200)
This fall, singer, actor and dancer Ephraim Sykes juggled two of the most demanding jobs on Broadway. By night, he played the troubled, tortured David Ruffin in Ain’t Too Proud, the hit Broadway show about the life and music of the Temptations. But during the day, Sykes began preparing for what should be an even more demanding and controversial job: the lead role as Michael Jackson in a musical based on his life.
The Jackson estate first announced MJ: The Musical, Scheduled to open August 13th, 2020, in 2018 with a creative team including Tony-winning director Christopher Wheeldon and Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Set in 1992, the show will focus on Jackson’s life in his twenties and thirties and include two dozen of his songs.
But in light of the ongoing controversies and sense of unease that linger around Jackson’s legacy, it’s no surprise that hurdles ensued. Initially called Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough, the show was scheduled for a tryout run in Chicago early this year. But those performances were canceled soon after the Sundance premiere of Leaving Neverland, the HBO documentary that alleged Jackson abused two then-young boys, Wade Robson and James Safechuck. (The official reason for the cancellation was “scheduling difficulties.”)
Throughout the show’s news cycle, one other uncertainty remained: Who would play Jackson? That question was answered last month when 34-year-old Sykes was announced as the lead. The seasoned performer has appeared in Hamilton, Motown and The Little Mermaid, and he’ll soon leave Ain’t Too Proud to start rehearsals for MJ in May. As Sykes tells RS, “I’m looking to take a couple of months off, rest and recuperate my voice, my body, my mind, find out who Ephraim is again, before I take on this next icon.”
How are you feeling about this undertaking right now?
Oh my God. I’m the most excited person in the entire world, but also the most frightened. Literally both of those extremes are happening at the same time right now. But at the end of the day, I’m grateful and honored to be able to portray the man who’s the reason I’m here at all – the reason why I started singing and dancing in the first place. And as an actor, I’m excited to take on such a huge talent, who I feel is maybe the most complicated person who ever walked the earth. Truly, truly complicated, to the level where we may never even know the truth and depth of it.
The show is set in 1992 as Jackson is preparing for the Dangerous tour. How finished and ready is it?
We did a whole workshop starting in October through the end of November. We worked out the entire piece, fully staged and choreographed. I was spending my days doing Michael Jackson, and then from 7 to 11 o’clock every night I was David Ruffin – possibly the two most extreme characters I could ever try to fit into my head at the same time. David Ruffin was this hothead and known as a coke addict and egomaniac. The most infamous words were tied to him. That, versus possibly the most meek, mild, humble, and, like, mousey person Michael Jackson could be sometimes; how insecure he could be sometimes except when he was onstage. They’re complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
The show supposedly features roles for a younger Michael, as well as possibly Berry Gordy, Marlon Jackson and Michael’s father Joe.
Yeah, it definitely has a way of showing you memories and things in in his head. But I’m in a lot of it. I’m still throughout the whole thing.
Given all the recent controversies around Michael, did you have any reservations about taking on the role, and how did they factor into your decision?
To be honest, man, it definitely factored in. And it’s something I still just have to grapple with every day. But at the end of the day, I just can’t know the whole story. Nobody can know exactly what went down. I just choose to look at it as a challenge, as a way for me to humanize as best I can somebody we held up; who we idolized beyond any other star. He’s almost like a demigod to us. And I want to talk about the things I do know in terms of how he was in pain physically, how he was abused physically as a kid, the painkillers.
We definitely know something wasn’t quite right. None of us can really put our finger on exactly what was happening, because he was also very private in a lot of ways. But with all his demons, he still inspired me to be the person I am, especially as a performer, and how he treated people and what he gave to the world and to people in need. Those are the aspects of him I still believe are worth celebrating.
We live in a country that can be one of the most hypocritical places of all time, and we find ways to try to celebrate this place we call the land of the free that was built on the backs of slaves. Somehow we try to celebrate people like Christopher Columbus and George Washington who did these monstrous things and still try to find the best of ourselves, even simultaneous with the ugliness that we are as people and as part of the human condition. That’s my hope, my purpose, in doing this show. I want to find ways to make us all be able to connect to our darkness as well as well to our light.
That connects Ruffin and Michael too.
Exactly. That’s one leg up [on finding] the pain and talk[ing] about it honestly.
How much does the MJ script touch on his issues?
I’ll say this: It touches on lots of controversy that was going on. It touches on a lot of problems and things he was facing. I can’t give anything away. But I do know we’re looking to try to fully encapsulate his creative genius as well as the monsters he was having to face internally. And we speak to some of the other really positive things that happened throughout this man’s life too and how much he gave – which still are undeniable.
My goal is to paint as full a picture as possible and then we can talk amongst ourselves about how we feel about him and ourselves, honestly. How much of our darkness and light do we accept – or allow other people to see? Who do we give grace and forgiveness to versus who do we choose to condemn? It’s a huge conversation that is very tricky, but that to me is interesting.
Do you think his fans will support the show bringing up things that weren’t always positive?
From what I’ve seen so far, with just the announcement that it was happening, a lot of his fans are ride and die. They’re already supportive. Then, of course, you have the skeptics who are somewhere in between. And you have people outright who are like, “We need to cancel Michael.” I always say all opinions are valid, but let’s just try to speak truth to power and be as open with our dialogue as possible. Everybody’s still going to have their own opinions about it, but at least we can still respect each other and be honest with each other.
It’s going to be interesting to see how people take to it, but I do know there’s a huge group of people who are going to love it. They still love him and his music. And with the people in between, when a Michael Jackson song comes on the radio or at a wedding, everybody’s still grooving. Everybody has a certain connection with him, for better and for worse, and I think everybody’s valid and I look for this to be another thing that hopefully brings us together.
At the very least, it won’t be a boring experience.
That it won’t be.
Rehearsing Neverland: Ephraim Sykes Talks Becoming Michael Jackson in 2020 Musical
“I’m the most excited person in the entire world, but also the most frightened,” says actor who also appears in Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud
By DAVID BROWNE
![Immagine](https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/michael-jackson-musical.jpg?resize=900,600&w=1200)
This fall, singer, actor and dancer Ephraim Sykes juggled two of the most demanding jobs on Broadway. By night, he played the troubled, tortured David Ruffin in Ain’t Too Proud, the hit Broadway show about the life and music of the Temptations. But during the day, Sykes began preparing for what should be an even more demanding and controversial job: the lead role as Michael Jackson in a musical based on his life.
The Jackson estate first announced MJ: The Musical, Scheduled to open August 13th, 2020, in 2018 with a creative team including Tony-winning director Christopher Wheeldon and Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Set in 1992, the show will focus on Jackson’s life in his twenties and thirties and include two dozen of his songs.
But in light of the ongoing controversies and sense of unease that linger around Jackson’s legacy, it’s no surprise that hurdles ensued. Initially called Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough, the show was scheduled for a tryout run in Chicago early this year. But those performances were canceled soon after the Sundance premiere of Leaving Neverland, the HBO documentary that alleged Jackson abused two then-young boys, Wade Robson and James Safechuck. (The official reason for the cancellation was “scheduling difficulties.”)
Throughout the show’s news cycle, one other uncertainty remained: Who would play Jackson? That question was answered last month when 34-year-old Sykes was announced as the lead. The seasoned performer has appeared in Hamilton, Motown and The Little Mermaid, and he’ll soon leave Ain’t Too Proud to start rehearsals for MJ in May. As Sykes tells RS, “I’m looking to take a couple of months off, rest and recuperate my voice, my body, my mind, find out who Ephraim is again, before I take on this next icon.”
How are you feeling about this undertaking right now?
Oh my God. I’m the most excited person in the entire world, but also the most frightened. Literally both of those extremes are happening at the same time right now. But at the end of the day, I’m grateful and honored to be able to portray the man who’s the reason I’m here at all – the reason why I started singing and dancing in the first place. And as an actor, I’m excited to take on such a huge talent, who I feel is maybe the most complicated person who ever walked the earth. Truly, truly complicated, to the level where we may never even know the truth and depth of it.
The show is set in 1992 as Jackson is preparing for the Dangerous tour. How finished and ready is it?
We did a whole workshop starting in October through the end of November. We worked out the entire piece, fully staged and choreographed. I was spending my days doing Michael Jackson, and then from 7 to 11 o’clock every night I was David Ruffin – possibly the two most extreme characters I could ever try to fit into my head at the same time. David Ruffin was this hothead and known as a coke addict and egomaniac. The most infamous words were tied to him. That, versus possibly the most meek, mild, humble, and, like, mousey person Michael Jackson could be sometimes; how insecure he could be sometimes except when he was onstage. They’re complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
The show supposedly features roles for a younger Michael, as well as possibly Berry Gordy, Marlon Jackson and Michael’s father Joe.
Yeah, it definitely has a way of showing you memories and things in in his head. But I’m in a lot of it. I’m still throughout the whole thing.
Given all the recent controversies around Michael, did you have any reservations about taking on the role, and how did they factor into your decision?
To be honest, man, it definitely factored in. And it’s something I still just have to grapple with every day. But at the end of the day, I just can’t know the whole story. Nobody can know exactly what went down. I just choose to look at it as a challenge, as a way for me to humanize as best I can somebody we held up; who we idolized beyond any other star. He’s almost like a demigod to us. And I want to talk about the things I do know in terms of how he was in pain physically, how he was abused physically as a kid, the painkillers.
We definitely know something wasn’t quite right. None of us can really put our finger on exactly what was happening, because he was also very private in a lot of ways. But with all his demons, he still inspired me to be the person I am, especially as a performer, and how he treated people and what he gave to the world and to people in need. Those are the aspects of him I still believe are worth celebrating.
We live in a country that can be one of the most hypocritical places of all time, and we find ways to try to celebrate this place we call the land of the free that was built on the backs of slaves. Somehow we try to celebrate people like Christopher Columbus and George Washington who did these monstrous things and still try to find the best of ourselves, even simultaneous with the ugliness that we are as people and as part of the human condition. That’s my hope, my purpose, in doing this show. I want to find ways to make us all be able to connect to our darkness as well as well to our light.
That connects Ruffin and Michael too.
Exactly. That’s one leg up [on finding] the pain and talk[ing] about it honestly.
How much does the MJ script touch on his issues?
I’ll say this: It touches on lots of controversy that was going on. It touches on a lot of problems and things he was facing. I can’t give anything away. But I do know we’re looking to try to fully encapsulate his creative genius as well as the monsters he was having to face internally. And we speak to some of the other really positive things that happened throughout this man’s life too and how much he gave – which still are undeniable.
My goal is to paint as full a picture as possible and then we can talk amongst ourselves about how we feel about him and ourselves, honestly. How much of our darkness and light do we accept – or allow other people to see? Who do we give grace and forgiveness to versus who do we choose to condemn? It’s a huge conversation that is very tricky, but that to me is interesting.
Do you think his fans will support the show bringing up things that weren’t always positive?
From what I’ve seen so far, with just the announcement that it was happening, a lot of his fans are ride and die. They’re already supportive. Then, of course, you have the skeptics who are somewhere in between. And you have people outright who are like, “We need to cancel Michael.” I always say all opinions are valid, but let’s just try to speak truth to power and be as open with our dialogue as possible. Everybody’s still going to have their own opinions about it, but at least we can still respect each other and be honest with each other.
It’s going to be interesting to see how people take to it, but I do know there’s a huge group of people who are going to love it. They still love him and his music. And with the people in between, when a Michael Jackson song comes on the radio or at a wedding, everybody’s still grooving. Everybody has a certain connection with him, for better and for worse, and I think everybody’s valid and I look for this to be another thing that hopefully brings us together.
At the very least, it won’t be a boring experience.
That it won’t be.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
http://www.playbill.com/article/quentin ... mg3d8HIEA0
Quentin Earl Darrington and More Join Ephraim Sykes in Broadway's MJ Musical
BY RYAN MCPHEE
JAN 07, 2020
The show, exploring the life of Michael Jackson at various stages, will premiere this summer.
![Immagine](https://static.playbill.com/dims4/default/4ea8871/2147483647/crop/6000x3377%2B0%2B0/resize/970x546/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplaybill-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc1%2F06%2Fdf8da6724b70b9452ffda49c0bf8%2Fbroadway-dreams-gala-2019-16-quentin-earl-darrington-hr.jpg)
Quentin Earl Darrington Joseph Marzullo/WENN
The upcoming Michael Jackson musical MJ has secured more performers to comprise its Broadway cast. Among those joining the previously announced Ephraim Sykes are Quentin Earl Darrington (Once On This Island, Ragtime), Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Gabriel Ruiz (Blood and Gifts), Antoine L. Smith (Carousel), and Joey Sorge (A Bronx Tale).
Tony nominee Sykes (Ain't Too Proud) is confirmed to play the contested King of Pop at various ages—no word yet on the roles of his co-stars.
Performances will begin July 6 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, with opening night set for August 13. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage penned the script, with Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon tapped to direct and choreograph.
READ: Broadway-Bound Michael Jackson Musical Searching for Performers of All Ages to Play Title Role
The cast will also include Darius Barnes, Raymond Baynard, Coral Dolphin, John Edwards, Ayana George, Kali May Grinder, Apollo Levine, Ryan VanDenBoom, Lamont Walker II, Naomi C. Walley, and Zelig Williams, with more—including the role of a 10-year-old Jackson—to be announced later.
Casting is by Rachel Hoffman of Telsey + Co.
Quentin Earl Darrington and More Join Ephraim Sykes in Broadway's MJ Musical
BY RYAN MCPHEE
JAN 07, 2020
The show, exploring the life of Michael Jackson at various stages, will premiere this summer.
![Immagine](https://static.playbill.com/dims4/default/4ea8871/2147483647/crop/6000x3377%2B0%2B0/resize/970x546/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplaybill-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc1%2F06%2Fdf8da6724b70b9452ffda49c0bf8%2Fbroadway-dreams-gala-2019-16-quentin-earl-darrington-hr.jpg)
Quentin Earl Darrington Joseph Marzullo/WENN
The upcoming Michael Jackson musical MJ has secured more performers to comprise its Broadway cast. Among those joining the previously announced Ephraim Sykes are Quentin Earl Darrington (Once On This Island, Ragtime), Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Gabriel Ruiz (Blood and Gifts), Antoine L. Smith (Carousel), and Joey Sorge (A Bronx Tale).
Tony nominee Sykes (Ain't Too Proud) is confirmed to play the contested King of Pop at various ages—no word yet on the roles of his co-stars.
Performances will begin July 6 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, with opening night set for August 13. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage penned the script, with Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon tapped to direct and choreograph.
READ: Broadway-Bound Michael Jackson Musical Searching for Performers of All Ages to Play Title Role
The cast will also include Darius Barnes, Raymond Baynard, Coral Dolphin, John Edwards, Ayana George, Kali May Grinder, Apollo Levine, Ryan VanDenBoom, Lamont Walker II, Naomi C. Walley, and Zelig Williams, with more—including the role of a 10-year-old Jackson—to be announced later.
Casting is by Rachel Hoffman of Telsey + Co.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.mjworld.net/news/2020/01/07 ... 5D6JuiikH4
![Immagine](https://www.mjworld.net/wp-content/uploads/mjmusical.png)
In advance of tickets going on sale next week, January 14th, fans who have registered at www.mjthemusical.com will have 24 hours to buy tickets to the musical before the box office and other ticket outlets open to the general public. Anyone who has registered will be sent a link which can be used on January 14th.
Look out for the pre-sale link, which will also be published the evening of January 13th here on MJWN.
Tickets go on sale for the general public on January 15th.
Source: MJ Online & MJWN
![Immagine](https://www.mjworld.net/wp-content/uploads/mjmusical.png)
In advance of tickets going on sale next week, January 14th, fans who have registered at www.mjthemusical.com will have 24 hours to buy tickets to the musical before the box office and other ticket outlets open to the general public. Anyone who has registered will be sent a link which can be used on January 14th.
Look out for the pre-sale link, which will also be published the evening of January 13th here on MJWN.
Tickets go on sale for the general public on January 15th.
Source: MJ Online & MJWN
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: Michael Jackson stage musical/Broadway 2020
Cherrelle
@Happychick93
MJ The Musical is basically sold out guys
![Immagine](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EOXxXhbX4AUBl9S?format=jpg&name=small)
@Happychick93
MJ The Musical is basically sold out guys
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
There is only ONE Michael Jackson. And the cast of MJ: the musical will take audiences inside the creative process of this singular artist with an explosion of music and theatricality worthy of the King of Pop. Join fans old and new from around the world as for this experience at the Neil Simon Theater in New York City. Be among the first. Preview performances begin July 6 and the show officially opens on August 13.
![Immagine](https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/87062292_10158135462641473_8382401347055517696_n.png?_nc_cat=1&_nc_sid=a61e81&_nc_ohc=IIWhhhE_lEYAX9sWmbC&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=f4a51e675a38662893a9c4a8f13c7013&oe=5EF40AAD)
There is only ONE Michael Jackson. And the cast of MJ: the musical will take audiences inside the creative process of this singular artist with an explosion of music and theatricality worthy of the King of Pop. Join fans old and new from around the world as for this experience at the Neil Simon Theater in New York City. Be among the first. Preview performances begin July 6 and the show officially opens on August 13.
![Immagine](https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/87062292_10158135462641473_8382401347055517696_n.png?_nc_cat=1&_nc_sid=a61e81&_nc_ohc=IIWhhhE_lEYAX9sWmbC&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=f4a51e675a38662893a9c4a8f13c7013&oe=5EF40AAD)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... A6uClk3ujw
First Look: Set Design Unveiled for Michael Jackson Broadway Musical 'MJ' (Exclusive)
![Immagine](https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2020/02/one_time_use_only_-_mj_first_look_sketch_by_derek_mclane-_publicity_-_h_2020_.jpg)
Derek McLane
Scenic design sketch by Derek McLane for 'MJ'
The complete creative team also has been announced for the upcoming bio-musical, which begins previews July 6 at the Neil Simon Theatre ahead of an Aug. 13 opening.
A densely industrial city block full of fire escapes and neons, a place that looks suspended in the imagination between Times Square and Tokyo, will form one of the principal settings for MJ, the upcoming Broadway musical inspired by the life and artistry of Michael Jackson.
The Hollywood Reporter was given an exclusive first look at the work of scenic designer Derek McLane.
"The majority of the story is set inside a spacious, industrial dance rehearsal studio, but throughout the musical we find ourselves repeatedly transported into Michael's mind — his memories and dreams," said McLane in a statement. "The alternating between dream sequences and reality gives us the chance to repeatedly surprise the audience."
Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate today also confirmed the full creative team for the show, which will star previously announced lead Ephraim Sykes in the title role.
In addition to McLane, a Tony Award winner for 33 Variations and a two-time Emmy winner for the 2014 Oscars telecast and 2017's Hairspray Live!, the team includes multiple award winners Natasha Katz (lighting), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Gareth Owen (sound), Peter Nigrini (projections) and Charles LaPointe (hair and wigs).
David Holcenberg will serve as music supervisor, also sharing orchestration and arrangement duties with recent Tony winner Jason Michael Webb, who will be the production's music director.
The show's book is by Lynn Nottage, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her plays Ruined and Sweat, while direction and choreography are by Christopher Wheeldon, who made a successful transition from the ballet world into musical theater in 2015 with An American in Paris, winning a Tony for his exhilarating dance storytelling.
Few details are known about the show at this point, other than the narrative frame being pegged to the intensive rehearsal period for Jackson's 1992 Dangerous tour, widely considered the height of his reign as the King of Pop. It remains unclear to what extent, if any, the musical will address the controversies surrounding child sexual abuse allegations that clouded the final decades of Jackson's life and have continued since his death in 2009.
"What I would say about the show is that Lynn Nottage and Christopher Wheeldon are really unique and brilliant theater artists and I think that what we have done for as long as there has been theater is told stories about all kinds of provocative individuals," lead producer Vollack told THR in an interview late last year. "Michael Jackson was a figure in our history who has been dead for 10 years, who had a massive impact on music and dance, on how we view celebrity and race."
Previews for MJ are scheduled to begin July 6 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, ahead of an Aug. 13 official opening.
Alongside Sykes, coming off his Tony-nominated turn in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, the MJ cast will include Quentin Earl Darrington, Whitney Bashor, Gabriel Ruiz, Antoine L. Smith, Joey Sorge, Darius Barnes, Raymond Baynard, Coral Dolphin, John Edwards, Ayana George, Kali May Grinder, Apollo Levine, Ryan VanDenBoom, Lamont Walker II, Naomi C. Walley and Zelig Williams.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.
First Look: Set Design Unveiled for Michael Jackson Broadway Musical 'MJ' (Exclusive)
![Immagine](https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2020/02/one_time_use_only_-_mj_first_look_sketch_by_derek_mclane-_publicity_-_h_2020_.jpg)
Derek McLane
Scenic design sketch by Derek McLane for 'MJ'
The complete creative team also has been announced for the upcoming bio-musical, which begins previews July 6 at the Neil Simon Theatre ahead of an Aug. 13 opening.
A densely industrial city block full of fire escapes and neons, a place that looks suspended in the imagination between Times Square and Tokyo, will form one of the principal settings for MJ, the upcoming Broadway musical inspired by the life and artistry of Michael Jackson.
The Hollywood Reporter was given an exclusive first look at the work of scenic designer Derek McLane.
"The majority of the story is set inside a spacious, industrial dance rehearsal studio, but throughout the musical we find ourselves repeatedly transported into Michael's mind — his memories and dreams," said McLane in a statement. "The alternating between dream sequences and reality gives us the chance to repeatedly surprise the audience."
Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate today also confirmed the full creative team for the show, which will star previously announced lead Ephraim Sykes in the title role.
In addition to McLane, a Tony Award winner for 33 Variations and a two-time Emmy winner for the 2014 Oscars telecast and 2017's Hairspray Live!, the team includes multiple award winners Natasha Katz (lighting), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Gareth Owen (sound), Peter Nigrini (projections) and Charles LaPointe (hair and wigs).
David Holcenberg will serve as music supervisor, also sharing orchestration and arrangement duties with recent Tony winner Jason Michael Webb, who will be the production's music director.
The show's book is by Lynn Nottage, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her plays Ruined and Sweat, while direction and choreography are by Christopher Wheeldon, who made a successful transition from the ballet world into musical theater in 2015 with An American in Paris, winning a Tony for his exhilarating dance storytelling.
Few details are known about the show at this point, other than the narrative frame being pegged to the intensive rehearsal period for Jackson's 1992 Dangerous tour, widely considered the height of his reign as the King of Pop. It remains unclear to what extent, if any, the musical will address the controversies surrounding child sexual abuse allegations that clouded the final decades of Jackson's life and have continued since his death in 2009.
"What I would say about the show is that Lynn Nottage and Christopher Wheeldon are really unique and brilliant theater artists and I think that what we have done for as long as there has been theater is told stories about all kinds of provocative individuals," lead producer Vollack told THR in an interview late last year. "Michael Jackson was a figure in our history who has been dead for 10 years, who had a massive impact on music and dance, on how we view celebrity and race."
Previews for MJ are scheduled to begin July 6 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, ahead of an Aug. 13 official opening.
Alongside Sykes, coming off his Tony-nominated turn in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, the MJ cast will include Quentin Earl Darrington, Whitney Bashor, Gabriel Ruiz, Antoine L. Smith, Joey Sorge, Darius Barnes, Raymond Baynard, Coral Dolphin, John Edwards, Ayana George, Kali May Grinder, Apollo Levine, Ryan VanDenBoom, Lamont Walker II, Naomi C. Walley and Zelig Williams.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
From The Michael Jackson Estate Team:
Group Sales for MJ The Musical
The whole Broadway show team has been ecstatic to receive so many requests for group sales from the various fan clubs around the world. The Estate has worked with the theater and the sales team to set up a special portal where you can go to purchase group tickets for MJ The Musical. If you prefer, you may call 800-525-2929 for group sales. All of the information is available at https://www.broadwayinbound.com/welcome-mjfam/.
Purchasing your tickets as a group will ensure that you get access to a group specialist to help you choose the best option for your group, and there will be a group discount on the ticket price!
This site is designed to best service you, the fans, and you are the first to have access to it. The team is very proud of the show they are creating and look forward to your reviews once you’ve had a chance to experience the magic in the theater.
Enjoy,
The MJ Online Team
MJOnline
The Official Online Team of The Michael Jackson Estate™
![Immagine](https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/87811648_10219455270865121_5243671184515530752_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_eui2=AeEcBig3ecIK9djSFX6-2hhb8bZ77lyWWvF9L92yUgo8wlicxhgNxorgZbbMcoek6Q4T0kUAsmsy4hj9ewwZgd-9qww-emqX2Vjqtl9ASs6xQw&_nc_ohc=eadPYfUPUvUAX_TUB8-&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=3c3e4ccbb76ec98104a64feea8d72400&oe=5E998CDA)
Group Sales for MJ The Musical
The whole Broadway show team has been ecstatic to receive so many requests for group sales from the various fan clubs around the world. The Estate has worked with the theater and the sales team to set up a special portal where you can go to purchase group tickets for MJ The Musical. If you prefer, you may call 800-525-2929 for group sales. All of the information is available at https://www.broadwayinbound.com/welcome-mjfam/.
Purchasing your tickets as a group will ensure that you get access to a group specialist to help you choose the best option for your group, and there will be a group discount on the ticket price!
This site is designed to best service you, the fans, and you are the first to have access to it. The team is very proud of the show they are creating and look forward to your reviews once you’ve had a chance to experience the magic in the theater.
Enjoy,
The MJ Online Team
MJOnline
The Official Online Team of The Michael Jackson Estate™
![Immagine](https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/87811648_10219455270865121_5243671184515530752_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_eui2=AeEcBig3ecIK9djSFX6-2hhb8bZ77lyWWvF9L92yUgo8wlicxhgNxorgZbbMcoek6Q4T0kUAsmsy4hj9ewwZgd-9qww-emqX2Vjqtl9ASs6xQw&_nc_ohc=eadPYfUPUvUAX_TUB8-&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=3c3e4ccbb76ec98104a64feea8d72400&oe=5E998CDA)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Robyn Starkand to One Rose for Michael J. Jackson
Broadway to remain dark through the summer
https://1010wins.radio.com/…/broadway-t ... ark-throug…
![Immagine](https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/96823550_10220277027008511_279679225114394624_o.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_ohc=aW9L5T9vjlQAX_1CAoB&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=3af821867e3f2ddc5eb540334f2896fb&oe=5EE013F8)
Broadway to remain dark through the summer
https://1010wins.radio.com/…/broadway-t ... ark-throug…
![Immagine](https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/96823550_10220277027008511_279679225114394624_o.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_sid=ca434c&_nc_ohc=aW9L5T9vjlQAX_1CAoB&_nc_ht=scontent-lht6-1.xx&oh=3af821867e3f2ddc5eb540334f2896fb&oe=5EE013F8)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/08/broadway-p ... 203011322/
Broadway Production Company Behind Michael Jackson Musical ‘MJ’ Hires Producer Travis LeMont Ballenger
By Greg Evans
August 13, 2020 8:00am
![Immagine](https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/travis-mj-the-musical.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
EXCLUSIVE: The Broadway production company behind the upcoming Michael Jackson musical MJ and the stage adaptation of the hit 2000 film Almost Famous has hired The Old Globe Theater’s Travis LeMont Ballenger as producer to help oversee both high-profile projects.
Ballenger, most recently the Associate Artistic Director at the Globe in San Diego, also will work on the development of new shows in his job at Lia Vollack Productions. He brings the company substantial theater experience, particularly with regard to works by Black artists including Lynn Nottage, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright penning the book for MJ.
“Throughout his career, Travis has already distinguished himself as a true creative force,” Lia Vollack said. “He is a passionate theater maker and an outspoken advocate for artists. I am so thrilled that Travis is joining me and I know my company, our shows, and Broadway will be so much richer for having his voice in the room.”
“As you can imagine, accepting this position was not a hard decision,” Ballenger said in a statement. “Lia is a forward-thinking, deeply decent human being, with a clear vision for what theater can be. She is passionate about bringing new audiences and artists to Broadway and beyond. Therefore, she has her hands on some of the most exciting material around.”
MJ, a co-production with the Michael Jackson Estate that features music from singer’s catalogue and Nottage’s book, is scheduled to begin preview performances at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre on March 8, 2021, with opening night on April 15. Prior to Broadway’s COVID shutdown, the show had been set to begin previews last month.
Production details for the Almost Famous musical have not been announced. The film’s writer-director Cameron Crowe announced the stage adaptation in 2018, with himself set to write the musical’s book.
Both projects have been among Broadway’s most attention-getting upcoming shows, generating considerable anticipation and curiosity. MJ and Almost Famous were the first productions announced by Vollack when she launched her company last November after more than 20 years with Sony Pictures Entertainment, including a three-year run as President of the studio’s theater division Columbia Live Stage.
As an Associate Producer for Market Road Films, co-founded by Nottage, Ballenger field-produced 2017’s This is Reading, a performance installation in Reading, Pennsylvania inspired by Nottage’s research for her Pulitzer-winning 2015 play Sweat.
During a previous stint at Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage, Ballenger line-produced, among other shows, the pre-Broadway run of Lydia R. Diamond’s Stick Fly, which opened in New York in 2011 with a cast that included Dulé Hill, Tracie Thoms, Mekhi Phifer and Condola Rashad. Ballenger has also worked as a producer with Katori Hall, Sarah Treem, Pearl Cleage, Lydia R. Diamond, and Radha Blank.
After Arena, Ballenger became the Associate Producer for the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, producing both Washington D.C. and New York festivals, as well as a co-production with the Classical Theater of Harlem. He has also served as Associate Producer and Casting Director at Dallas Theater Center and Associate Producer of The Drama League of New York, producing both in New York and internationally.
Most recently, Ballenger was Associate Artistic Director at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego. An artist and poet, his poetry has been published in The Journal of African American Literature and Glasschord Magazine.
Broadway Production Company Behind Michael Jackson Musical ‘MJ’ Hires Producer Travis LeMont Ballenger
By Greg Evans
August 13, 2020 8:00am
![Immagine](https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/travis-mj-the-musical.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
EXCLUSIVE: The Broadway production company behind the upcoming Michael Jackson musical MJ and the stage adaptation of the hit 2000 film Almost Famous has hired The Old Globe Theater’s Travis LeMont Ballenger as producer to help oversee both high-profile projects.
Ballenger, most recently the Associate Artistic Director at the Globe in San Diego, also will work on the development of new shows in his job at Lia Vollack Productions. He brings the company substantial theater experience, particularly with regard to works by Black artists including Lynn Nottage, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright penning the book for MJ.
“Throughout his career, Travis has already distinguished himself as a true creative force,” Lia Vollack said. “He is a passionate theater maker and an outspoken advocate for artists. I am so thrilled that Travis is joining me and I know my company, our shows, and Broadway will be so much richer for having his voice in the room.”
“As you can imagine, accepting this position was not a hard decision,” Ballenger said in a statement. “Lia is a forward-thinking, deeply decent human being, with a clear vision for what theater can be. She is passionate about bringing new audiences and artists to Broadway and beyond. Therefore, she has her hands on some of the most exciting material around.”
MJ, a co-production with the Michael Jackson Estate that features music from singer’s catalogue and Nottage’s book, is scheduled to begin preview performances at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre on March 8, 2021, with opening night on April 15. Prior to Broadway’s COVID shutdown, the show had been set to begin previews last month.
Production details for the Almost Famous musical have not been announced. The film’s writer-director Cameron Crowe announced the stage adaptation in 2018, with himself set to write the musical’s book.
Both projects have been among Broadway’s most attention-getting upcoming shows, generating considerable anticipation and curiosity. MJ and Almost Famous were the first productions announced by Vollack when she launched her company last November after more than 20 years with Sony Pictures Entertainment, including a three-year run as President of the studio’s theater division Columbia Live Stage.
As an Associate Producer for Market Road Films, co-founded by Nottage, Ballenger field-produced 2017’s This is Reading, a performance installation in Reading, Pennsylvania inspired by Nottage’s research for her Pulitzer-winning 2015 play Sweat.
During a previous stint at Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage, Ballenger line-produced, among other shows, the pre-Broadway run of Lydia R. Diamond’s Stick Fly, which opened in New York in 2011 with a cast that included Dulé Hill, Tracie Thoms, Mekhi Phifer and Condola Rashad. Ballenger has also worked as a producer with Katori Hall, Sarah Treem, Pearl Cleage, Lydia R. Diamond, and Radha Blank.
After Arena, Ballenger became the Associate Producer for the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, producing both Washington D.C. and New York festivals, as well as a co-production with the Classical Theater of Harlem. He has also served as Associate Producer and Casting Director at Dallas Theater Center and Associate Producer of The Drama League of New York, producing both in New York and internationally.
Most recently, Ballenger was Associate Artistic Director at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego. An artist and poet, his poetry has been published in The Journal of African American Literature and Glasschord Magazine.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
MJ
@MJtheMusical
Wanna be startin' somethin'... #MJtheMusical
Wanna be the first to hear next week’s big news? Make sure you’re on our email list! Sign up now: https://mjthemusical.com
@MJtheMusical
Wanna be startin' somethin'... #MJtheMusical
Wanna be the first to hear next week’s big news? Make sure you’re on our email list! Sign up now: https://mjthemusical.com
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
December 6th! #MJtheMusical is gonna be startin' somethin' on Broadway! Tickets go on sale next Tuesday, May 18th. Get ready!
![Immagine](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E1G930LWYAUxyus?format=jpg&name=small)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.showbiz411.com/2021/05/11/d ... ary-1-2022
The Michael Jackson musical is here.
“MJ” will get seven weeks of previews beginning December 20th and open February 1, 2022. This will be a show dependent on suspension of disbelief and a willingness to dance in the aisles.
There have been worse ideas.
The Michael Jackson musical will go from his childhood through the success of “Thriller,” and there before things get too weird. Maybe they’ll throw in some songs from “Bad,” too.
Running concurrently with the Temptations musical, “Ain’t Too Proud,” we’ll be getting real dose of Motown and a third show in which Berry Gordy is a character. That may be a record.
Look for a lot of Moonwalking, beaded silver gloves for sale in the lobby, and everyone singing “Billie Jean” together, standing in the theater. It should be a lot of fun.
Don’t stop til you get enough!
PS You know, this would after the story of the musical, but Michael did make his kids wear masks all those years. He was prescient!
The Michael Jackson musical is here.
“MJ” will get seven weeks of previews beginning December 20th and open February 1, 2022. This will be a show dependent on suspension of disbelief and a willingness to dance in the aisles.
There have been worse ideas.
The Michael Jackson musical will go from his childhood through the success of “Thriller,” and there before things get too weird. Maybe they’ll throw in some songs from “Bad,” too.
Running concurrently with the Temptations musical, “Ain’t Too Proud,” we’ll be getting real dose of Motown and a third show in which Berry Gordy is a character. That may be a record.
Look for a lot of Moonwalking, beaded silver gloves for sale in the lobby, and everyone singing “Billie Jean” together, standing in the theater. It should be a lot of fun.
Don’t stop til you get enough!
PS You know, this would after the story of the musical, but Michael did make his kids wear masks all those years. He was prescient!
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
SIEDAH GARRETT
@SIEDAHGARRETT
So very excited that #MJtheMusical on Broadway has set previews for Dec 6, 2021, opening date Feb 1, 2022, and will feature TWO of my songs on the playlist!!
Tickets go on sale next Tue May 18th! Can’t wait!!
@SIEDAHGARRETT
So very excited that #MJtheMusical on Broadway has set previews for Dec 6, 2021, opening date Feb 1, 2022, and will feature TWO of my songs on the playlist!!
Tickets go on sale next Tue May 18th! Can’t wait!!
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/manha ... -december/
Michael Jackson musical to premiere at Neil Simon Theatre in December
![Immagine](https://pix11.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/05/4045e37c25314b2faef66a65f0ac5362.jpg?w=960&h=540&crop=1)
by: Stephen M. Lepore
Posted: May 11, 2021
NEW YORK — With Broadway planning to return this fall, production appears to be ramping up on shows both new and old, including a flashy one years-in-the-making on the King of Pop.
“MJ” is set to debut at the newly refurbished Neil Simon Theatre on West 52nd Street Dec. 6, with opening night set for Feb. 1 of next year.
According to the show’s website, “MJ” is “the electrifying new Broadway musical that takes audiences inside the creative process of one of the greatest entertainers in history. Featuring over 25 of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits, “MJ” allows us to rediscover the man in the mirror — with an explosion of music and theatricality as unforgettable as the artist himself.”
The show stars Tony-nominee Ephraim Sykes as Jackson, a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Notage and will be directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon.
According to a press release from the show, “MJ” and the Simon Theatre will follow state, city and CDC guidelines to ensure all in attendance’s safety. The theatre will remain flexible and adapt to applicable health protocols, such as face coverings, health screening, enhanced air filtration and ventilation, and rigorous cleaning and disinfection.
Anyone who previously purchased tickets for the show will be notified by email about pre-sale priority access to purchase tickets for rescheduled dates. General on-sale is May 18.
Michael Jackson musical to premiere at Neil Simon Theatre in December
![Immagine](https://pix11.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/05/4045e37c25314b2faef66a65f0ac5362.jpg?w=960&h=540&crop=1)
by: Stephen M. Lepore
Posted: May 11, 2021
NEW YORK — With Broadway planning to return this fall, production appears to be ramping up on shows both new and old, including a flashy one years-in-the-making on the King of Pop.
“MJ” is set to debut at the newly refurbished Neil Simon Theatre on West 52nd Street Dec. 6, with opening night set for Feb. 1 of next year.
According to the show’s website, “MJ” is “the electrifying new Broadway musical that takes audiences inside the creative process of one of the greatest entertainers in history. Featuring over 25 of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits, “MJ” allows us to rediscover the man in the mirror — with an explosion of music and theatricality as unforgettable as the artist himself.”
The show stars Tony-nominee Ephraim Sykes as Jackson, a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Notage and will be directed and choreographed by Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon.
According to a press release from the show, “MJ” and the Simon Theatre will follow state, city and CDC guidelines to ensure all in attendance’s safety. The theatre will remain flexible and adapt to applicable health protocols, such as face coverings, health screening, enhanced air filtration and ventilation, and rigorous cleaning and disinfection.
Anyone who previously purchased tickets for the show will be notified by email about pre-sale priority access to purchase tickets for rescheduled dates. General on-sale is May 18.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
MJ
@MJtheMusical
We can’t wait to see you on Broadway soon and would love to hear from you. Connect with us by taking our quick survey so we can know more about you and what you’re looking for from us as we come to Broadway. See you on December 6. https://surveymonkey.com/r/NT5PWSN
@MJtheMusical
We can’t wait to see you on Broadway soon and would love to hear from you. Connect with us by taking our quick survey so we can know more about you and what you’re looking for from us as we come to Broadway. See you on December 6. https://surveymonkey.com/r/NT5PWSN
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://www.showbiz411.com/2021/06/29/m ... -from-show
The Michael Jackson Broadway musical, “MJ,” is having a rough time.
Ephraim Sykes, Tony nominated for “Ain’t Too Proud,” has moonwalked right outta there after being attached to the show for two years.
Sykes says he’s leaving to make a feature film, whatever that means. So far, there’s no indication of what that would be.
In his place comes a completely unknown entity, Myles Frost. No credits on Broadway or in film. On his Instagram page, he sings convincingly like Michael Jackson. Can he dance? He must be able to or Lia Vollack, the astute producer, wouldn’t have hired him.
But without Sykes, there’s no draw from the show. It’s just about Michael Jackson. And so far, ticket sales are grim. They’re not moving. At all. A look through Ticketmaster reveals seas of blue dots, meaning unsold seats, every night from the beginning of previews in December through opening night in February.
Sykes, who’s been hanging around since 2019, may have just gotten frustrated. Frost could be a “find,” a gem, an overnight sensation. But with no advance sale, “MJ” is going to depend entirely on rave reviews or they’re going to wind up posting a closing notice next February.
Note to the legions of Michael Jackson fans: tickets are available. At decent prices. Don’t stop til you get enough.
The Michael Jackson Broadway musical, “MJ,” is having a rough time.
Ephraim Sykes, Tony nominated for “Ain’t Too Proud,” has moonwalked right outta there after being attached to the show for two years.
Sykes says he’s leaving to make a feature film, whatever that means. So far, there’s no indication of what that would be.
In his place comes a completely unknown entity, Myles Frost. No credits on Broadway or in film. On his Instagram page, he sings convincingly like Michael Jackson. Can he dance? He must be able to or Lia Vollack, the astute producer, wouldn’t have hired him.
But without Sykes, there’s no draw from the show. It’s just about Michael Jackson. And so far, ticket sales are grim. They’re not moving. At all. A look through Ticketmaster reveals seas of blue dots, meaning unsold seats, every night from the beginning of previews in December through opening night in February.
Sykes, who’s been hanging around since 2019, may have just gotten frustrated. Frost could be a “find,” a gem, an overnight sensation. But with no advance sale, “MJ” is going to depend entirely on rave reviews or they’re going to wind up posting a closing notice next February.
Note to the legions of Michael Jackson fans: tickets are available. At decent prices. Don’t stop til you get enough.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
Check out the stage at the Neil Simon Theater where MJ: the musical will begin performances on December 6, 2021! Reserve your tickets here: https://mjthemusical.com/tickets
Check out the stage at the Neil Simon Theater where MJ: the musical will begin performances on December 6, 2021! Reserve your tickets here: https://mjthemusical.com/tickets
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
Earlier today, it was announced that Rich + Tone Talauega are part of the creative team for MJ: the musical. Their focus is particularly on Michael Jackson movement. The show’s director/choreographer, Chris Wheeldon, commented, “Working with Rich and Tone over the last three years of our developmental process has been exceptional and I am so thrilled to announce them. It has been very exciting to have them as a part of my team as their first-hand knowledge both of Michael’s life on tour and movement languages is invaluable and informed the authenticity of our show.”
Earlier today, it was announced that Rich + Tone Talauega are part of the creative team for MJ: the musical. Their focus is particularly on Michael Jackson movement. The show’s director/choreographer, Chris Wheeldon, commented, “Working with Rich and Tone over the last three years of our developmental process has been exceptional and I am so thrilled to announce them. It has been very exciting to have them as a part of my team as their first-hand knowledge both of Michael’s life on tour and movement languages is invaluable and informed the authenticity of our show.”
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
Myles Frost who plays Michael in MJ: the musical is getting the feel for the stage at the Neil Simon Theater where MJ the Musical will be performed starting December 6, 2021. The Broadway show takes audiences into rehearsals as Michael prepares for the 1992 Dangerous World Tour.
Get your tickets now: https://mjthemusical.com/tickets/
#MJtheMusical
![Immagine](https://scontent.fadb6-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/241659374_391492349008170_7836838952297658585_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=BlRVhq83qBIAX9VIh61&_nc_ht=scontent.fadb6-3.fna&oh=9ac8b05a6aa5f5459ffe0afb033e818e&oe=6172C7B3)
Myles Frost who plays Michael in MJ: the musical is getting the feel for the stage at the Neil Simon Theater where MJ the Musical will be performed starting December 6, 2021. The Broadway show takes audiences into rehearsals as Michael prepares for the 1992 Dangerous World Tour.
Get your tickets now: https://mjthemusical.com/tickets/
#MJtheMusical
![Immagine](https://scontent.fadb6-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/241659374_391492349008170_7836838952297658585_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=BlRVhq83qBIAX9VIh61&_nc_ht=scontent.fadb6-3.fna&oh=9ac8b05a6aa5f5459ffe0afb033e818e&oe=6172C7B3)
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
andjustice4some
@andjustice4some
Today, 50 days before showtime, the first MJ Musical show sold out. From now on only resale and return tickets are available. It's unprecedented for a brand new show on Broadway with an unknown lead, let alone during a pandemic. #MJTheMusical
![Immagine](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FCA1b84UYAEkgWf?format=png&name=small)
@andjustice4some
Today, 50 days before showtime, the first MJ Musical show sold out. From now on only resale and return tickets are available. It's unprecedented for a brand new show on Broadway with an unknown lead, let alone during a pandemic. #MJTheMusical
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
Newsweek calls MJ: the musical one of the “15 Shows to Watch As Broadway Reopens."
Now you can learn more about Myles Frost, the actor making his Broadway debut as Michael through a docuseries that started this week.
Newsweek calls MJ: the musical one of the “15 Shows to Watch As Broadway Reopens."
Now you can learn more about Myles Frost, the actor making his Broadway debut as Michael through a docuseries that started this week.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
https://deadline.com/2021/10/broadway-m ... 2Diw1x13mg
Broadway’s ‘MJ’ Musical Casts Role Of Little Michael Jackson
By Greg Evan
![Immagine](https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/image001-2.png?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
Producers of MJ, the upcoming Broadway musical about Michael Jackson that uses the late icon’s hits as its score, has cast the young actor – or actors – who will play the singer in his youthful Jackson Five era: Walter Russell III from Harlem, New York, and Christian Wilson from Norfolk, Virginia, will alternate in the role of “Little Michael.”
Also cast was Devin Trey Campbell from Bronx, New York, who will play the role of “Little Marlon” Jackson. Producers Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate announced the hires.
MJ, which features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score of Jackson’s songs, begins performances on Broadway on December 6, with an opening night set for Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at the newly refurbished Neil Simon Theatre.
Rather than focusing on Jackson’s personal life or controversies, the musical depicts the Thriller star and his collaborators as they rehearse for the 1992 Dangerous Tour. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon (who won a 2015 Tony Award for his choreography of An American In Paris) directs and choreographs.
In August, producers announced that Myles Frost had been cast as the adult Michael Jackson, taking over from the pre-pandemic cast member Ephraim Sykes, who exited the stage project for a movie role.
Broadway’s ‘MJ’ Musical Casts Role Of Little Michael Jackson
By Greg Evan
![Immagine](https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/image001-2.png?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
Producers of MJ, the upcoming Broadway musical about Michael Jackson that uses the late icon’s hits as its score, has cast the young actor – or actors – who will play the singer in his youthful Jackson Five era: Walter Russell III from Harlem, New York, and Christian Wilson from Norfolk, Virginia, will alternate in the role of “Little Michael.”
Also cast was Devin Trey Campbell from Bronx, New York, who will play the role of “Little Marlon” Jackson. Producers Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate announced the hires.
MJ, which features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score of Jackson’s songs, begins performances on Broadway on December 6, with an opening night set for Tuesday, February 1, 2022, at the newly refurbished Neil Simon Theatre.
Rather than focusing on Jackson’s personal life or controversies, the musical depicts the Thriller star and his collaborators as they rehearse for the 1992 Dangerous Tour. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon (who won a 2015 Tony Award for his choreography of An American In Paris) directs and choreographs.
In August, producers announced that Myles Frost had been cast as the adult Michael Jackson, taking over from the pre-pandemic cast member Ephraim Sykes, who exited the stage project for a movie role.
- soulmum
- Utente certificato
- Messaggi: 9304
- Iscritto il: 31 maggio 2016, 12:43
Re: MJ The Musical/Broadway 2020
Michael Jackson
Myles Frost is getting closer to his Broadway debut as he and the rest of the cast and creative team for MJ: the musical come together to start rehearsals. Enjoy the team at work!
And don’t forget to get your tickets to see this amazing show opening December 6 on Broadway https://mjthemusical.com/tickets/
Myles Frost is getting closer to his Broadway debut as he and the rest of the cast and creative team for MJ: the musical come together to start rehearsals. Enjoy the team at work!
And don’t forget to get your tickets to see this amazing show opening December 6 on Broadway https://mjthemusical.com/tickets/