Get ready to do the moonwalk!! The Saenger Theatre is opening its curtains to the four-time Tony winning MJ! The Musical! Head down to downtown New Orleans and get a behind the scenes look at the rehearsal of the King of Pop’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Packed with twenty five of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits, this jukebox musical will get all the family singing and dancing!!
MJ! The Musical is choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and written by the two-time Pulitzer winner playwright Lynn Nottage (“Ruined,” “Sweat”). Meanwhile, the unstoppable Elijah Rhea Johnson brings Michael Jackson’s talent to life on the stage with an unforgettable parade of chart toppers. Offering a rare glimpse at the King of Pop’s life, controversies, and legacy, this show is not to be missed!
MJ Musical Tickets:
“The choreography and music are simply outstanding!” – New York City Theater
“A riveting, adrenaline rush of a show” – Washington Post
Synopsis
Kicking off the show with the global smash hit “Beat It,” MJ! The Musical follows the rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s legendary Dangerous tour. As soon as the song finishes, Michael Jackson talks to an MTV reporter who has an exclusive interview with the star. “With respect, I wanna keep this about my music,” Michael Jackson says. “Is it really possible to separate your life from your music?” the reporter asks, and he responds with: “Just because you read it in a magazine / Or see it on a TV screen, don’t make it factual.”
This is a jukebox musical that offers a new perspective to the King of Pop, looking at his life and controversies as a cult American entertainer. The unique production sheds light on Michael Jackson’s creative force, iconic dance moves, as well as his rise to stardom as a young popstar. Get ready to dance to over twenty five of his greatest hits including “Billie Jean”, “Man in the Mirror”, “Beat It” and “Smooth Criminal”.
MJ! The Musical gives viewers the unique opportunity to look at Michael Jackson behind the scenes as he prepares for his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. As the pop icon and his fellow collaborators rehearse their legendary setlist, the audience is transported to the specific moments that moulded his career. MJ! The Musical doesn’t only give spectators a show of a lifetime with his epic dance moves and unique sound, but gives voice to the creative mind that catapulted Michael Jackson into the King of Pop status.
“MJ is a truly amazing show” – Stage and Cinema
“The perfect salutation to the life of an imperfect but gifted icon” – New York Theatre Guide
Creative team
Lynn Nottage is tasked with writing the MJ! The Musical, while Christopher Wheeldon wears the hat of director and choreographer.
“The show is very much anchored in one particular moment in time. – 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.” – Christopher Wheeldon
Other creative team members include: Elijah Rhea Johnson (Michael Jackson), David Holcenberg (head of Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Jason Michael Webb (Musical Direction, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Derek Mclane (scenic design), Gareth Owen (sound design), Joe Dulude II (makeup design), Strange Cranium Billy Jay Stein (electronic music design), Natasha Katz (lighting design), Peter Nigrini (projection design), Dontee Kiehn (global associate director), Thomas Recktenwald (production stage manager), John Miller (music coordinator), Paul Tazewell (costume design), Charles Lapointe (hair and wig design), Michael Balderrama (global associate choreographer), Rich and Tone Talauega (Michael Jackson movement).
“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 his dreams. The alternating between dream sequences and reality gives us the chance to repeatedly surprise the audience.” – Derek McLane
History and awards
Just one year after MJ! The Musical opened its curtains (6th December 2021), the Broadway production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning categories for Best Actor, Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. The show was also put up for 13 Theatre Fans’ Choice Awards, 3 Drama League Awards, 7 Outer Critics Circle Awards (winning the Outstanding Choreographer award), 7 Drama Desk Awards (winning Outstanding Orchestrations, Outstanding Lighting Design, and Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical), and 3 Chitra Rivera Awards. And by the time 2023 came around, the original cast recording was put up for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. AMAZING!!
