MJ – The Musical at Hollywood Pantages Theatre
It’s time to get your moon walk on as the smash Broadway musical hit of the King of Pop is coming to Los Angeles!! MJ the Musical is a four-time Tony winner that is based on the making of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Featuring twenty five of his greatest hits, this jukebox musical is guaranteed to deliver a mesmerizing parade of chart toppers.
In this well crafted jukebox nostalgia trip, the choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, two-time Pulitzer winner playwright Lynn Nottage (“Ruined,” “Sweat”) and impeccable cast led by Elijah Rhea Johnson brings the undeniable talent of Michael Jackson to life on the stage. Weaving together iconic songs from the King of Pop, the musical examines his life, controversies, and legacy.
Don’t miss this unforgettable night at the Pantages Theatre! As the last theater built by the vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages, MJ the Musical is guaranteed to deliver a night of unforgettable entertainment!
MJ – The Musical Tickets:
“The choreography and music are simply outstanding!” – New York City Theater
“A riveting, adrenaline rush of a show” – Washington Post
“MJ is a truly amazing show” – Stage and Cinema
Synopsis
The show begins on the rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s Dangerous tour with “Beat It”. When the song is finished, Michael talks to an MTV reporter who has secured a rare interview with him. “With respect, I wanna keep this about my music,” he states. “Is it really possible to separate your life from your music?” she asks, and Michael replies “Just because you read it in a magazine / Or see it on a TV screen, don’t make it factual.”
MJ The Musical is a jukebox musical that deep dives into the magic of Michael Jackson and his life and controversies as an American entertainer. Often known as the King of Pop, the musical explores Michael Jackson’s artistic force, signature dance moves, and his childhood fame, all the while giving center stage to more than twenty five of his greatest hits including Billie Jean, Man in the Mirror, Beat It and Smooth Criminal.
The production takes viewers behind the scenes as Michael Jackson gets ready for his Dangerous World Tour in 1992, providing a detailed look at his creative processes. As the star-studded musician and his collaborators rehearse their iconic setlist, audiences are transported to the pivotal moments that shaped his legendary career. MJ the Musical goes beyond the signature moves and unique sound of the star, offering a rare glimpse at the creative mind that skyrocketed Michael Jackson into legendary status.
Creative team
The musical is written by Lynn Nottage, and directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. Wheeldon said: “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.”
Elijah Rhea Johnson stars as Michael Jackson. While David Holcenberg is head of Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements, Jason Michael Webb is in charge of Musical Direction, Orchestrations and Arrangements. Other members of the creative team include: 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 said in the press release.
“The perfect salutation to the life of an imperfect but gifted icon” – New York Theatre Guide
History and awards
In 2018, MJ The Musical was first announced and it played its very first performance on 6th December 2021. Just one year later, in 2022, MJ The Musical was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, with the musical hit winning four awards including Best Actor, Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. They also were nominated for 13 Theatre Fans’ Choice Awards, 3 Drama League Awards, 7 Outer Critics Circle Awards (with Christopher Wheeldon and Rich + Tone Talauega 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. Not only that but the original cast recording was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2023. WOW!