Review: MJ THE MUSICAL Peels Back the Myth at San Diego Civic Theatre
The Broadway National Tour is now playing through May 10.
I was 14 when Michael Jackson passed away, and I mourned him like I’ve never mourned a public figure since then. I was never really a fangirl of anyone, but Michael Jackson existed in a league of his own. That is exactly what the Tony Award-winning MJ the Musical, with a book by Lynn Nottage, captures with precision, spectacle, and surprising tenderness.
Structured through fluid transitions between past and present, the musical introduces audiences to Michael’s talented Jackson brothers, his compassionate mother Katherine, and, of course, the looming force of Joe Jackson, portrayed here as the architect of both Michael’s greatness and his pain. Through flashbacks, the production revisits defining moments of his childhood while, in the present, Michael prepares for the launch of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour.
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The show’s emotional throughline comes through Rachel, an MTV reporter played with determination by Kristin Stokes. Through her interviews with Michael, audiences are invited beyond the public persona and into the contradictions of the man himself. Yet Michael remains elusive, carefully revealing only pieces of himself at a time.
Leading the production is Jordan Markus, whose performance never slips into caricature. Instead, he channels Michael’s unmistakable vibrato, magnetic stage presence, and effortless dance swagger with remarkable control and emotional depth. Rarely leaving the stage, Markus carries the production with the energy and vulnerability that, at moments, makes audiences do a subtle double take, as if Michael himself were in the room.
Equally compelling are Eric Witz as young Michael and Brandon Lee Harris as teenage Michael. One struggles to retain a sense of childhood beneath the crushing expectations of fame and family, while the other navigates the pressures of emerging from Motown into superstardom during the Thriller era. Together, their performances emphasize one of the musical’s strongest themes: Michael’s constant tension between personal identity and public demand.
A notable feature of the production is its use of doubling, with several cast members taking on multiple roles across the story. Devin Bowles portrays both Joseph Jackson and the show director Rob, while Rajané Katurah appears as Katherine Jackson as well as vocalist Kate. The rest of the ensemble similarly rotates between the Jackson brothers, dancers, and touring vocal backups, creating a fluid structure in which identities overlap and shift throughout the evening.
These transitions are handled primarily through changes in physicality and accent, which means the audience is often piecing together who is who in real time. In moments where dialogue moves quickly or blends with the music, that layering can become harder to follow, though it also reinforces the sense of memory shaping the storytelling.
While many of the songs are staged in a concert-style format, often framed as rehearsals or recreations of iconic performances like Amateur Night at The Apollo and Motown 25, the ensemble’s vocal moments add a distinct theatrical layer without taking away from MJ’s central presence. Michael remains firmly at the center of the performance, carrying the majority of the music as audiences would expect, while the ensemble’s contributions briefly shift the energy into something more stage-driven, particularly in numbers like “Man in the Mirror,” “Black or White,” and “Money.” Given these compelling onstage harmonies, hearing Michael’s voice blend with others makes one wonder why he recorded relatively few duets throughout his career. It is in these moments that the production leans furthest into its theatrical identity, especially alongside Christopher Wheeldon’s powerful and precise choreography.
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Visually, the production is minimalistic and dynamic. Derek McLane’s set moves swiftly between rehearsal studios, recording spaces, press conferences, and performance arenas through rotating panels and shifting architectural pieces. Combined with Natasha Katz’s atmospheric lighting and Peter Nigrini’s immersive projections, the show frequently shifts between larger-than-life spectacle and intimate interior moments, at times feeling like a musical and at others like stepping directly into a Michael Jackson concert.
The production’s standout musical moments are exactly the ones audiences hope for. “Thriller” arrives as a full theatrical event, complete with zombies, cinematic lighting, and chilling visual effects. “They Don’t Care About Us” channels Michael’s anger toward media scrutiny, while “Human Nature” offers one of the evening’s most vulnerable moments.
To its credit, the musical does not entirely ignore the darker aspects of Michael Jackson’s legacy. Vague, indirect nods to the allegations against him, along with more direct concerns over his dependency on medication, are acknowledged, though briefly. Ultimately, however, the show is less interested in investigation than in examining the emotional cost of genius, fame, and relentless perfectionism.
Michael Jackson remains one of the most controversial cultural figures in modern history. MJ the Musical does not attempt to resolve those contradictions. Instead, it focuses on the artistry, discipline, and isolation behind one of pop music’s most mythologized performers. Beneath the dazzling choreography and iconic music lies a lingering question the production sustains throughout the night: what is the true cost of excellence?
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