Review Roundup: MJ Launches National Tour

Rachel Weinberg, BroadwayWorld: Is MJ THE MUSICAL a fun and entertaining musical that treats audiences to many of Michael Jackson’s iconic hits? Yes. Does MJ also demonstrate why bio jukebox musicals are tricky? Yes. In the musical, MJ emphatically tells fictional MTV reporter Rachel that he wants to be remembered for his music. But can the art be separated from the artist, or are the two intertwined in all their messy, complicated ways? I don’t have an answer to that question, but I think MJ struggles with making the struggles and demons of a complex person — the real-life Michael Jackson — seem simplistic.

Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune: The movement in the show is recognizably in the Jackson gestalt, but it’s not a replication. It’s a fresh, independent, complicated and often dazzlingly beautiful choreographic suite, as interpreted not by actors who dance but by dancers, first and foremost. Now that I’ve seen it a couple of times, my admiration has only grown for how well Wheeldon satisfied the imperative of offering people the moves they think they came to see while at the same time extending everyone’s choreographic vocabulary, both presentationally and emotionally. It’s a brilliant fusion of originality and reference, art and commerce, homage and the subtlest of challenges to the record. And it’s fabulous to watch, just like the King of Pop.

Madeline Holly-Carothers, Q City Metro: Each of the three versions of Michael delivered, but Roman Banks — the oldest MJ and pseudo-narrator of the show — is almost like a reincarnation of the pop star. The inflections in Banks’ voice, his singing and his movements were everything I would expect from the King of Pop. At one point in the show, someone yelled, “Go ‘head, Mike!” It was like the audience had forgotten Banks wasn’t the real thing.

Jeffrey Kare, BroadwayWorld: Leading the cast as MJ himself is Roman Banks. He gives a dynamic performance, successfully capturing the essence of the real Michael Jackson in terms of both physicality and vocals without ever coming across as an impersonation. Brandon Lee Harris and Josiah Benson (who went on at the performance I attended) both do a great job of portraying Middle Michael and Little Michael, respectively. I found Mary Kate Moore to be charismatic as Rachel, the reporter who interviews MJ during the making of his Dangerous tour. Anastasia Talley gives heartfelt work as Michael’s mom, Katherine Jackson.

Ada Alozie, Houston Press: Don’t expect to learn anything new that you didn’t already know. MJ the Musical, playing now at Broadway at the Hobby Center, dazzles. It doesn't illuminate. His father, Joe, was abusive. His desires to breakaway from the Jackson 5/The Jacksons banner and become a solo artist were not well received from some members of his family. He and Quincy Jones created timeless albums. He was lonely and was notorious for an eccentric sense of arrested development. He had a monkey named Bubbles and a home called Neverland.

Dallas Voice, Dallas Voice: While a jukebox musical, MJ played up a lot of the singer’s creative tenacity in getting the show just perfect. Many of the songs were used smartly to move the story forward. But the beauty of Jackson was the joy that his songs brought to the audience as the high energy numbers yieled huge applause and folks clapped or grooved in their seats to all the other songs. Banks’ moonwalk was spot-on and brought the house down. Perhaps that’s all what the audience wanted – to remember the time when Jackson’s talents were alive in this world – but MJ the Musical and this cast and crew delivered more than just the hits – they delivered magic.

Jay Irwin, BroadwayWorld: The book by the incredible playwright Lynn Nottage is an embarrassment. With forced and heavy-handed dialog, most of the impetus for the story is from the faux questions from the reporter. At which we proceed to learn that Michael’s father Joseph (Devin Bowles) was a monster, physically and mentally abusing his kids and working them to the bone. And we learn this about him over and over and over again. All of this goes to paint MJ as a victim of his upbringing and attempts to justify any troublesome things he did himself, assuming we ever really talk about them at all. They portray him as a diva, perfectionist, child but when they try and talk about anything icky, they moonwalk past it as quickly as possible.

Alisa Hayashida, South Pasadenan: The exhilarating numbers come fast and furious, from iconic moments like The Jackson Five on The Ed Sullivan Show and Soul Train – when young Michael (Josiah Benson/Ethan Joseph) puts on that iconic 70’s purple hat for their Soul Train debut, it’s a moment – the paradigm shift that occurred when he moonwalked across the stage during the live broadcast of Motown 25, to his record and groundbreaking Thriller, Beat It, and Smooth Criminal videos. A heart and show-stopping, mid-show standing ovation came after the culmination of Thriller ends in Jackson winning 9 Grammys in one night. I have never seen this in my life and it certainly felt like the minutes long ovation was just as much for Jackson himself as for the performers on stage. Even 15 years after his death, it’s clear he still has super fans with people actually screaming “We love you, Michael!” from the audience as if they were indeed at a concert.

Russell Tom, SoCal Thrills: “MJ” is the most incredible biographical musical ever put on stage. It’s more than just a faithful tribute with flashy costumes and imitations set to a recorded soundtrack, it’s an emotional concert that strikes a heart-pounding chord. Full of heart, soul, and irresistible charm. You can’t beat it—the best and only Michael Jackson experience you’ll ever need or find.

Nancy Van Valkenburg, Gephardt Daily: In nearly every song, Banks comes surprisingly close to the sound of the artist he portrays. Jackson died in 2003 at age 50, of course, but “MJ” seems to capture his spirit. The musical, brought in by Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles, continues through Sunday with nightly shows and some matinees.

Tyler Hinton, BroadwayWorld: Roman Banks as MJ (with Jamaal Fields-Green as his alternate) and Brandon Lee Harris as Michael are two sides of the same coin, each representing the late king of pop at different ages of his life with empathy and volumes of talent.

Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune: At the show’s center is the ultra-talented “King of Pop” himself, a whispery-voiced and tortured overachiever who lightly narrates his life story during the 2-1/2 hour show while at the same time revealing very little about himself. As entertaining as the show is, particularly in the stronger second act, Jackson remains an enigma to the end.

Tim Shawver, BroadwayWorld: From the outset, it’s clear the producers have spared no expense in assembling a top-tier creative team. Derek McLane, a two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner for scenic design; Natasha Katz, a seven-time Tony Award winner for lighting; and Paul Tazewell, a Tony and Emmy Award winner for costumes, ensure that every visual element is polished and precise. Their collective expertise transports audiences into the heart of Jackson's most memorable performances.

Michael Quintos, BroadwayWorld: The stage musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2021, shrewdly executes this bit of focal redirection by providing its audience with a non-stop barrage of dazzling, breathlessly-performed musical numbers, while also hinting that the show's seemingly odd titular figure—via a broadly evasive but still serviceable book by Lynn Nottage—is, at his true core, just a smart, endearingly awkward, and unfairly misunderstood music genius, whose eccentric quirks, bashful demeanor, and peculiar proclivities are simply a direct result of having a traumatic childhood that he is refusing to talk about with an inquisitive journalist.

Christopher Smith, The Orange County Register: Beyond its glittering wealth of songs, “MJ” gets an unreserved rave for its dances and dancing. One would hope that casting an adult Michael who can dance is paramount — more about Jamaal Fields-Green, Tuesday night’s “MJ,” below — but the stellar ensemble is an MVP collective.

Kathleen Allen, Tucson.com: There were some amazing performances in this road show, including Devin Bowles, who portrayed Michael’s abusive father and his coddling manager. He seamlessly moved from one character to the next and was persuasive in each.

Average Rating: 77.5%

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