MJ: The Musical will begin this December; opens February 2022- Page 2

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/30/21 at 5:06pm

It absolutely does remain. Forever. 

“We are extremely excited about Myles,” said the musical’s director and choreographer, Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon. “All of his talents point towards a new rising star. I’m very much looking forward to working with him to shape the role of Michael Jackson for MJ.”

[phantom39]

Posted: 7/3/21 at 3:59am

I hope this doesn't last long. The MJ show was not doing so well following the Leaving Neverland documentary and had to close eventually. Here's hoping the effect is still there.

[dented146]

Posted: 7/3/21 at 7:32pm

This is a really great thread and it's wonderfully civil.

 I do not want to see a MJ musical. But I'm inclinded to feel that there is a different perceived level of evil among all the people being discussed even if the acts are somewhat similar. 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 7/3/21 at 8:02pm

BroadwayNYC2 said: "It was originally called Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, which would have been a better choice."

Albeit revoltingly suggestive,

 

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 7/6/21 at 1:39pm

Kad said: "The only thing that strikes me is that Myles Frost seems very young to be playing Jackson at the time the show is allegedly set. From what I can find from a cursory search, he’s around 22 or 23. Sykes is 35. Jackson was around 34.

There’s a lot we don’t know about the show, including how it will be handling Jackson’s changing appearance."

Not a defender of the show at all but it's set in 1984. Jackson was 25.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 7/6/21 at 11:07pm

Ms. Paradice said: "SouthernCakes said: "It’s not worth engaging, Hogan.


I think your speculation is pretty spot on though. A major new show, he’s the star, and he’s been committed to it for so long and then it’s finally set to open and he jumps ship. Maybe trying to avoid the bad press who knows"



This is not me disagreeing with you BUT is it possible that he just is interested in doing something different. A number of performers have found new or different creative outlets which could be what he's doing. If we've learned anything this past year, it's that time is precious and we should do whatever not only fulfills out but makes us happy. I say, good luck Mr. Sykes for whatever is coming soon and CONGRATS Myles

"

Absolutely! That’s a long time to stick with a show that has been delayed a number of times. I’m sure his paycheck was very nice. And it’s got a very prestigious creative team. But movies are movies so I don’t blame him! 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/6/21 at 11:29pm

 it's set in 1984. Jackson was 25.

Correct, his absolute peak. Myles is perfect and he sings just like him. Cannot wait! 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/6/21 at 11:45pm

Sutton Ross said: "Correct, his absolute peak. Myles is perfect and he sings just like him. Cannot wait!"

How many more times are you gonna need to tell us that? Just curious since you are the one that normally drags on the stans about those repetitive posts and now look at you! ha

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/6/21 at 11:55pm

 

[unclevictor]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 1:57am

Meow! The claws are coming out! I love being mentioned in these silly spats!

[JasonC3]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 4:11am

Are some of you this exhausting in real life?

[Kad]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 12:04pm

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "Kad said: "The only thing that strikes me is that Myles Frost seems very young to be playing Jackson at the time the show is allegedly set. From what I can find from a cursory search, he’s around 22 or 23. Sykes is 35. Jackson was around 34.

There’s a lot we don’t know about the show, including how it will be handling Jackson’s changing appearance."

Not a defender of the show at all but it's set in 1984. Jackson was 25."

Since when? It's been stated by Lynn Nottage it's set around the Dangerous tour in 1992 and that is still mentioned in many articles about the show:

"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."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/theater/michael-jackson-musical-lynn-nottage.html

If they're changing the time period to nearly a decade earlier- to, say, avoid the issue of molestation entirely- then that's a major change.

 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 12:23pm

Kad said: "Since when? It's been stated by Lynn Nottage it's set around the Dangerous tour in 1992 and that is still mentioned in many articles about the show:

"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."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/theater/michael-jackson-musical-lynn-nottage.html

If they're changing the time period to nearly a decade earlier- to, say, avoid the issue of molestation entirely- then that's a major change."

I confess I have not paid all that much attention but there has been mention of the Pepsi fire, which is the earlier time, as well as the Dangerous tour. My guess, knowing nothing, is that perhaps it starts with the fire, which was a major event in his life, but not, to me, something one would revolve a musical around. And I don't think there was much public evidence of what a sick creep he was in 1992, was there?

[joevitus]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 3:29pm

I know this is pretty off-topic, but I was 14 when Michael Jackson was at his peak in the US. And I remember a news story about little kids meeting him at a mall or something, and they showed the image of him in his military/Nutcracker get-up and the mirrored sunglasses, no smile on his face, and I thought "I'd be TERRIFIED to spend time with him if I was one of those kids." And this was long before I heard the rumors of child abuse.

The adoration for the man (as opposed to some of his music, or his performance ability) baffled me. He already seemed on his way to no longer being human.

[unclevictor]

Posted: 7/7/21 at 6:47pm

JasonC3 said: "Are some of you this exhausting in real life?"

I believe they are!

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 7/8/21 at 2:48am

joevitus said: "I know this is pretty off-topic, but I was 14 when Michael Jackson was at his peak in the US. And I remember a news story about little kids meeting him at a mall or something, and they showed the image of him in his military/Nutcrackerget-up and the mirrored sunglasses, no smile on his face, and I thought "I'd be TERRIFIED to spend time with him if I was oneof those kids." And this was long before I heard the rumors of child abuse.

The adoration for the man (as opposed to some of his music, or his performance ability) baffled me. He already seemed on his way to no longer being human."

Agreed. I’m in the generation right after him and I never understood the appeal. He came off as creepy and non-sexual. 

[Zion24]

Posted: 7/8/21 at 2:59am

i remember seeing one of his concerts on tv when i was 10ish yrs old (mid 90s) and i thought he was a kook, and i found him funny, a joke. My friends and I watched his fans in Eastern Europe collapse and faint from being near him and thought it was all silly. 

i now know how damaged, tortured, and dangerous he was. its genuinely hard for me to see how anyone can deal with him as a subject and ignore these realities. ALL THAT SAID- i also now know that he was truly a musical genius and love his body of work (even his later stuff when he really had gone off the deep end). no need to discount that talent/genius when acknowledging his many many flaws.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 3:12am

Eh, sorry he's still gross. I was never a fan and always found him to be off-putting and just odd, so not a fan of him or his music, and this is just clearly another cash grab. Curious to see how it all plays out as the creatives are interested, but I don't think you can be mad for people wanting some acknowledgement. Sure, he was never found "guilty," but there's still some odd, troubling things in his past....

[BJR]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 7:58am

Reminder this is produced by his estate.

They aren't just "choosing to write about something else." This is the same estate who fought the allegations in court. The same lawyers dreaming up a new avenue for revenue. That's their job. But we don't have to pretend it has a greater aim than image rehab, new IP and revenue.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 9:10am

As a victim of sexual abuse as a child, I won’t be attending. Even if he was found innocent, it’s all just too triggering and I cannot stomach it.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 10:20am

I love his music, but I really wish this had been some sort of revue or something, like that Thriller - Live! that was on the West End for forever. Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil is absolutely incredible and another example of how his music can be used without seeing his story onstage. Knowing that the allegations go back to the Dangerous tour is dangerously uncomfortable territory.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 10:48am

I mean, it is obvious that the sordid part of his life is what a lot of people want to see. Yes, it is quite possible to write a show about his professional life. This is an entire show about a certain part of his life. They don't have to touch on the charges or what happened in his bedroom.  And who's to say who decided what part of his life they wanted to write about. And I really can't fault his estate for not wanting all of that brought back up again. That wasn't all he was.

And for the record, I think he and the people around him made a BIG mistake allowing those kids to sleep over and hang around with him. My thoughts on what may have happened with those kids are lengthy but I will say that he made a big mistake being who he was.  And Zion24 you are correct, I don't want to see a musical about it. As I stated above, Professionally that was a time in his life that I am interested in. Not what was going on with him personally. There is possibly a really good story about why he broke away from Quincy Jones and decided to go in the direction he did with his music. I hope Nottage can pull it off. We started hearing and seeing all of the sexual allegations after Dangerous came out. So if people are upset that they may not include all of the sordid stuff that has been reported constantly over those years, don't go see it. It is that simple. I am not sure exactly how it goes, but I suspect the creatives approached the estate and got the ok to do the show. So it seems the idea from the start was to cover this particular part of his career.  I just don't understand why so many here don't understand that. Well, actually, I do. Just my thoughts.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 10:56am

Well, we'll find out surprisingly soon (seriously, anybody else keep forgetting this starts previews next week?) what this show actually is. Frankly, I think there are a number of red flags- the canceled tryout, the truly terrible interview with Nottage and Wheeldon in the Times, Sykes leaving the show after being heavily involved in development and replaced with a much younger actor, the publicized plot of the show becoming vaguer than what was initially released. To me, it all points to some trouble behind the scenes.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 10:56am

The sad, but true part of it all is that it won't matter. Jackson has legions of fans, many of whom don't believe any of the allegations. There will be a comotion, I'm sure the Tik Tok and Twitter crowd will complain, but the show will have a run...the length will depend. Could run like The Cher Show, or Jersey Boys...who knows?

[Kad]

Posted: 11/30/21 at 11:07am

uncageg said: "I mean, it is obvious that the sordid part of his life is what a lot of people want to see. Yes, it is quite possible to write a show about his professional life. This is an entire show about a certain part of his life. They don't have to touch on the charges or what happened in his bedroom. And who's to say who decided what part of his life they wanted to write about. And I really can't fault his estate for not wanting all of that brought back up again. That wasn't all he was.

And for the record, I think he and the people around him made a BIG mistake allowing those kids to sleep over and hang around with him. My thoughts on what may have happened with those kids are lengthy but I will say that he made a big mistake being who he was. And Zion24 you are correct, I don't want to see a musical about it. As I stated above, Professionally that was a time in his life that I am interested in. Not what was going on with him personally. There is possibly a really good story about why he broke away from Quincy Jones and decided to go in the direction he did with his music. I hope Nottage can pull it off. We started hearing and seeing all of the sexual allegations after Dangerous came out. So if people are upset that they may not include all of the sordid stuff that has been reported constantly over those years, don't go see it. It is that simple. I am not sure exactly how it goes, but I suspect the creatives approached the estate and got the ok to do the show. So it seems the idea from the start was to cover this particular part of his career. I just don't understand why so many here don't understand that. Well, actually, I do. Just my thoughts."

I think pretty much everyone here understands it. But the allegations and Jackson's behavior have cast a huge pall over his life, and defined the last decade plus of his life. It is virtually impossible to sidestep it if you're doing a work about Jackson's career as an adult in the time era they are presumably exploring. Hell, considering the abuse he suffered as a child, it'd even be hard to sidestep it if you were exploring his career in the Jackson 5,  as that undoubtedly deeply affected how he would grow up. It's an integral part of Jackson's life and character. You cannot just excise it so people can happily watch actors dance to "Thriller" and not expect some pushback.

Updated On: 11/30/21 at 11:07 AM