Michael Jackson musical...new documentary

[BroadwayBen]

I was reading about the new Michael Jackson documentary at Sundance.   It tells the stories of two alleged victims of abuse by Jackson.   Set to be broadcast on HBO.   Do we think this will impact the show?   Sort of reminds me of the Woody Allen dilemma (although he's living...).  How do you separate the art from the artist?   It's not like these allegations/stories are new.  

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6636525/Critics-praise-explosive-Michael-Jackson-documentary-Leaving-Neverland-devastatingly-convincing.html

 

[zainmax]

No. The show will go on!

[SomethingPeculiar]

Lots of chatter about the documentary in this thread. In short, nobody knows how the doc will affect the Broadway musical. The estate is co-producing the musical with Columbia, and they've been denying the (horrifying) stories from the documentary.

The one group of people who could truly stop this musical are the Broadway theatre owners, who could deny it a house. Also, if critics pan it and sales are poor in Chicago, that could make everyone reevaluate plans.

There's going to be backlash, and protests could either tank the show or help it.

[Miles2Go2]

As someone whose first three childhood albums were by the Jackson 5, Ive had a complicated relationship with the man and his music. I distanced myself from him when the allegations initially arose, even selling my MJ CDs, but still unconvinced of his guilt. After his death, I obsessively bought back and added to my MJ CD collection and doubled down on my defense of him. But since the #metoo and #timesup movements, Ive had to reevaluate and conclude that he was most likely guilty of some, if not all, the allegations made against him. It would make it hard for me, and I suspect many, to support a musical based on a sanitized version of his life. I know the Cirque MJ shows sell well, but I wonder if that too will suffer if this documentary enters the public consciousness.

[LuPita2]

Let him rest in peace.

[BroadwayBen]

 I forgot about the Cirque show.  You're right.  The audience has already "voted." 

[zainmax]

SomethingPeculiar said: "Lots of chatter about the documentary in this thread.In short, nobody knows how the docwill affect the Broadway musical. The estate is co-producing the musical with Columbia, and they've been denying the (horrifying) stories from the documentary.

The one group of people who could truly stop this musical are the Broadway theatre owners, who could deny it a house. Also, ifcritics pan it andsales are poorin Chicago, that could make everyone reevaluate plans.

There's goingtobe backlash, and protests could either tank the show or help it."

Yeah, I HIGHLY DOUBT that the theater owners are going to pass on it... Pass on rent $, and let the show go to a competitor? We're not talking about Saints here.

[zainmax]

Miles2Go2 said: "As someone whose first three childhood albums were by the Jackson 5, Ive had a complicated relationship with the man and his music. I distanced myself from him when the allegations initially arose, even selling my MJ CDs, but still unconvinced of his guilt. After his death, I obsessively bought back and added to my MJ CD collection and doubled down on my defense of him. But since the #metoo and #timesup movements, Ive had to reevaluate and conclude that he was most likely guilty of some, if not all, the allegations made against him. It would make it hard for me, and I suspect many, to support a musical based on a sanitized version of his life. I know the Cirque MJ shows sell well, but I wonder if that too will suffer if this documentary enters the public consciousness."

Did you read more about it? Very curious in your decision-making and progression.

[Miles2Go2]

Over the years Ive read and seen more coverage of this and I had to conclude that Ive believed others were guilty with less accusers and less evidence against them. Kinda like we now know Elvis had a fondness for underage girls. It doesnt mean the music wasnt great, but the men most certainly were not.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Social media is buzzing about the documentary.   Now that it is being seen by more and more of the public.   How do you think it will have an impact on the upcoming Broadway show?

The buzz I see is pretty heated from both camps (guilty vs innocent)

[Jordan Catalano]

I’ll be shocked if they don’t pull the upcoming broadway show sometime within the next week.

[RippedMan]

They've got a show running in London, one in Vegas... I mean do those sales seem to be lagging? Not sure what to make of the documentary. 

[Kimbo]

It ain’t happening. (And for those who say “separate the art from the man”, a live stage production is different than movies or TV.) Can you imagine the protests and picket lines if a play about Bill Cosby or a new show starring Kevin Spacey somehow came to Broadway in the year or two after those allegations came out? Well it’s a moot point, because those shows would no longer have gotten financed. The same is true with this one. It’s now toast... whether the allegations are true or not (and I think they are), this one, like Woody Allen’s most recent and still unreleased movie, is now collateral damage of the moment, consigned to the scrap heap of history.

[Miles2Go2]

Jordan Catalano said: "I’ll be shocked if they don’t pull the upcoming broadway show sometime within the next week. "

I would hope so...but as I watched it, I imagined the MJ Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas still packing them in every night. It is especially troubling here because he quite clearly used his artistry/celebrity to groom his victims and their families so it’s all intertwined. 

[zainmax]

Saw an article in Esquire where a press rep for the show confirmed that it's still on for next year.

[Kad]

The cancellation of the Chicago engagement (citing the development strike that was resolved before it would have affected the project...) is certainly not a great sign.

I would be surprised if Lynn Nottage stays with this show, at the very least.

[QueenAlice]

After watching this documentary I am completely convinced there will soon be more people coming forward with new allegations of abuse against Jackson. The rebuttals by the estate are horrifying to me and I think are going to be the final nail inthe coffin for Michael Jackson’s legacy.

[Miles2Go2]

QueenAlice said: "After watching this documentary I am completely convinced there will soon be more people coming forward with new allegations of abuse against Jackson. The rebuttals by the estate are horrifying to me and I think are going to be the final nail inthe coffin for Michael Jackson’s legacy. "

I thought the same thing about others possibly coming forward. One of my favorite concert memories of all time was the Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation tour, but I currently have 0% interest in seeing her residency. And I understand that family is seriously f@$&ed up and it would be natural for them to huddle around and protect his legacy, including attacking his victims. That doesn’t mean I need to show my support for that behavior by financing it. 

 

[Impossible2]

I think it is pretty much over for any 'new' Jackson works. The older shows may limp along on deluded fan service, but I doubt any new fans are going to be jumping on any band wagons.

[Kimbo]

Impossible2 said: "I think it is pretty much over for any 'new' Jackson works. The older shows may limp along on deluded fan service, but I doubt any new fans are going to be jumping on any band wagons."

^^^

This. 

Just because a circus show featuring his music in the background doesn’t close this week in Vegas has absolutely no bearing on whether a brand new Broadway musical entirely ABOUT him will get anywhere near NYC after this latest and unspeakably horrific publicity. 

[perfectliar]

Impossible2 said: "I think it is pretty much over for any 'new' Jackson works."

Especially since the musical is supposedly about the time in his life right before the first abuse allegations surfaced. I don't see that going over well.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Is the Vegas show about his life or is it utilizing his music?

The Broadway show is about his life (or a slice of time of his life) which would be different than a show just utilizing his music.    Think The Cher Show vs Mamma Mia.   

 

[SweetLips22]

That poor man/boy obviously had severe mental issues but because he was that deranged family's cash cow, they were NEVER going to do anything about it--at least publicly.

Neverland was his fantasyland where he recreated a lost/never experienced childhood so it's no wonder his sexual outlets were with minors as I am sure that is where his mental age remained, and not with adults.

Yes of course I am making this all up, but just an observation.

In no way, if he did what is told, which I am sure that he did, am I saying that it was OK, BUT, Michael Jackson was surrounded by minders/security and FAMILY who all would have know the truth, but his money flow was not to be interrupted.

I hope that the men who had unwanted physical contact can heal and that the reality of the person[MJ] does not interfere/divert  with/from the [flawed] genius of his music.

[SomethingPeculiar]

I may have said this before, but...there are 5 groups of people who could very easily put the nail in the coffin:

– Shubert Org
– Nederlander Org
– Jujamcyn Theaters
– Ambassador Theatre Group
– Roundabout Theatre Company

It cannot play Broadway if nobody grants it a theatre, and all it takes is a "no" from the theatre owners!

[Dave28282]

I would actually be shocked if the show is taken down, because there has been a trial already, and the boys, including these 2 have sworn nothing happened.

They happen to be looking for fame, followers and fortune and the parents are quite peculiar too.

Let the man rest.