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MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020

MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020

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GreasedLightning
#1MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:19am

Preview performances begin on Tuesday, July 6, 2020, at the Neil Simon Theatre. Opening night is set for Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets on sale Jan 15, 2020 at 10am.

http://www.playbill.com/article/michael-jackson-musical-now-titled-mj-sets-broadway-dates-and-theatre

https://mjthemusical.com/

Updated On: 10/10/19 at 10:19 AM

Mike Barrett  Profile Photo
Mike Barrett
#2MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:41am

Im all set, but thank you!! 

Sauja Profile Photo
Sauja
#3MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:44am

They're seriously going through with this? Yikes.

Wick3 Profile Photo
Wick3
#4MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:46am

Given how I recently watched POSE and that video clip of Pasadena Little Shop of Horrors, I thought MJ Rodriguez was going to be on Broadway when I saw the title MJ the musical. lol.

Wick3 Profile Photo
Wick3
#5MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:50am

Really glad to see Christopher Wheeldon is choreographing/directing this musical. Loved his choreography in American in Paris, Brigadoon (City Center), and Nutcracker (Chicago Joffrey Ballet) so really looking forward to see what he'll do with this musical!

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#6MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:51am

Well, it will be interesting to see how this goes.  ( I have no interest - no fan of the Bio-Musical, no matter the subject.)


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

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little_sally
#7MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 10:56am

No thanks.


A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

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Call_me_jorge
#8MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:01am

Next, they’ll be making an OJ musical and it will sympathetic to OJ.


In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound. Signed, Theater Workers for a Ceasefire https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement

Kad Profile Photo
Kad
#9MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:04am

After that truly terrible interview in the Times with Wheeldon and Nottage about the project, I have very little faith in them or this. 


"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

AllThatJazz2
#10MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:28am

Interested to see how this does from a business perspective, but it's a hard pass from me personally. 

SouthernCakes
#11MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:29am

All these workshops and postponements and we get “MJ The Musical!”

Couldn’t give the title any more thought?

Rainah
#12MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:31am

One big Yikes from me

Kind of distantly curious as to how big pf a trainwreck it'll be, but I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole

bdn223 Profile Photo
bdn223
#13MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:36am

If the estate had the even the slightest sense of business savvy, and wasn't just greedy for more money, they would of shelved this for 5-10 years  and waited out the cycles of bad news. His music isn't going to become any less relevant in a decade, but a 5-10 years from now one can argue to judge the art not the artist, as enough time will have passed since his death and his alleged reprehensible actions. Add to that this is opening less than a year after "Leaving Neverland" won the Primetime Emmy Award for best documentary. If the estate thinks that they can "no comment"/if you want access you can't ask xyz questions their way out of the press for this, they are in for a rude awakening. 

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jacobsnchz14
#14MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 11:37am

SouthernCakes said: "All these workshops and postponements and we get “MJ The Musical!”

Couldn’t give the title any more thought?
"

Even King Of Pop would have been more appealing in comparison.

SouthernCakes
#15MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:01pm

100%!!! That’s leagues better.

Kad Profile Photo
Kad
#16MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:06pm

Changing the name is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. 


"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

msmp Profile Photo
msmp
#17MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:13pm

Well this is going to be an unmitigated trainwreck. What a poor decision to proceed with this, as happy as I am for the people who will get employment out of it. Definitely a miss for me.

Kimbo
#18MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:19pm

Putting aside whatever small part of me is curious about the artistry of the creatives involved, the key thing in my opinion is that the producers are THE MICHAEL JACKSON ESTATE... i.e. the same people who enabled him, have tried to silence accusers, and have continued to profit off his alleged crimes. Life’s too short, and no show is that good. (I might go see it if they paid me. Maybe.)

Updated On: 10/10/19 at 12:19 PM

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JBroadway
#19MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:21pm

If I can get a dirt cheap ticket to this, I’ll CONSIDER seeing it for 1 reason, and 1 reason only: Lynn Nottage. She is the only ray of hope that this project has, if they allow her any creative freedom, that is.

I don’t mean to disparage Wheeldon with this comment - I’m sure he’ll do some really good work with the choreography here, but I don’t see this project being salvaged by great choreography or great direction. I think the only thing that can salvage it is a strong book that has depth and nuance. Nottage is more than capable of providing those qualities, but only if she is given the creative freedom to do so, which is somewhat doubtful given that the MJ estate is running the show.

Kad Profile Photo
Kad
#20MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 12:49pm

JBroadway said: "If I can get a dirt cheap ticket to this, I’ll CONSIDER seeing it for 1 reason, and 1 reason only: Lynn Nottage. She is the only ray of hope that this project has, if they allow her any creative freedom, that is."

I had hoped that Nottage would mitigate the tone-deaf nature of this project, but that interview in the Times did not fill me with confidence.

NOTTAGE It’s really hard to traffic in absolutes. Do I believe he was a pedophile? I don’t know that I can say one way or the other. I don’t think any of us can say with absolute certainty, because we’ve been presented with some information, but Michael Jackson is dead, he’s not in a position to defend himself. It does hurt my heart to think about the possibility that it could be true, and I pray that it isn’t true, and that’s all I can do. I’m not going to be a Michael apologist, but I can’t say 100 percent.

Michael Jackson Musical Creators: ‘We’re Not Judge and Jury’


"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

bdn223 Profile Photo
bdn223
#21MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 1:00pm

Kad said: "JBroadway said: "If I can get a dirt cheap ticket to this, I’ll CONSIDER seeing it for 1 reason, and 1 reason only: Lynn Nottage. She is the only ray of hope that this project has, if they allow her any creative freedom, that is."

I had hoped that Nottage would mitigate the tone-deaf nature of this project, but that interview in the Times did not fill me with confidence.

NOTTAGEIt’s really hard to traffic in absolutes. Do I believe he was a pedophile? I don’t know that I can say one way or the other. I don’t think any of us can say with absolute certainty, because we’ve been presented with some information, but Michael Jackson is dead, he’s not in a position to defend himself. It does hurt my heart to think about the possibility that it could be true, and I pray that it isn’t true, and that’s all I can do. I’m not going to be a Michael apologist, but I can’t say 100 percent.

Michael Jackson Musical Creators: ‘We’re Not Judge and Jury’
"

I don't blame Nottage for wanting a paycheck, she's a female playwright of color. Even with winning the Pulitzer, its not as if producers are clamoring to mount and finance her work. If I had to bet, she is likely making more money on this project then she has on all of her prior work combined. Let d the the production officially open so she can cash the check and get royalties for life, and then she can trash the estate in a Riedel column. 

Kimbo
#22MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 1:00pm

Kad said: "JBroadway said: "If I can get a dirt cheap ticket to this, I’ll CONSIDER seeing it for 1 reason, and 1 reason only: Lynn Nottage. She is the only ray of hope that this project has, if they allow her any creative freedom, that is."

I had hoped that Nottage would mitigate the tone-deaf nature of this project, but that interview in the Times did not fill me with confidence.

NOTTAGEIt’s really hard to traffic in absolutes. Do I believe he was a pedophile? I don’t know that I can say one way or the other. I don’t think any of us can say with absolute certainty, because we’ve been presented with some information, but Michael Jackson is dead, he’s not in a position to defend himself. It does hurt my heart to think about the possibility that it could be true, and I pray that it isn’t true, and that’s all I can do. I’m not going to be a Michael apologist, but I can’t say 100 percent.

Michael Jackson Musical Creators: ‘We’re Not Judge and Jury’
"

Agreed, and good points, but to me the even more telling subtext of that article was the (B.S.) assertion that regarding the latest furor over the allegations, the documentary, etc., and whether any of that would be addressed in the musical, they’ve had NO restrictions placed on them by the estate over what could or couldn’t be in the show (Ha!), but as to whether or not those areas would ultimately be included, all they could basically say was “Not yet.”  Moving ahead with this project in such a manner is the absolute height of callous money-grubbing cynicism, and it undercuts whatever respect I had for these artists for anything else they’ve done in their careers up to this point.

 

Updated On: 10/10/19 at 01:00 PM

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poisonivy2
#23MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 1:05pm

This is gross. Even if the pedophile accusations aren't true there's no doubt MJ was a deeply troubled, traumatized person and the victim of abuse. His family estate wanting to make a cheery biomusical of this is gross.

JPeterman Profile Photo
JPeterman
#24MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 1:07pm

bdn223 said: "If the estate had the even the slightest sense of business savvy, and wasn't just greedy for more money, they would of shelved this for 5-10 years and waited out the cycles of bad news. His music isn't going to become any less relevant in a decade, but a 5-10 years from now one can argue to judge the art not the artist, as enough time will have passed since his death andhis alleged reprehensible actions. Add to that this is opening less than a year after "Leaving Neverland" won thePrimetime Emmy Award for best documentary. If the estate thinks that they can "no comment"/if you want access you can't ask xyz questions their way out of the press for this, they are in for a rude awakening."

I 100 percent agree.  They couldn’t have picked worse timing to do this.  Extremely poor decision to do this now.  Time usually muddies the waters a bit. They should have shelved this for at least 3-5 more years.

I also agree with Drama Mama ... I’m so sick of all these bio musicals. There are only a few people I can think of who I would be willing see a bio musical of .... Elvis, Sinatra, Prince, or Morrissey.  

It reminds me of the initial success of the first reality tv shows ... and now half of network television is reality tv. 

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BroadwayGuy12
#25MJ The Musical officially opening on Broadway Summer 2020
Posted: 10/10/19 at 1:13pm

bdn223 said: "I don't blame Nottage for wanting a paycheck, she's a female playwright of color. Even with winning the Pulitzer, its not as if producers are clamoring to mount and finance her work. If I had to bet, she is likely making more money on this project then she has on all of her prior work combined."

While I'm sure Nottage's paycheck for this project is handsome, let's not pretend like this is her one shot to make a living in the theatre. Sweat was the second most produced play of the 2018-19 season, and finished a run in London earlier this year. Both Fabulation and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark were revived by Signature during their last season, Atlantic mounted The Secret Life of Bees over the summer, and Lincoln Center is producing an operatic adaptation of Intimate Apparel this coming February. Clearly, there are enough producers willing to "mount and finance her work" that she should be able to walk away from this project should she truly take issue with it.