Jacob Aloi

Brown’s portrayal is a powerful and respectful take on someone who can’t remember where or who they are. In quiet moments of listening to Noah’s story, Brown’s subtle hand-wringing and smiles clue us into her happiness as she remembers something. They also reveal her frustration when that connection evaporates.

Still, the show seems like a lot of fun to perform. The cast buzzes with energy. For example, Burke Swanson plays George McFly, Marty’s nerdy father. His physical comedy is that of a master clown — in one scene he gets entangled with a broom, leading to a Rowan Atkinson-style routine.

Jamaal Fields-Green played the adult Jackson, referred to as “MJ,” for the performance I saw. The role is taxing, requiring the performer to sing like Jackson, move like Jackson and talk with Jackson’s iconic, giggling whisper. Fields-Green excels at most, although I don’t think anyone could master the King of Pop’s idiolect.

It wasn’t until a few hours removed from the production — and consulting online sources — that the show’s message finally clicked for me. Perhaps the nontraditional structure of the show made the themes go over my head, but the slice-of-life plot kept me from really connecting with any of the characters. This isn’t due to the fault of the performers or McPherson’s script. Rather, I think this show wasn’t meant to adhere to my sensibilities of storytelling.