Review: MJ is a Thriller at Broadway Sacramento
Come Rock with Us Through April 19th
It’s time to “Jam” at Broadway Sacramento, with the four-time Tony Award winning MJ the Musical. With a book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage and choreography by Christopher Wheeldon, this National tour is a high-energy visual spectacle that checks all the boxes for pure, unadulterated entertainment.
The story is framed around rehearsals for Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous tour. It relies on flashbacks to tell Michael’s version of his life: his abusive and controlling father, the pressure of fame, his need to share his art. His formative years have turned him into a perfectionist with a pill problem who tries to recapture the childhood he never had. It notably avoids much of the controversy and speculation that followed him throughout his career, and instead focuses on his rise to fame and the artistry behind his music.
What the story delivers is spectacle. Dazzling choreography, intense numbers, and seamless set moves contribute to a slick showcase of unforgettable MJ. When Jordan Markus as MJ first steps out onto the stage to deliver “Beat It,” the audience begins a nostalgic journey that reminds us why Jackson is forever the King of Pop. Witnessing Markus is like seeing a ghost -- looks, mannerisms, dance moves. He has it all. His reminiscences into the Jackson 5 era are covered by Eric Wiltz as Little Michael, who is perhaps the cutest and most talented nine-year-old I’ve witnessed. Thriller-era Michael is played by Brandon Lee Harris, also a vocal doppelganger of the late Jackson and an inimitable talent.
MJ is a showcase of music and movement. It’s more concert than Broadway musical, and it’s unbeatable in terms of jaw-dropping performances. The cast doesn’t miss with the favorites: “Billie Jean,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Smooth Criminal,” and, of course, the much-anticipated “Thriller.” If you want to be thoroughly entertained by an energetically charged and electrifying tribute to one of the most powerful figures of our time, look no further.
MJ the Musical plays at Broadway Sacramento through August 19th. Tickets may be purchased online at BroadwaySacramento.com, by phone at (916) 557-1999, or at the Box Office at 1419 H Street in Sacramento.
Photo credit: Jordan Markus as MJ by Matthew Murphy
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