Review of MJ: The Musical: A "Thriller" of a Show That Brings the King of Pop to Life
Dive into the guarded mind of Michael Jackson with "MJ: The Musical," a "must-see" spectacle featuring a catalog of his greatest hits. Mike Woody gives his verdict on MJ: The Musical, now thru this weekend at The Schuster.
MJ: The Musical: A "Thriller" of a Show That Brings the King of Pop to Life
Broadway in Dayton: MJ: The Musical is at the Schuster now thru this Sunday, June 29 2025
On the list of most fascinating personalities/lifestyles, Michael Jackson ranks pretty high. A musical that delves into the inner workings of his deeply guarded mind is bound to be fascinating. Likewise, any show featuring a catalog of Michael’s greatest hits, is a golden ticket (or white glove) for success. Those components and more, results in MJ: The Musical being…a Thriller…Bad…Off the Wall? A must see show.
MJ provides a backstage look into the rehearsals for the 1992 ‘Dangerous’ tour. His live performances were especially meaningful to Michael, his goal was to create a spectacle, to make the impossible possible. No matter the monetary cost, he insisted his visions be fulfilled…before Prince beat him to it.
Jordan Markus totally embodies Michael
From his distinct voice to all his signature dance moves, Jordan Markus totally embodies Michael. He’s not an easy role to bring to life, but Markus makes it look effortless. Unmarked on my bucket list is seeing Michael Jackson in concert, after seeing Markus, I can at least fill in half the box. It’s as close as anyone is ever going to get to seeing the real thing. I question if rather than bones, Markus is made of bendy straws. That would be a real ‘plastic’ surgery. He moves in ways the human body is not meant to. The dancing alone is enough to make your jaw hit the ground. Add in the vocals, which Markus also masters and chin straps should be handed out at the door to avoid widespread cases of jaw displacement.
The same high level of perfection is spread throughout the entire cast, as if Jackson picked them himself. As a child, in the early days of The Jackson 5, Michael is portrayed by Bryce A. Holmes (and Quentin Blanton JR). His talent stretches way beyond his years. Plus, right when I was recovering from how perfect Markus and Holmes both portray Michael, Erik Hamilton appears for his teen/young adult years and was equally as perfect. A highlight was Hamilton going through sort of a medley of hits that sent Michael into superstardom.
In addition to the Michael’s, the stellar cast also features Devin Bowles as the overly strict Joseph Jackson and the affable Rob (‘Dangerous’ tour crew member). The two characters are a strong contrast from each other, particularly in their treatment of Michael and Bowles excels in both. A modern day Telma Hopkins, the loving Katherine Jackson is played by Anastasia Talley. Talley’s heart and voice are both comforting, especially during “I’ll Be There,” which I had forgotten was a Michael Jackson song.
The beautiful Cecilia Petrush plays Rachel, a reporter for an MTV documentary, who provides opportunities for Michael to reflect upon his life. Her cameraman, Alejandro (Anthony J. Garcia) provides some laughs.
Musical theatre in its finest form
Atop the musical highlights, in my opinion, is Thriller. It’s a different interpretation, but equally horrifying, as it represents the terrors within Michael. It’s brilliantly staged and possibly one of the best musical numbers I’ve ever seen. It’s musical theatre in its finest form. I was disappointed in the first act when there’s just a hint of Thriller, but it more than delivers in Act 2. Other standouts is the dancing (for lack of a better term) with Smooth Criminal, moonwalking to Billie Jean, and a touching rendition of Man in the Mirror.
Throughout the show, there are mentions of how Michael wanted to make a grand entrance to start the tour. I kept wondering if it would actually be staged. Not to spoil anything, but the show didn’t disappoint.
My favorite singer growing up was Michael, everything about his personal life aside, he was a brilliant entertainer. The expression one of a kind, often gets overused, but he truly was. There will never be another Michael Jackson. In the show, he mentions about how when on stage he can be happy/respected, it’s all the other times when his life was made difficult. The show helps explain why he put so much into his performances and how he wanted to spread joy around the world. Maybe I’m biased, but I think he always only had the best intentions. All the scandals and abuse of pills are alluded to, but not a major part of the show. The music itself tells the story, which is what Michael would have wanted.
Without any need for protests, I think we can all agree that Michael Jackson was the King of Pop and the influences he made on the music industry will be forever.
Show information & tickets: MJ: The Musical
