Review: Broadway Across Canada's Presentation of MJ THE MUSICAL at the National Arts Centre

I have to be honest, I did not expect to like MJ The Musical. In fact, of all the shows Broadway Across Canada is presenting in its 2024-2025 season, MJ was the one I was least looking forward to. I should provide some context as to why I felt this way: I had heard that MJ sugarcoats Michael Jackson’s life story, and I personally believe that if you are going to do a biopic, it should be an honest retrospective and present the good along with the bad, rather than selectively picking only best qualities of the subject matter.

Having now seen the show for myself, I can confirm that it is true that MJ is structured so that it takes place in the lead up to Jackson’s Dangerous Tour – which is, incidentally, immediately before MJ’s biggest scandals emerge. As can be expected from a musical that is endorsed by the Michael Jackson Estate, Jackson is depicted as a kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, and hardworking perfectionist, who is traumatized by his childhood spent under a microscope, and in which he suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of his father, Joe. In the musical, our MJ is a misunderstood artist, wanting nothing more than to make music for the masses to bring them joy and to help “heal the world”. Rumours surrounding Jackson’s eccentricities are subtly alluded to, but the accusations of sexual abuse that permeated his later life and painted Jackson as a monstrous pedophile, mockingly called “Wacko Jacko”, are entirely absent from the show, thanks to its convenient timeline. Of course, like most of us, Jackson’s reality is probably somewhere in between that of a devil and a saint.

If you are wiling to overlook the obvious attempt to protect Jackson’s hallowed reputation among his superfans and take the show for what it is: a fluff piece intended to wow and entertain the audience in much the same way that Jackson himself did on his tours, MJ is actually an incredible work of theatre.

The scenic design (Derek McLane) is exquisite; much of the show takes place in Michael Jackson’s (Jordan Markus) studio where he and his dancers are rehearsing for the upcoming Dangerous tour. MJ is still tweaking the choreography, as well as adding elements to the stage design and plans for special effects, to the consternation of his manager, Rob (Devin Bowles), as the cost of the tour is spiralling out of control. Thanks to the clever lighting design (Natasha Katz) and projection screens (Peter Nigrini) behind the stage area, the background constantly evolves seamlessly from one scene to another. Changes in lighting work surprisingly well to signify time shifts between the past and the present, as MJ is haunted by childhood memories, where his father (also played by Bowles) drilled discipline into him, as well as a requirement to be no less than perfect that continues to drive him. These flashbacks allow us to see what it was like for Jackson and his siblings, Tito (Josh A. Dawson), Marlon (Bryce A. Holme / Brion Marquis Watson), Jermaine (Avilon Trust Tate), and Randy (Malcolm Miles Young) and provide an opportunity to perform Jackson 5 hits, like “I’ll Be There” in their rise to the top of the Motown charts.

The costumes (Paul Tazewell) are also incredibly well thought out. “Earth Song / They Don’t Care About Us” takes place at a press conference, where throngs of reporters dressed in black trench coats lined with newsprint swarm an increasingly distraught MJ, whose fractured mental state is reflected in the jagged shards of “glass” above him. This scene uses stunning imagery and lighting alongside the music and choreography to evoke strong emotions and was, by far, my favourite number of the show.

“Smooth Criminal” and “Thriller” are also visually spectacular numbers, with elaborate sets, with the latter brilliantly casting Joe as a monstrous carnival bogeyman. As is too often the case at the NAC's Southam Hall, there were sound issues that resulted in lyrics getting washed out; however, the cast’s vocal performances were on point, with Markus mimicking Jackson’s intonations, physical characteristics, and gesticulations with precision. Bowles was equally convincing in a role that required him to flip back and forth between Jackson’s supportive but exasperated manager to his manipulative, abusive father. Supporting cast members also gave strong performances, with Eric Hamilton (Michael), Josiah Benson (Little Michael), Anastasia Talley (Katherine Jackson), and Anthony J. Garcia (Alejandro) standing out. The ensemble was phenomenal and gave one thousand percent throughout the show; the choreography (Christopher Wheeldon) is mesmerizing.

The show follows the typical jukebox musical format, but some of the songs seem like they are just thrown in for the sake of the audience, rather than to advance the plot in any way. Judging by the rabid audience applause after fan favourites like “Bad” and “Billie Jean”, it really doesn’t matter.

Whether you are a Michael Jackson fan or just want to see a high quality production, MJ is a slam dunk for entertainment value, but don’t expect to learn anything about the King of Pop that you didn’t already know. I’m not ashamed to say that I would see it again in a heartbeat, with my blinders firmly in place, of course.

MJ The Musical is on stage at the National Arts Centre through January 5th, with extremely limited seats remaining for the duration of its run. Click the link below for tickets or click here for more information and to see what else Broadway Across Canada has in store for Ottawa this season.