Picture: Matthew Murphy
Quadruple Tony Award-winning musical MJ will dance into the West End in March 2024.
Featuring a book by double Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Lynn Nottage (Ruined, Sweat) and directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winning Royal Ballet associate artist Christopher Wheeldon (An American Paris), the musical which celebrates the artistry of Michael Jackson will make its UK debut at the Prince Edward Theatre.
Produced by Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate, the musical which focuses on Jackson’s hugely successful 1992 Dangerous World tour, began preview performances at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway in December 2021 ahead of an opening night in February this year.
MJ was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, winning four including the Best Choreography Award for Wheeldon, and the Best Actor in a Musical Award for lead Myles Frost for his portrayal of the music legend.
Commenting on the show’s London debut, writer Nottage said: “As a Black musician and a pioneering voice in the music industry, Michael Jackson demanded inclusion, broke incredible barriers and in the process made indelible music that continues to resonate, delight and move listeners today. I am drawn to his complicated, singular and uncompromising creative process, and to understand where, why and how he made his music.”
Director and choreographer Wheeldon added: “I am thrilled that MJ will come to London, having been embraced by New York audiences since it opened. Michael Jackson had a profound influence on popular culture, as well as all of us as performing artists, and this musical is an exploration of that artistic mind and a creative process which is unmistakably Michael Jackson.
“It has offered us the opportunity to put one of the greatest catalogues of pop music ever written up onstage in a show that combines the thrill and energy of a Michael Jackson concert with a glimpse into a pivotal moment of his pioneering career.
“After many years working with the Royal Ballet and bringing the Tony Award-winning American In Paris to the West End, I now very much look forward to bringing MJ to UK audiences.”
The high-powered creative team also includes scenic design by Derek McLane (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), lighting design by Natasha Katz (Once), costume design by Paul Tazewell (Hamilton), sound design by Gareth Owen (Come From Away), projection design by Peter Nigrini (Dear Evan Hansen), hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe (The Color Purple) with musical supervision by David Holcenberg (Matilda) and orchestrations and arrangements by Jason Michael Webb (The Color Purple).
Angela Thomas
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