|
• All Feature Articles
MJ The Musical - Nothing Bad About It at the TPAC in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
The 4-Time Tony Award-Winning MJ The Musical is now on tour across the U.S. and Canada which included a stop at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in Nashville, TN. The show will be at the TPAC through May 11th, 2025.
Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was known as the "King of Pop". Through fashion music and staging, he proliferated visual performance for artists while popularizing street dance moves including the moonwalk. Michael made his public debut in 1964 as a member of the Jackson 5. The group joined the Motown label and enjoyed worldwide success. Then, MJ achieved solo stardom with the release of his fifth album Off the Wall (1979) followed by Thriller (1982) - the best-selling album of all time. Along with more hits MJ had his fair share of heartbreaks - so much so that he needed prescription propofol in order to sleep - and an overdose on it led to his untimely death at age 50.
Many consider Jackson one of the greatest entertainers ever. MJ The Musical focuses on the time around his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the signature moves and songs to look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Jackson into legendary status.
As we took our seats at the TPAC, we found ourselves at a backstage rehearsal studio where dancers were warming up waiting for MJ to arrive. He strolls in and right away the company with backup singers presented an impressive "Beat It" setting and maintaining a high bar for the night. After a quick glance at encore (TPAC's Playbill) we knew we were in for a lot more mega hits.
"I want it to be about the music," states Michael to Rachel an interviewer who had been given permission to capture some of the behind-the-scenes moments in advance of the Dangerous World Tour. Yet, she digs deeper as the music had to come from somewhere. From that point we move back and forth between MJ's past and the present (1992).
We enjoyed the high points of the Jackson 5 growing in popularity and performing at top venues such as the Apollo Theater thanks in part to their very demanding father. Joe Jackson expected perfection and the need to be perfect is apparent as MJ keeps making changes and adding more elements to the Dangerous production just days before they are set to take the world by storm. In addition to creating a cutting-edge show Jackson aimed to raise $100 million for charities including his Heal the World Foundation – so the pressure was on.
"Price of Fame" along with other songs gave us a glimpse into the struggles that MJ faced in his lifetime. We were also reminded that he overcame racial barriers as well. Today, it is hard to imagine that he got limited airtime for his Off The Wall album or that in the early 1980's MTV did not show many videos from black artists. So, MJ had to make something so undeniable that they had to play songs from Thriller on the channel.
Reenactments of the ahead of its time "Thriller" video, the Motown 25th Anniversary broadcast when Michael Jackson became an overnight sensation with his fancy footwork during a live rendition of "Bille Jean", and the tragic Pepsi commercial filming incident that left Michael burned and dependent on painkillers are all included to help underscore the compelling contrast of triumph and tragedy that marked his closely followed career trajectory.
"I want it to be about the music," Michael reiterated often and sure enough MJ The Musical is just that and so much more. It revealed the sensitive side of this superstar while still subtly addressing the accusations and bad press that haunted MJ. However, the lasting message of this show is that the who man created so many memorable songs put bettering the human condition over his own incredible and unprecedented individual achievements with his admirable and note-worthy philanthropic efforts.
MJ The Musical is packed with dynamic dance numbers. The costumes document the decades as did the stellar set designs – we loved the vibrant 1970's plus all pivotal pieces from the 1980's. We also thought the trick of 1992 MJ looking back at his life and singing with younger versions of himself was very effective. Of course, the show's success relies heavily on whoever has the challenging task of playing the Gloved One. In Nashville, the very capable Jordan Markus nailed it. Not only did he have to sing and glide across the stage like MJ but he captured all the mannerism along with the very soft voice that MJ had. If Michael was still alive, we would like to think that he would appreciate this show - we sure did.
MJ The Musical is one of a number of popular Broadway productions that the TPAC is presenting during this year. Since 1980, the TPAC has showcased Broadway musicals, concerts and much more. In addition to providing great entertainment for the capital city the TPAC supports the community with classroom residencies, enrichment programs, teacher resources and more. So, ease on down to the TPAC for MJ The Musical and please check out their website for a full list of upcoming events.
Related Links:
For more information on MJ THE MUSICAL and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
MJ The Musical |
Michael Jackson |
TPAC
|
