Myles Frost Reigns as the King of Pop Michael Jackson
Myles Frost, photo by Matthew Murphy
For a few years now, biographical musicals have become a burgeoning Broadway trend. MJ the Musical, is the latest and greatest of the bio-plays. It chronicles the meteoric rise of Michael Jackson from a young child to the King of Pop. This production is a high-energy explosion of singing and dancing that begins with the pop icon polishing the final rehearsal of his “1992 Dangerous Tour”. The shows opening number — Beat It — is a double entendre that challenges the prejudices that have plagued the superstar his entire life.
A brilliant visual and musical tapestry
Playwright Lynn Nottage weaves scenes together from Michael’s past and present with connecting threads of music that is not always his. Nottage’s final creation is a brilliant visual and musical tapestry. At times, the present-day Michael stands aside to watch the memories of his youth unfold. Those childhood glimpses offer a deeper understanding and appreciation of the quirks and oddities invented by Jackson for his protection and/or for his personal amusement.
Lynn Nottage is a recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. She is the first woman in history to do so, and MJ the Musical may very well garner her a third. Nottage deftly skirted the issue of Jackson’s alleged pedophilia accusations in 1993, by placing the story in 1992.
Deftly skirting controversy
But there were still a plethora of media hype surrounding Jackson’s eccentricities prior to ’92, and MJ answers some of them. During a break after the opening number, Michael reluctantly gives permission to an MTV reporter and her cameraman to tape his rehearsal and to interview him. However, he explicitly informs her that she is to cover his music only — explaining that he hasn’t given an interview in years because reporters tend to skew the truth. For the rest of the play, Whitney Bashor as Rachel (MTV reporter) sneaks around trying to get a bigger, dirtier scoop. Who’s Bad?
An outstanding ensemble
A stunning script is nothing without a cast to carry it off and this cast is A-maz-ing. Every dancer — the men, the women, the children and teens, the African-Americans, the Latinos, the Asians, and the Caucasians — dances like Jackson. The actors play more than one character and they morph on a dime and lose nothing in translation. one examples: Quentin Earl Darrington as Rob (company manager) fails to change MJ’s mind during rehearsal and begins to walk away defeated, but he turns around, after taking two steps, as the family patriarch Joseph Jackson — gruffly he lays down the rules on what he expects of his young son.
Without changing makeup, wigs, or costumes the actors seamlessly flow from one role to another. Ayanna George deserves a special shout-out as Katherine (Jackson family matriarch) whose rendition of I’ll Be There is one of the warmest and most heartfelt songs in the show. She demonstrates the loving refuge his mother became for Michael when he was troubled.
Channeling Michael
Still, the success or failure of a production rests firmly on the talent of the adult lead. So impeccable is Myles Frost’s portrayal of the megastar that Jackson’s spirit seems to channel him. Frost is himself a self-trained pianist, singer, songwriter, music producer, dancer, and actor like Jackson. He has extraordinary likeness when speaking in the soft, whispery tones of Michael with an underlying strength.
One recurring show conflict is MJ’s gentle insistence that he be allowed to perform an innovative and possibly risky gymnastic feat. When his idea is met with repeated resistance, a soft but quick “You’re fired” is the subtle reveal of the iron-willed drive of the genius. And although he immediately follows that with a lighthearted, “Just kidding,” the threat is clear and wordlessly extended to his exhausted dancers from whom he demands perfection.
For anyone who missed Michael Jackson Live back in the day, and for the generations who only know him through videos… MJ is BACK!! Check out MJ the Musical, the show setting the Neil Simon Theatre stage on fire right now and discover firsthand Who’s Bad!
The Neil Simon Theater is located at 250 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019, (212) 757-8646 or purchase tickets online: https://mjthemusical.com/tickets/
Broadway’s Other Offerings
TINA, the Broadway bio-play that tells Tina Turner’s story also gave Adrienne Warren a TONY Award for Best Actress. It is currently running at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Other Broadway bio-plays include; Donna Summer The Musical, The Cher Show, BEAUTIFUL The Carole Musical, and Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, The Temptations’s story. A Whitney Houston Broadway Musical is also currently in the Works.
Ms. Gaffney has done it again! Thank you for making me feel as if I’m on the front row of the theatre experiencing MJ the Musical! I will run, not walk, to see the production when I’m in New York!