The first national tour of MJ The Musical has descended upon Los Angeles, where it's performing at the Pantages Theatre through January 28, 2024.
The tour celebrated its LA stop with a splashy opening night, attended by Barry Gordy and Susanne de Passe, Jon Batiste, Norm Nixon, Mario van Peebles, Kenny Ortega, Emily Bear, and Tony-winning creators Lynn Nottage and Christopher Wheeldon.
See star Roman Banks and the cast of MJ take their first curtain call in the video above.
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Banks stars as Michael Jackson, leading a cast that includes Jamaal Fields-Green as the MJ Alternate, Brandon Lee Harris as Michael, Josiah Benson as Little Michael, Ethan Joseph as Little Michael, Devin Bowles as Joseph Jackson/Rob, Mary Kate Moore as Rachel, J. Daughtry as Berry Gordy/Nick, Josh A. Dawson as Tito Jackson/Quincy Jones, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Little Marlon, Matt Loehr as Dave, Da’Von Moody as Alejandro, and Anastasia Talley as Katherine Jackson/Kate.
Ensemble members, swings, and understudies include JoJo Carmichael, Croix DiIenno, Kellie Drobnick, Kyle Dupree, Zuri Noelle Ford, Jahir L. Hipps, Bryson Jacobi Jackson, Rajané Katurah, Jordan Markus, Matteo Marretta, Janayé McAlpine, Jay McKenzie, Kendrick Mitchell, Chelsea Mitchell-Bonsu, Zion Pradier, Ayla Stackhouse, Brion Marquis Watson, Charles P. Way, and Malcolm Miles Young.
MJ began previews December 6, 2021, at the Neil Simon on Broadway prior to an official opening February 1, 2022. Detroit native Elijah Rhea Johnson stepped into the leading role of Michael Jackson April 4, succeeding Myles Frost, who won a Tony for his performance.
The musical features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the most popular songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Wheeldon directs and choreographs.
MJ also has sets by Derek McLane, lighting by Natasha Katz, costumes by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Gareth Owen, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe, music direction by Jason Michael Webb, musical supervision by David Holcenberg, and orchestrations by Holcenberg and Webb. Casting is by Rachel Hoffman of The Telsey Office.
The show took home four Tony Awards in total, including Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design in a Musical, and Best Sound Design in a Musical.
MJ is produced on Broadway and tour by Lia Vollack, John Branca, and John McClain.
For tickets and the current tour schedule, visit MJTheMusical.com.
