What Did the Critics Have to Say About Broadway's MJ? | Playbill

The Verdict What Did the Critics Have to Say About Broadway's MJ?

The biomusical, with a book by two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage, opened February 1 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

Myles Frost in MJ Matthew Murphy

Inspired by the life and art of the late Michael Jackson, MJ opened on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre February 1, after beginning previews December 6, 2021.

Myles Frost makes his Broadway debut as the titular King of Pop in the biomusical featuring 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 winner Christopher Wheeldon directs and choreographs.

Read what critics thought of the Broadway staging in the reviews below.

CitiTourNY (Brian Scott Lipton)

Deadline (Greg Evans)

The Hollywood Reporter (Love Gyarkye)

New York Stage Review (Elysa Gardner and Jesse Oxfeld)

New York Daily News (Chris Jones)

New York Magazine/Vulture (Helen Shaw)

New York Post (Johnny Oleksinski)

New York Theater (Jonathan Mandell)

New York Theatre Guide (Ayanna Prescod)

New York Times (Jesse Green)

Rolling Stone (David Browne)

Slate (Dan Rubins)

Theatrely (Juan A. Ramirez)

Time Out New York (Adam Feldman)

Variety (Naveen Kumar)

Washington Post (Peter Marks)

The Wrap (Robert Hofler)

Playbill will continue to update this page as reviews come in.

Also in the cast are Quentin Earl Darrington as Joseph Jackson and Rob, Whitney Bashor as Rachel, Gabriel Ruiz as Alejandro, Antoine L. Smith as Berry Gordy and Nick, Joey Sorge as Dave, John Edwards as Jackie Jackson, Ayana George as Katherine Jackson, Apollo Levine as Quincy Jones and Tito Jackson, Tavon Olds-Sample as Michael, Lamont Walker II as Jermaine Jackson, and Zelig Williams as Marlon Jackson.

WATCH: Meet Newcomer Myles Frost, Broadway's Michael Jackson

Walter Russell III and Christian Wilson alternate in the role of Little Michael, while Devin Trey Campbell plays Little Marlon Jackson.

MJ features 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 production makes Broadway history as the first to offer four separate Playbill covers, beginning opening night and continuing through the month of February in celebration of Black History Month.

Check Out New Photos of MJ

 
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