‘Black or White,’ it’s not ‘Bad’ to enjoy ‘MJ’ the musical — it’s just ‘Human Nature’

Before I moonwalk into the heart of this review, I know there are two burning questions at the front of your mind. First, by being set in 1992, the year before sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson were made public, “MJ” the musical neatly avoids addressing that particular issue. So, then, is it easy for viewers to simply ignore the elephant — or in this case, the pet chimpanzee — in the room? Short answer, it depends. I’ll get back to it.  

As to your second question — whether I’m going to pepper this review with Michael Jackson song titles and lyrics — I can definitively “Say Say Say” yes. So, slip on your sparkly white glove because I “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”  

“MJ” is a jukebox musical, meaning its score consists of well-known songs rather than original compositions. It includes all the hits one would expect in MJ’s life story, plus a few more. It takes place during rehearsals for the “Dangerous” world tour. Backup dancers are going through their routines, final touches are being put on the show, and we see MJ being pulled in several different directions at once. The production is over budget, MJ is insisting on a toaster lift that may or may not be safe, and all the while, he’s being followed and interviewed by journalists making a documentary. 

The show tells the story of MJ’s life by moving back and forth through time. One actor switches between portraying tour manager Rob and imposing Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson, giving the audience glimpses into MJ’s not-untroubled childhood. Then we see 1992 MJ engaged in conversations with a journalist while sharing the stage with a younger version of himself. Through these flashbacks, the audience follows MJ from his days in the Jackson 5 to signing with Berry Gordy at Motown, appearing on “Soul Train” with Don Cornelius and eventually venturing out on his own to make musical history with Quincy Jones. The creative storytelling shows MJ’s growth from a cute, talented, young boy to the unquestioned king of pop. These time hops also illustrate the relentless pressure and pain that turned that cute, young boy into a very complicated grown man. 

“MJ” is loud, bright and flashy — a total sensory overload, which can be both awesome and torturous. The song and dance numbers are high-energy and fantastic. There are moments that the show feels more like a concert than a theatrical production. If you never had the chance to see MJ perform live, here’s a brief glimpse at what you missed.  

So, “Remember the Time” I said I’d get back to question No. 1? Everyone has to draw their own line when separating art from the artist. I was 9 years old when “Thriller” was released in 1982. I owned that album on vinyl, cassette and CD. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to see the “Billie Jean” video on “Friday Night Videos” because we didn’t have cable. That’s what I think of when I think of Michael Jackson. That and Eddie Van Halen’s screaming guitar solo in “Beat It.” For me, “MJ" is a two-and-a-half-hour nostalgia break from watching a lunatic and his billionaire sidekick burn down my country to the ground. The entirety of the crowd, which ranged in age from 8 to 80, was on its feet at the end of the show. If this sounds like fun to you, “Beat It” to the Wharton Center by Sunday (Feb 16).