Elijah Rhea Johnson to star in 'MJ The Musical' on Broadway

He will assume the role of Michael Jackson from Myles Frost, who won a 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor for his performance, in April at the Neil Simon Theatre.

He's gonna be startin' somethin'! Elijah Rhea Johnson will make his Broadway debut as Michael Jackson in MJ The Musical on Broadway this spring. He begins performances at the Neil Simon Theatre on April 4.

Johnson makes his Broadway debut in the role; however, this isn't his first time with MJ. He played the role of a younger Michael Jackson in pre-Broadway workshops of MJ, and he also starred in touring and Las Vegas productions of The Lion King as a child.

Johnson takes over the role from Myles Frost, who departs MJ The Musical on April 2. Frost made history in 2022 as the youngest solo actor to win the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at 22 years old.

MJ The Musical recounts the life and career of Michael Jackson through all his hit songs. When an MTV camera crew arrives at tour rehearsals to film a documentary about Jackson, he and audiences look back through his most formative memories and career highlights.

Director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon won the Best Choreography Tony Award for MJ, and the script is by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

Who is in the MJ The Musical Broadway cast?

In addition to Johnson as Michael Jackson, the principal cast of MJ The Musical also includes Tavon Olds-Sample, Bane Griffith, Christian Wilson, Quentin Earl Darrington, Whitney Bashor, Gabriel Ruiz, Antoine L. Smith, Joey Sorge, Ayana George, Apollo Levine, John Edwards, Lamont Walker II, and Zelig Williams.

Get MJ The Musical tickets now.

Photo credit: Elijah Rhea Johnson. (Photo by Drew Elhamalawy)