Ephraim Sykes

Michael Jackson musical MJ announces rescheduled Broadway dates for 2021

The world premiere of MJ The Musical is now scheduled to begin performances at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre on March 8, 2021.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

For fans of Michael Jackson, the song "Heal the World" has taken on a whole new meaning over the past couple of months. Now, the current COVID-19 pandemic has caused a delay to the eagerly anticipated world premiere of MJ The Musical on Broadway.

The new bio-musical was originally scheduled to begin previews at the Neil Simon Theatre on July 6, 2020, ahead of an official opening on August 13. However, the Broadway shutdown has now been enforced through (at least) September 6, 2020.

The world premiere production will now begin previews at the same venue on March 8, 2021, with an official opening set for April 15, 2021.

Tony & Grammy Award nominee Ephraim Sykes is still on board to star as Michael Jackson in the musical, with additional casting to be confirmed in the months ahead. Sykes was last seen on Broadway in his Tony & Grammy-nominated run as David Ruffin in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations at the Imperial Theatre. His previous Broadway credits include Hamilton, Motown The Musical, Memphis, Disney's Newsies, and Disney's The Little Mermaid. He is also known for starring as Seaweed J. Stubbs in NBC's "Hairspray Live!" in 2016 and his other television credits include "Vinyl," Marvel's "Luke Cage," "Smash," and "30 Rock."

MJ The Musical features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and the greatest hits of The King of Pop, such as "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Bad," "Man in the Mirror," "Smooth Criminal," and "Black or White," to name just a few.

Under the direction of Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon (who also serves as choreographer), the creative team also features scenic design by Tony and two-time Emmy Award winner Derek McLane, lighting design by six-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz, costume design by Tony and Emmy Award winner Paul Tazewell, sound design by two-time Tony Award nominee Gareth Owen, projection design by two-time Tony Award nominee Peter Nigrini, and hair & wig design by two-time Emmy Award nominee Charles LaPointe. Music direction is by Tony Award recipient Jason Michael Webb, with musical supervision by David Holcenberg, and orchestrations & arrangements by both Webb and Holcenberg.

MJ The Musical is produced on Broadway by Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate.

 

Scenic design sketch for MJ The Musical
(Courtesy of Derek McLane)

MJ The Musical Tickets will be on sale soon.

(Header photo by Little Fang)

 

Originally published on

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