'MJ' at Playhouse Square Worthy of a Standing Ovation

Can you do the "moonwalk," that mystical backslide dance step that singer/dancer Jeffrey Daniel invented and Michael Jackson made famous? If you practice, you can probably do a respectable version of it. But you'll never do it as well as Michael, because he practiced it more than you would...ever.

The perfectionism of that iconic performer is up front in MJ, the jukebox musical that is now making a tour stop at Playhouse Square. The show is magnificent in many ways, while it avoids the darkest parts of Jackson's later years. That avoidance is justified since the show takes place in 1992, during the rehearsals for the ill-fated "Dangerous" tour, several months before accusations of pedophilia were directed at Jackson (he later was found not guilty of criminal charges).

Director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon is focused on celebrating Michael Jackson the performer, and the script by Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage uses the tried-and-true device of flashbacks to fill in the details of that story.

But this is where the production of MJ departs from the usual and expected. The transitions from 1992 to events in the past are not just seamless, they are instantaneous and often startlingly effective. At one moment tour manager Rob (a superb Devin Bowles) will be talking to Michael about a rehearsal note and in the next second Bowles is growling as Joseph Jackson, the dominant and often brutal father of Michael and his siblings.

The pain of Michael's formative years is brought out fully by Roman Banks in the title role. His MJ combines a breathy falsetto singing voice with a neatly orchestrated collection of familiar tics—the shoulder shifts, the crotch grabs and the micro-yelps that recall Michael in all his glory. But the shadow of his abusive father is never far away, and it colors even the brightest moments of the entertainer's astounding career.

Two other actors portray elementary school-age Michael (shared between Josiah Benson and Bane Griffith) and teenage Michael (Brandon Lee Harris). At times two Michaels are on stage simultaneously, with the grown Michael sharing a memory with an MTV documentary producer (Mary Kate Moore) while a younger Michael acts out that scene from years before.

The merging of the present with the past is enhanced by Derek McLane's scenic design, the projection design by Peter Nigrini, and all the other allied designers. Those talents combine in a climactic Thriller-inspired sequence that takes Michael's love-hate relationship with his father to the breaking point.

It is an all-too-familiar story of how an abused child, as he grows into adulthood, often takes on personality aspects of his abuser. And clearly, Joseph's ham-fisted perfectionism that made the Jackson Five so successful reappears in how Michael treats his brothers and fellow performers in the "Dangerous" company.

The only missteps in this remarkable production are too many iterations of people kvetching about all the money Michael is spending on odd staging requests, including jet packs.

Some of that time could have been spent sharing moments of Michael's inspired staging techniques, the ways he incorporated street beats and uncanny physical moves to create his signature style. The Act II curtain teasingly shares some handwritten notes Michael made during rehearsals, and it would have been fascinating to see a couple of those notes expanded on in more detail.

Also, there is precious little humor in this story, aside from one comment that Michael makes to Rob about a possible dance move: "I got an idea. And if we don't do it, God will give it to Prince."

For those who love Michael, his moves and his music, this show is a feast of more than 40 songs played fully or in part. And the special effect that ends the show is an oldie but goodie that launches the audience to its feet.

This is one show where the standing ovations are richly earned and deserved.

MJ
Through August 11 at Playhouse Square, KeyBank State Theater, 1615 Euclid Ave., clevelandplayhouse.com, 216-241-6000.

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