The King of Pop never stood still
'MJ The Musical' runs through March 1 at Belk Theater, 130 N Tryon St.
This review by longtime Charlotte arts critic Lawrence Toppman was published by The Charlotte Ledger on February 25, 2026. You can find out more about The Charlotte Ledger’s commitment to smart local news and information and sign up for our newsletter for free here. Ledger subscribers can add the Toppman on the Arts newsletter on their “My Account” page.
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Review: The national tour of ‘MJ The Musical’ is a high-energy, superbly performed show that recasts Michael Jackson as an artist defined by movement
by Lawrence Toppman
I’ve seen good jukebox musicals that carried me straight through a biography mingled with an array of hits (“Jersey Boys”), employed a song catalog out of chronological order to illuminate life events (“Tina”), even co-opted a writer’s music to tell the narratives of people who had nothing to do with him personally (“Girl From the North Country”).
But until Tuesday at Belk Theater, I hadn’t seen one that made me reassess the essence of a performer. I’d always thought of Michael Jackson as an appealing singer with fluid dance moves. “MJ The Musical,” back at Belk Theater on its national tour, reveals him to be a different thing entirely: An artist who defined himself primarily by movement, from the falsetto throb of his voice to the snap of a hip, the thrust of an arm, and feet that spun and high-stepped en pointe.
Early in Lynn Nottage’s book for the show, MJ — I’ll call him that to avoid confusion with the other two versions of himself here — tells a colleague he can think clearly only when he’s moving. Physical stillness equals stagnation, gives others a chance to pin you down and snipe at you, maybe even forces you to confront unhappy memories or truths you’d rather ignore.
The proof comes early in the second act. MJ (superbly embodied by Jordan Markus) goes through a long, sinuous dance routine where he communicates without speaking or singing. When he stands unwillingly still at other times, usually to hear people tell him his visions are physically impossible, dangerous or too expensive to pull off, he’s troubled. He doesn’t seem at home in his own quiet body or at home with anybody else: The musical never suggests a romantic relationship or even a close friendship.
Director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, who made his name in ballet before transitioning to musicals with “An American in Paris,” keeps the show whirling through top-speed costume and set changes. That’s good for two reasons: It echoes the energy of the main character and rushes us past repetition in Nottage’s overlong book. (I believe we were told five times that the 1992-93 “Dangerous World Tour” could bankrupt MJ financially. Of course, it did not.)
This musical is set in the days just before that tour, as never-satisfied MJ drives everyone mad with constant re-designs for dance numbers and visual elements. A reporter and cameraman from MTV come to profile him, triggering memories of his childhood self (played endearingly by Eric Wiltz, one of two Little Michaels) and the one who grew to adulthood via the “Off the Wall” album (stand-in Erik Hamilton, whose spot-on performance indicates the depth of the cast).
That setting allows the creators, who needed the co-operation of the Jackson estate, to avoid the accusations of improper behavior with children — those started during the “Dangerous” tour — and concentrate on emotional turmoil in the painfully private King of Pop, a nickname I used to find self-aggrandizing but now acknowledge.
The story touches on familiar points, from abuse by the Jacksons’ dictatorial father (reduced here to guilt trips and a slap) to the hair-burning incident while filming a Pepsi commercial. We realize that, in a less vicious way, MJ has absorbed his father’s unhealthy outlook: The result of any action must be perfection or utter failure, with nothing in between. We come to sympathize with this unhappy, lonely man more than I thought I would, partly due to Markus’ soulful performance; he’s charismatic just sitting on a bed, warily watching his 10-year-old self.
I also re-thought some of Jackson’s songs. For instance, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” about gossip that ruins relationships, becomes an anthem for Michael’s re-invention after leaving his brothers. That approach doesn’t always work: The notion that “Thriller” depicts nightmares about his brutish dad, who lurches around like a zombie, seems false and facile.
The talent in this show runs as deep as any musical I’ve seen on tour in recent years. Devin Bowles switches easily from casual nastiness as the father to long-suffering patience as the tour director. Rajané Katurah sings soulfully as the affectionate mother who wasn’t strong enough to stand up to the domineering dad. Chorus members dance with indefatigable assurance.
I must praise the hard-rocking band onstage and extra reed and brass players in the pit, who never let up. The show opens with a recreation of the “Beat It” video, and guitarist Julia Levin popped up out of the pack of dancers at the right moment. Would she really play the famously searing Eddie Van Halen solo? She did and nailed it. It’s that kind of production, top to bottom.
If You’re Going
“MJ The Musical” runs through March 1 at Belk Theater, 130 N Tryon St. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
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Lawrence Toppman covered the arts for 40 years at The Charlotte Observer before retiring in 2020. Now, he’s back in the critic’s chair for the Charlotte Ledger — look for his reviews several times each month in the Charlotte Ledger.
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