The King of Pop Gets a Broadway Makeover
Picture this: Michael Jackson’s electrifying tunes swirling on Broadway, choreographed to a new beat by a top-tier ballet maestro. That’s the bold vision a group of producers unveiled on Tuesday—no title has been dropped yet, but they’re aiming for a 2020 opening.
Who’s Behind the Curtain?
- Lynn Nottage – The Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright, who also teaches at Columbia. She’s recently turned heads with her play Sweat, a gritty look at a Pennsylvania town’s brewing ethnic tension after factories close. Nottage’s work had uncanny foresight, predicting sentiments that later surfaced in the 2016 election.
- Christopher Wheeldon – A ballet virtuoso who’s written for the Royal Ballet and New York’s dance scene. From Wonderland to Winter’s Tale, Wheeldon has turned literary classics into dance spectacles. He’s also tackled Gene Kelly’s famous musical An American in Paris, a nod to Gershwin’s sounds.
- The Jackson Estate – The late icon’s heirs are co-producing, hinting the show will paint a more uplifting portrait of the superstar.
What to Expect
Think of the musical as a pop‑ballad meets modern drama: a riot of costume, dance, and, of course, MJ’s legendary hits. The production team hasn’t yet revealed how they’ll balance his superstar image with the darker chapters of his life, but the estate’s involvement suggests an emphasis on his incredible achievements.
Michael’s Story in a Few Scenes
- Born into a music‑star family as part of The Jackson 5, MJ exploded onto the world stage with disco‑filled 90s hits.
- His 1982 album Thriller is still the best‑selling pop album of all time.
- He faced a tragic end in 2009: killed by a misused drug under his doctor’s watch—an accident shrouded in controversy.
- Four years before his death, he was acquitted of serious allegations he vehemently denied.
In short, the musical will likely celebrate his prodigious talent while offering a respectful nod to the complexities that shaped his legacy.
