Spot on Michaels!
by CaliJana on 5/13/24Music Hall Kansas City - Kansas CityWhat a fun musical! The three versions of Michael (young, teen and adult) were spot-on in their singing, speaking and dancing. The creators creatively managed to weave in a good bit of MJ's library (a feat in itself). I nearly cried at the beautiful duet of "I'll Be There,"and the haunting opening to "Thriller,"with young Michael singing the opening lines out into the dark, then the adult Michael joining in. The dancing was outstanding, too, of course. The character who played both Joseph (the father) and Rob (the manager) was so good at both roles! The woman who played the interviewer spoke a little too softly for my liking, but her singing voice was excellent (tho she did little of that). I waited with bated breath for "Man in the Mirror,"and sadly wasn't a huge fan of how they performed it as a choir, although I understand the intent behind doing it that way. I would have appreciated the inclusion of Lisa Marie Presley and how that influenced a song or two, but I get why the left it out. The musical does a nice job honoring Michael as a human and helping us understand, or at least appreciate, some of his idiosyncrasies. Michael Jackson's presence on this earth is sorely missed--his voice, dancing, and other-worldly talent. MJ the Musical is a bit of salve in that enduring wound, and a sweet reminder of his impact on all of us. We saw the show in Kansas City and sat behind a row of very tall people and had a hard time seeing, which was a bummer. But other than that, the show was a thriller!