Following its Tony Award-winning success on Broadway and acclaimed international runs, MJ the Musical has finally hit the Australian stage at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Set over two days of rehearsals for the Dangerous World Tour, the production explores Michael Jackson’s legacy, artistry and influence to the beat of his most famous hits.
At yesterday’s media call, The Scoop got a little taste of what the Australian tour of MJ the Musical has in store, and trust me, you’re going to want the whole meal.
This creative team is top-notch. A ship heralded by Director / Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Broadway producer Lia Vollack and Australian producing royalty Michael Cassel Group.
In yesterday’s media Q&A, the team unpacked the process of bringing a show as mammoth as this to the Australian stage.
“We wanted to harness Michael’s curiosity and intention,” Nottage explained. When asked about how the show came to be she responded:
“The show really came about when I entered the office of our amazing producer, Lia, I didn’t know quite why I was there. I sat down and on her coffee table, she had this enormous Michael Jackson book, and I was just mesmerised by it. And then she turned to me and she said, ‘How would you feel about doing a Michael Jackson musical?’ and I didn’t even have to think twice. I thought, absolutely.”
Wheeldon then jokingly quipped in response:
“I think I did think twice. I wondered, coming from a very different world, having been trained and been a classical ballet dancer, and then a classical ballet choreographer…but also just the responsibility of bringing such a great artist to the stage. And what I so loved about your beautiful book was that you really chose to focus on the brilliance of Michael’s creative mind and how he put songs together.”
The admiration and respect Nottage and Wheeldon have for each other as people and as creatives is undeniable. It is evident not only in the beautiful work they have created but also in the way they spoke about one another.
When unpacking their collaboration, Wheeldon revealed that he said yes to this directorial role, in large part, for the chance to work with Nottage.
“The opportunity to work with you was so exciting. I hadn’t thought that we would ever work together, and so I just thought, wow. Yes, a huge responsibility, but knowing that I had your hands to hold and that our perspectives as a team would be very different.”
Nottage jumped in to add:
“I respect these really different but super aligned perspectives. One of the joys was sitting in this sandbox with you and coming up with the ideas. Never once did you say that’s a stupid idea. You’d always say, ‘well, that’s interesting. Let’s explore it.’ And I felt the same way.
“It felt like we really had this beautiful collaboration, which doesn’t always happen, and it’s really tough to make a musical. You know, you see the folks up here, and it feels effortless, but there are so many ingredients that go into putting this together. And so it’s super important to have a collaborator who you’re aligned with, and who you can be honest with, and who you can be playful with, and who had also has a sense of discovery.”
Nottage then elaborated on her decision to collaborate with Wheeldon on this project.
“I think that it was really important to work with a director, who not only understood the complexities of who Michael was as a musician, but who he was as a dancer. I think a lot of people forget that one of Michael’s innovations in pop music was introducing a new dance vocabulary, and I don’t think there was anyone better than you to bring this to the stage.”
The conversation then pivoted as Nottage delved into her thought process during the infancy of this creative endeavour.
“It’s impossible these days to tell a cradle to grave story, particularly for someone as complicated as Michael Jackson. I mean, he began his career when he was eight years old, and so to try and tell that entire story felt like an impossibility. I think what we really wanted to do is figure out, ‘How do we focus on Michael, the master of his form?’ And we decided to look at the Dangerous tour, which was kind of the apotheosis of all of his creativity, when he was at the height of his powers.”
As it turns out she is not only a genius but also unbelievably humble and endearing. When asked about her time in Sydney so far she had this to say:
“It has always been my dream to come to Australia, and not only being able to be here, but to be here with MJ is just amazing. So thank you. Thank you.”
No. Thank YOU, Lynn Nottage. I, for one, am both grateful and excited to have Michael Jackson’s legacy commemorated, in such a joyous way, on the Sydney stage. Australian audiences are in for an absolute treat. Get your tickets now.
MJ the Musical opens Saturday 8 March at Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pyrama Road Pyrmont NSW 2009.
Tickets on sale now via Ticketmaster.
Website: https://mjthemusical.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/mjthemusicalau/
Photo credits: Matthew Murphy
