Theater Thursday - MJ and A Strange Loop

We were given complimentary tickets to MJ for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: MJ

Where: Neil Simon Theatre

             250 W. 52nd St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 10 and Up

MJ is not your typical jukebox musical. You probably aren't going to learn anything you didn't already know about Michael Jackson by seeing this show. On the whole, the show is rather underwhelming. This is not to say that there is not anything good about it. Miles Frost who plays MJ is terrific. He really does a wonderful job of embodying Jackson right down to the voice. The dancing is great too and of course, there are plenty of Jackson's iconic dance movies like the Moonwalk in the show.

The music is kind of a disappointment. Although there is a lot to like about it, including full reproductions of some of Jackson's best-loved songs including Thriller, Smooth Criminal, and Billie Jean, many of the full songs in the show are not the more popular ones. Many of the more popular songs are only partially sung or only a bit of the music from the song is played which is like a tease especially if that song is one of your favorites. Obviously, they could not possibly have included all of Jackson's songs in the show or even all of his best-known and/or loved songs, and they could not possibly please everyone with their song choices. However, it just seems like the song choices were very random and could have been a little better. They should have chosen more of the hits and less of the more obscure songs.

The plot of the show is not that interesting either. It revolves around a couple of reporters doing a documentary as Jackson prepares for his Dangerous tour. However, they don't learn all that much about him and neither does the audience. Also, at the end of the show, we are left hanging because we don't ever find out what happens with the tour or the documentary. In fact, the show leaves a lot unsaid. It seems like there is a lot more to Michael Jackson's life and his story than what is in this show. If you want to relive a few of his iconic songs and hear some of his songs that you may never have heard before, go and see this show. If you really want to learn about Michael Jackson and his life,  you should probably look somewhere else.

For more information about MJ or to purchase tickets, visit https://mjthemusical.com

*********************************************************************

We were given complimenary tickets to A Strange Loop for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: A Strange Loop

Where: Lyceum Theatre

             149 W. 45th St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up

Michael Jackson, the pop star is not the only Michael Jackson whose work is currently appearing on Broadway. Playwright, Michael R. Jackson's Pultizer Prize-winning musical, A Strange Loop is now playing at the Lyceum Theatre. The show is a show within a show within a show ... It revolves around a Black Queer writer writing a show about a Black Queer writing a show about a Black Queer writer ... Accordingly, it is very timely and touches on some important issues which are very much in the forefront including what it is like to be Queer in America today and what it is like to be a Black man in America today.

The main character, Usher is the only real character in the show. The rest are all just thoughts in his head. It is confusing though because some are clearly his thoughts like the character that is constantly putting him down and others are people in his life like his mother and his father so it feels like they could actually be real but they are not. The handful of actors who take on the roles of all these different thoughts and characters running around in Usher's head do a great job with them. They are extremely funny. Jacquel Spivey does a nice job with the lead role of Usher as well. 

The music is mostly good and there are some really fun songs including Tyler Perry Writes Real Life and Writing a Gospel Play. The original soundtrack is already available for purchase as  a CD or MP3 download it was recorded by the original cast of the musical when it appeared Off-Broadway at Playwright's Horizon pre-pandemic.  A new recording of the Broadway cast has also been made and is expected to be released shortly.

The show is extremely inappropriate for young children due to language and subject matter which includes lots of talk about sex and simulated sex. The show also may not appeal to anyone who prefers a show that is more rooted in the here and now and things that are actually happening and not just in a character's head. If you are interested in an very unique extremely introspective show, however, you may enjoy this one.

For more about A Strange Loop or to purchase tickets, visit strangeloopmusical.com.

And that's our view. Tune in Saturday for a Saturday Special. 

Photo credits: All MJ production photos by Matthew Murphy

                       All A Strange Loop production photos by Marc J. Franklin.