“MJ,” the Michael Jackson musical, has announced the full creative team for its Broadway run this summer.
The musical will feature scenic design by Derek McLane, lighting design by Natasha Katz, costume design by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Gareth Owen, projection design by Peter Nigrini and hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe.
“The majority of the story is set inside a spacious, industrial dance rehearsal studio, but throughout the musical we find ourselves repeatedly transported into Michael’s mind — his memories and his dreams. The alternating between dream sequences and reality gives us the chance to repeatedly surprise the audience,” McLane said in the press release.
The musical is written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Christopher Wheeldon. Ephraim Sykes stars as Michael Jackson. It is yet unclear if or how the musical will deal Jackson’s alleged history of sexual abuse of minors, recently detailed in the documentary “Leaving Neverland.”
Produced by Lia Vollack Productions and The Michael Jackson Estate, the musical is set to begin previews on July 6 at the Neil Simon Theatre, with an opening night on Aug. 13.
It will feature musical supervision by David Holcenberg, orchestrations and arrangements by David Holcenberg and Jason Michael Webb, and music direction by Webb.
