Broadway's MJ The Musical in West Palm Beach probes Michael Jackson’s "human side"
By Wilkine Brutus
February 6, 2026 at 11:53 AM EST
MJ the Musical takes us behind the curtain of Michael Jackson’s legendary 1992 Dangerous World Tour. The Broadway show is making its much-anticipated stop in West Palm Beach.
The jukebox musical, from Tony Award-winning director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, shows Jackson’s "human side," said Jordan Markus, the multi-hyphenate performer who plays Michael Jackson.
It follows Jackson in the heat of rehearsals, laying bare the crushing pressure of time, finances, as well as his relentless pursuit of — and struggles with — perfectionism.
The national tour stops at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 10, where Markus said fans and newcomers will see flashbacks charting Jackson’s rise from the Jackson 5 in Gary, Ind., to global icon, highlighting his “complex family and professional life," he told WLRN.
The show, now on its fourth year on tour, uses an interviewer character to draw out Jackson's memories. Markus, who was raised in Georgia by way of Louisiana, told WLRN his favorite “introspective and vulnerable” scene captures the gravity of Jackson's personal life through the famous song "Human Nature," Jackson's fifth single from the classic album Thriller.
“I think it's my favorite scene in the show where you really get to see Michael stripped down and it's just the man behind the music,” he said. “And you see really the cards that have been dealt.”
“It is a very tough emotional shift to have to authentically play every night.”
READ MORE: New West Palm Beach gallery spotlights overlooked postwar American artists, underrepresented groups
Markus, who as a child fled with his family to Douglasville, Georgia, from New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina, said he wasn’t even born yet when Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour captured the world's imagination.
Brandon Lee Harris as 'Michael' and the cast First National Tour cast of MJ (5414x3611, AR: 1.4993076710052617)
After years of studying Jackson's career, Markus joined MJ the Musical as an understudy and alternate before being promoted to full-time MJ on the national tour. Studying never stopped, he said.
Markus picked up several key tips while prepping for the show with legendary choreographers Rich and Tone Talauega, who danced with Michael Jackson at the height of Jackson's career. Those insights from the Talauega brothers helped Markus hone his craft, reshaping how he approached his favorite numbers “Smooth Criminal” and “Billie Jean.”
“They [Talauega brothers] would tell us that even on breaks Michael would still be in the mirror trying to nail down his moves,” Markus said. “It's just so inspiring to know that even though he was at the top of his game and at the top of the game for so long, he was still a student.”
Jordan Markus is a Broadway singer and dancer who debuted as Michael Jackson in the Tony-award winning MJ the Musical. The national tour for Broadways show explores Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous Tour rehearsals. The jukebox musical stops in West Palm Beach at the Kravis Center (534x800, AR: 0.6675)
Alongside a full ensemble and swings, the show also stars Brandon Lee Harris as Michael, with Melvin Gray Jr. and Erik Hamilton serving as alternates; Quentin Blanton Jr. and Bryce A. Holmes share the role of young Michael, supported by a principal cast including Devin Bowles as Joseph Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, and J. Daughtry as producer Berry Gordy.
Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, is played by Rajané Katurah.
In this tour, Markus is stepping into the role of Michael Jackson during a moment of renewed interest in the King of Pop, with a new biopic, Michael, set for theatrical release on April 24, 2026. He said the release of the Lionsgate film is going to be a “cultural moment” and “can't wait to be in the theater, just partying along with everybody else.”
That's the energy he expects from the audience in West Palm Beach. Markus said the interwoven storyline of MJ The Musical moves from nostalgia for those who witnessed his otherworldly stardom to a more intimate look at Michael Jackson, the man beyond the legend.
”This is not a typical musical where you have to like to sit on your hands and wait till the end,” Markus said. “You get to party along with us, but also learn something from it.”
IF YOU GO
What: MJ The Musical
When: Feb. 10 to Feb 15
Where: Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
For more information, go here.
The jukebox musical, from Tony Award-winning director-choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, shows Jackson’s "human side," said Jordan Markus, the multi-hyphenate performer who plays Michael Jackson.
It follows Jackson in the heat of rehearsals, laying bare the crushing pressure of time, finances, as well as his relentless pursuit of — and struggles with — perfectionism.
The national tour stops at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 10, where Markus said fans and newcomers will see flashbacks charting Jackson’s rise from the Jackson 5 in Gary, Ind., to global icon, highlighting his “complex family and professional life," he told WLRN.
The show, now on its fourth year on tour, uses an interviewer character to draw out Jackson's memories. Markus, who was raised in Georgia by way of Louisiana, told WLRN his favorite “introspective and vulnerable” scene captures the gravity of Jackson's personal life through the famous song "Human Nature," Jackson's fifth single from the classic album Thriller.
“I think it's my favorite scene in the show where you really get to see Michael stripped down and it's just the man behind the music,” he said. “And you see really the cards that have been dealt.”
“It is a very tough emotional shift to have to authentically play every night.”
READ MORE: New West Palm Beach gallery spotlights overlooked postwar American artists, underrepresented groups
Markus, who as a child fled with his family to Douglasville, Georgia, from New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina, said he wasn’t even born yet when Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour captured the world's imagination.
Brandon Lee Harris as 'Michael' and the cast First National Tour cast of MJ (5414x3611, AR: 1.4993076710052617)
After years of studying Jackson's career, Markus joined MJ the Musical as an understudy and alternate before being promoted to full-time MJ on the national tour. Studying never stopped, he said.
Markus picked up several key tips while prepping for the show with legendary choreographers Rich and Tone Talauega, who danced with Michael Jackson at the height of Jackson's career. Those insights from the Talauega brothers helped Markus hone his craft, reshaping how he approached his favorite numbers “Smooth Criminal” and “Billie Jean.”
“They [Talauega brothers] would tell us that even on breaks Michael would still be in the mirror trying to nail down his moves,” Markus said. “It's just so inspiring to know that even though he was at the top of his game and at the top of the game for so long, he was still a student.”
Jordan Markus is a Broadway singer and dancer who debuted as Michael Jackson in the Tony-award winning MJ the Musical. The national tour for Broadways show explores Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous Tour rehearsals. The jukebox musical stops in West Palm Beach at the Kravis Center (534x800, AR: 0.6675)
Alongside a full ensemble and swings, the show also stars Brandon Lee Harris as Michael, with Melvin Gray Jr. and Erik Hamilton serving as alternates; Quentin Blanton Jr. and Bryce A. Holmes share the role of young Michael, supported by a principal cast including Devin Bowles as Joseph Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, and J. Daughtry as producer Berry Gordy.
Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, is played by Rajané Katurah.
In this tour, Markus is stepping into the role of Michael Jackson during a moment of renewed interest in the King of Pop, with a new biopic, Michael, set for theatrical release on April 24, 2026. He said the release of the Lionsgate film is going to be a “cultural moment” and “can't wait to be in the theater, just partying along with everybody else.”
That's the energy he expects from the audience in West Palm Beach. Markus said the interwoven storyline of MJ The Musical moves from nostalgia for those who witnessed his otherworldly stardom to a more intimate look at Michael Jackson, the man beyond the legend.
”This is not a typical musical where you have to like to sit on your hands and wait till the end,” Markus said. “You get to party along with us, but also learn something from it.”
IF YOU GO
What: MJ The Musical
When: Feb. 10 to Feb 15
Where: Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
For more information, go here.