MJ The Musical Is Total Thriller At Broward Center

By Joanie Cox Henry

Rock With You: Jordan Markus glides across the stage as MJ. Photo by Matthew Murphy

MJ: The Musical has arrived in Fort Lauderdale, bringing with it not just the sweet soundtrack to multiple generations, but something far more profound—a visual mixtape into Jackson's remarkable life.

The Tony Award-winning production dives deep into a pivotal moment: the creation of Michael Jackson's ambitious 1992 Dangerous World Tour. What emerges is a portrait of an artist at his creative zenith, revealing the perfectionist, the innovator, and ultimately, the human being beneath the cultural icon.

"It's really a dream come true—a full circle moment for me," Jordan Markus, who embodies Jackson with uncanny precision, told WPLG. Like countless performers before him, Markus grew up studying those impossible moves, those supernatural vocal inflections. Now he channels them nightly, backed by production values that would make the famously detail-obsessed Jackson proud. It's frankly mind-blowing at moments how much he looks and sounds like the King of Pop.

The musical, which opened at Broward Center For The Performing Arts on April 8, pulls off a high-wire act as impressive as any of MJ's gravity-defying choreography—it celebrates the undeniable genius of Jackson while acknowledging the complexity and vulnerability of the man. For devoted fans and curious newcomers alike, the production offers revelatory moments about one of music's most dissected yet enigmatic figures.

This show thoughtfully portrays Jackson with multiple actors thoughtfully interpreting his time as a child, the middle part of his life, and of course, the adult version of the superstar. While Markus totally captured the essence of adult Michael, Erik Hamilton delivered an outstanding performance depicting the middle of Jackson's life, while Quentin Blanton Jr. and Bane Griffith portrayed his childhood years with charisma and grace.

Hamilton has a remarkable story all his own as he has been living with severe hearing loss since he was a teenager. He continues to overcome the odds and dazzle audiences night after night with show-stopping performances. "I didn’t know anyone in this field that looked like me with this condition," Hamilton told News 6 in Orlando. "I would love to be an inspiration for young actors and actresses from all walks of life."

There is so much emotion in each era of Jackson's life and these actors do a suberb job delivering Jackson's playful side as well as the trauma he endured growing up in the public eye and a controlling verbally and physically abusive father who criticized Jackson's looks and made him feel like if he wasn't perfect every single night, he was failing him.

This show is extremely joyful too though. Seeing The Jackson 5 come to life again with young Michael in the middle is pure magic. Every performer in this show is bringing their best to the stage night after night.

Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell (fresh from his triumph with Wicked) has recreated Jackson's revolutionary fashion sensibility—those military-inspired jackets, the single glove that launched a million imitators and a replica at the theater merch table, and the fedoras tilted at just the right angle. "Michael was not only the King of Pop, but he was the king of fashion," Markus noted with reverence.

The choreography pays similar homage, with extraordinary attention paid to the microscopic details that elevated Jackson's movements from mere dancing to visual poetry.

What resonates most powerfully throughout the production is the reminder of Jackson's sheer musical brilliance. The setlist courses through his catalog like a champ from the disco-funk revolution of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" to the social consciousness of "Man in the Mirror," the production underscores how Jackson consistently pushed popular music into uncharted territory.

By framing the narrative around the Dangerous tour preparations, the musical provides context for Jackson's creative process and offers a peek behind the curtain into the obsessive rehearsals, the visionary collaborations, and the refusal to compromise on his artistic vision. These glimpses humanize a figure often reduced to either caricature or untouchable deity. Jackson strived to be perfect, and at times he absolutely achieved that impossible goal.

For South Florida audiences eager to moonwalk down memory lane while discovering new dimensions to a familiar icon, MJ: The Musical delivers that rare cultural experience—one that satisfies both the heart and the mind. The production runs at the Broward Center until April 20, offering a limited window to experience the magic, the music, and the man behind the mirror. Check out https://www.browardcenter.org/events/detail/mj-the-musical-2025 for more information and to get tickets.

I took my 10-year-old son Jack to MJ: The Musical and we absolutely gloved it! My dear friend Rod Hagwood's review of the show is also live, and you can read his thoughts on the show here: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/04/08/review-hee-hee-does-the-king-of-pops-reign-include-broadway-with-mj-the-musical/!

Here are some shots from opening night at Broward Center!