'MJ: the Musical' Delivers a 'Thriller' at Kravis

"MJ the Musical" (Photo: Matthew Murphy)

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

A pop music icon, a knock-out production, a stellar cast and an assemblage of some of the greatest songs to ever top the Billboard 100 charts: Welcome to "MJ: The Musical," now playing at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts through Feb. 15.

Anchored by an electrifying performance by Jordan Markus, who portrays Michael Jackson, you would swear it's actually Michael on the stage. The moves and mannerisms, as well as the voice, are spot-on.

It's staged around Jackson's 1992 "Dangerous World Tour," starting with rehearsals, where the tour is joined by a film crew from MTV, there to capture a behind-the-scenes documentary. The show cleverly weaves Jackson's rise to stardom from his time with the Jackson 5, with Quentin Blanton Jr. as Little Michael.

The show's production is a technical tour de force, capturing the cast's high energy performance and the raw power of Jackson chart-toppers like "Beat it," "Thriller," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' " and "Billie Jean." 

Whether you are a fan of Michael Jackson or his music, you'll be caught up in the vortex his music and persona create. For more information, visit the Kravis Center website here.

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