MJ Previews — Page 8

I saw the show again tonight and it clocked in at 2:30 exactly. Much tighter than before. The theater was actually shaking with the audience reaction, which is something i haven’t felt in so long. Seeing it again reaffirms for me that I really think it’s the strongest bio jukebox musical ever and so much of that is credit to Nottage, who just got everything right. This is one of those rare shows I’d love to go back and sit front row center for.

A few of the new production photos released today. The show officially opens tonight!

Updated On: 2/1/22 at 05:01 PM

I saw the show last night and…I’m not sure what to make of it. I think I enjoyed myself?

THE GOOD:

- The Choreography: The Tony is already engraved with Wheeldon’s name on it. Bar none, some of the best choreography I’ve seen in almost 200 shows over 15 years. It hit all the right MJ notes while also having its own identity.

- Myles Frost: The audience (more on them later) acted as if he was the second coming and, honestly, I’m inclined to agree. His performance is uncanny and I could definitely see him being the hot contender for a Tony himself (he makes Hugh Jackman and Rob McClure look bland by comparison).

- Ayana George: If there was a runner up for the shows’ MVP, it’s her. She can SING and also has so much depth and warmth as Katherine Jackson while easily sliding in and out of a role as a backup singer.

THE BAD:

- The Book: I guess even Lynn Nottage hits a whammy once in a while. The framing device of the documentary is so painfully awkward and definitely skirts most controversies - watering down an otherwise complicated figure with very hacky dialogue and a written characterization that makes him out to be a weirdo. Also, the cuts to flashbacks and dance numbers are so extended that it drifts away from the main thread and you forget it’s a thing until you are jarred back.

- The Song Choices: So many snippets and songs did not belong there. What was that whole “For The Love Of Money” segment? It’s not even related to MJ at all. Also, the mega mix at the end with “Black or White” and “Wanna Be Starting Somethin’” was very clunky.

- “Thriller” - Undeniably a crowd pleaser but what the on earth was that design? It was like “Moulin Rouge From Hell”.

THE UGLY:

- The Audience: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more horribly behaved audience in my life. Obviously, I’m amenable to verbal expressions and reactions in a theatre because, well, it’s live and that’s what happens. What I’m NOT amenable to is people having whole conversations during the show AND singing along at an audible volume (somehow through a mask). Also, the cell phone use was out of control. I counted at least ten people in my section of the mezzanine filming the show and the ushers running like mad to flash their lights, only for them to resume once they left. Finally, apparently 25% of the mezzanine last night didn’t read the start time on their tickets - since people were still showing up as late as 8:30pm and were disruptive in getting to their seats. I was truly horrified by all this nonsense…

quizking101 said: "I saw the show last night and…I’m not sure what to make of it. I think I enjoyed myself?

THE GOOD:

- The Choreography: The Tony is already engraved with Wheeldon’s name on it. Bar none, some of the best choreography I’ve seen in almost 200 shows over 15 years. It hit all the right MJ notes while also having its own identity.

- Myles Frost: The audience (more on them later) acted as if he was the second coming and, honestly, I’m inclined to agree. His performance is uncanny and I could definitely see him being the hot contender for a Tony himself (he makes Hugh Jackman and Rob McClure look bland by comparison).

- Ayana George: If there was a runner up for the shows’ MVP, it’s her. She can SING and also has so much depth and warmth as Katherine Jackson while easily sliding in and out of a role as a backup singer.

THE BAD:

- The Book: I guess even Lynn Nottage hits a whammy once in a while. The framing device of the documentary is so painfully awkward and definitely skirts most controversies - watering down an otherwise complicated figure with very hacky dialogue and a written characterization that makes him out to be a weirdo. Also, the cuts to flashbacks and dance numbers are so extended that it drifts away from the main thread and you forget it’s a thing until you are jarred back.

- The Song Choices: So many snippets and songs did not belong there. What was that whole “For The Love Of Money” segment? It’s not even related to MJ at all. Also, the mega mix at the end with “Black or White” and “Wanna Be Starting Somethin’” was very clunky.

- “Thriller” - Undeniably a crowd pleaser but what the on earth was that design? It was like “Moulin Rouge From Hell”.

THE UGLY:

- The Audience: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more horribly behaved audience in my life. Obviously, I’m amenable to verbal expressions and reactions in a theatre because, well, it’s live and that’s what happens. What I’m NOT amenable to is people having whole conversations during the show AND singing along at an audible volume (somehow through a mask). Also, the cell phone use was out of control. I counted at least ten people in my section of the mezzanine filming the show and the ushers running like mad to flash their lights, only for them to resume once they left. Finally, apparently 25% of the mezzanine last night didn’t read the start time on their tickets - since people were still showing up as late as 8:30pm and were disruptive in getting to their seats. I was truly horrified by all this nonsense…"

That set for "Thriller" was the cover of the "Dangerous" album and to this day I am trying to figure out why they did that. Were we supposed to get some meaning from it? Especially since they had done "Thriller" earlier in the show.

I went to the 2nd preview to hopefully avoid all of the bad audience behavior. Looks like I did. There were people filming but the ushers shut them down and threw two people out at intermission. It stopped in Act II. A few responses from audience members but not a lot. I want to see it again but I am sure, based on your comments and others, it has gotten worse and will drive me crazy!

iluvtheatertrash said: "uncageg said: "quizking101 said: "I saw the show last night and…I’m not sure what to make of it. I think I enjoyed myself?

THE GOOD:

- The Choreography: The Tony is already engraved with Wheeldon’s name on it. Bar none, some of the best choreography I’ve seen in almost 200 shows over 15 years. It hit all the right MJ notes while also having its own identity.

- Myles Frost: The audience (more on them later) acted as if he was the second coming and, honestly, I’m inclined to agree. His performance is uncanny and I could definitely see him being the hot contender for a Tony himself (he makes Hugh Jackman and Rob McClure look bland by comparison).

- Ayana George: If there was a runner up for the shows’ MVP, it’s her. She can SING and also has so much depth and warmth as Katherine Jackson while easily sliding in and out of a role as a backup singer.

THE BAD:

- The Book: I guess even Lynn Nottage hits a whammy once in a while. The framing device of the documentary is so painfully awkward and definitely skirts most controversies - watering down an otherwise complicated figure with very hacky dialogue and a written characterization that makes him out to be a weirdo. Also, the cuts to flashbacks and dance numbers are so extended that it drifts away from the main thread and you forget it’s a thing until you are jarred back.

- The Song Choices: So many snippets and songs did not belong there. What was that whole “For The Love Of Money” segment? It’s not even related to MJ at all. Also, the mega mix at the end with “Black or White” and “Wanna Be Starting Somethin’” was very clunky.

- “Thriller” - Undeniably a crowd pleaser but what the on earth was that design? It was like “Moulin Rouge From Hell”.

THE UGLY:

- The Audience: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more horribly behaved audience in my life. Obviously, I’m amenable to verbal expressions and reactions in a theatre because, well, it’s live and that’s what happens. What I’m NOT amenable to is people having whole conversations during the show AND singing along at an audible volume (somehow through a mask). Also, the cell phone use was out of control. I counted at least ten people in my section of the mezzanine filming the show and the ushers running like mad to flash their lights, only for them to resume once they left. Finally, apparently 25% of the mezzanine last night didn’t read the start time on their tickets - since people were still showing up as late as 8:30pm and were disruptive in getting to their seats. I was truly horrified by all this nonsense…"

That set for "Thriller" was the cover of the "Dangerous" album and to this day I am trying to figure out why they did that. Were we supposed to get some meaning from it? Especially since they had done "Thriller" earlier in the show.

I went to the 2nd preview to hopefully avoid all of the bad audience behavior. Looks like I did. There were people filming but the ushers shut them down and threw two people out at intermission. It stopped in Act II. A few responses from audience members but not a lot. I want to see it again but I am sure, based on your comments and others, it has gotten worse and will drive me crazy!

"

They didn’t do Thriller earlier. They sampled about 20 seconds of it as part of the rehearsal they’re in. Nowhere near the same as doing the full song."

Ah, so they cut the first one. I think they should have kept the first one and cut the second time they did it. It was strange seeing it done with the the Dangerous album cover as the set. The first time they did it, when I saw it, was closer to the video.

Yeah the full Thriller number felt like they just needed an 11 o'clock number and they just looked around and said "yes we can use that one". The teaser in the first act also felt a little weird because they played the intro and had the graveyard scene and everything but didn't give us the actual song so it was kind of confusing. The whole ending was a little weird tonally too with Man in the Mirror and no actual finale song (unless you count the megamix).

To BoringBoredBoard40:

Goddess help them if that had been the case. The Cirque Michael show (ONE) is waaaay too "Vegas" for NYC, plus Cirque got served by NYC critics and audiences a few years back.

Just my opinion.

Updated On: 2/5/22 at 01:06 AM

I was there last night, Myles is out this weekend and Aramie Payton was on. I thought he was FABULOUS. And the cheers he got from the rest of the cast at the end were absolutely incredible. That's a beast of a role and he was incredible. The dancing in general is unlike anything I've ever seen, and it's FULL OUT the whole time.

I'm seeing all these posts about the audiences, and I have to agree. It was really horrible last night, people having full conversations, so many cell phones, the poor ushers. I tried not to let it take away from the experience, but it was so disappointing to be around so many people who didn't have respect for what it means to go to a Broadway show.

Finally made my way to this and was shocked by how bored I was throughout the whole evening. I wasn't expecting masterpiece theatre by any stretch, but I thought it would be fun and lively and exuberant. I was hoping for a Moulin Rouge! level of entertainment and vibrance and color. But I just was so bored.

I have to blame the book and direction, I suppose. Myles Frost was pretty excellent. But I still was just found the whole thing to be completely unimpressive and unmemorable.

I am loving this new trend of shows filming and releasing live numbers from the actual theatres.

bwayphreak234 said: "I am loving this new trend of shows filming and releasing live numbers from the actual theatres."

Me too! And I thought this looked fantastic. They are DANCING!!!

The choreography looked as good as I would have expected from a show like this - I just wish the actual video hasn't been so over-edited.

Wow, as someone with no interest in this show (even turn down comps last weekend) that was really impressive. Anyone know if they are using sweeteners?