NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: ‘MJ’ moonwalks past Michael Jackson’s crimes — and that’s okay

”MJ the Musical” on Broadway is startin’ somethin’ that will take courage to finish.

On Thursday before opening night, the Neil Simon Theatre was packed with Michael Jackson fans, myself included. Some went to experience artistic mastery. Some went to hear the songs of their youth. All went for the joy of theater.

Much like Jackson himself, the show’s creative team demand perfection as they detail the process behind the Dangerous Tour of 1992. New York City Ballet alum Christopher Wheeldon’s direction and choreography is exacting, executed seamlessly by performers at the top of their game. Myles Frost’s MJ captures a workhorse with a prolific vision, willing to mortgage his home to present something perfect to his fans.

Two time Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynn Nottage’s script hints at a profound dichotomy. While he was the King of Pop, he was also a victim — both of the press, and at the hands of Joe Jackson, his father. In one chilling sequence, Michael sings an a cappella arrangement of “Thriller” as Joe morphs into a monster in front of our eyes.

Ultimately, though, “MJ the Musical” only scratches the surface of Jackson’s complicated life, in part because it is set in a timeframe strategically chosen to avoid the most serious allegations against him — no, not the pills or the skin bleaching, both of which are consistently presented as red herrings.

It should come as no surprise from a collaboration between Columbia Live Stage and the Michael Jackson Estate that there is no mention of the allegations of sexual assault or pedophilia. The script refers to them in vague, sweeping allusions and denials, calling them “strange stories” or “lies.” MJ drives this home with an early performance of his song, “Tabloid Junkie,” singing “just because you read it in a magazine, or see it on a TV screen don’t make it factual.”

Here are the facts as we know them now:

The first allegation came from 12-year-old Jordie Chandler, who said he was abused by Jackson in the timeframe when the musical is set.

Since then, five other boys have come forward with credible allegations of assault and pedophilia: Jason Francia (8 at the time of the supposed crimes), Terry George (13), Gavin Arvizo (10), Wade Robson (7) and James Safechuck (10).

Jackson paid more than $27 million collectively in settlements.

Despite these credible allegations and glaring omissions, cancel culture hasn’t come for “MJ” yet. The Broadway community has been uncharacteristically quiet, though shows and their creators have been effectively canceled for much less.

Artists cast in “Tootsie” were called upon by a massive social media campaign to quit their jobs in 2019 and 2020 after the musical’s premise was deemed transphobic. “Tootsie (mis)appropriates drag in ways that enforce ideas about binary gender,” wrote Christian Lewis for American Theatre Magazine, echoing the chorus of criticism.

Lin Manuel-Miranda’s work has been the target of public takedowns, and has issued a slew of public apologies; one after the movie adaptation of “In the Heights” was accused of colorism, and another after his personal “moral failure” to speak out promptly after the death of George Floyd.

Controversy surrounding “Jagged Little Pill” star Lauren Patten erupted after her Tony win in 2021. She was accused of gas-lighting and erasure by the Broadway community after lines implicating that her character, Jo, was gender non-conforming, were cut as it transitioned from Boston to Broadway. In a servile apology, the producers said they’d hired a dramaturgical team to revisit and deepen the script. Jo’s gender non-conforming identity was reinstated.These are only a few recent examples, to say nothing of golden age musicals and academic settings.

Though reviews have criticized the musical’s failure to reckon with the King of Pop’s past, the Broadway community has actively pushed back against criticism. Representatives from MJ kicked a Variety reporter off of the red carpet on opening night, stating, “I’ve been hearing you ask difficult questions. Not on opening night. If you would like to ask real questions, you can schedule an interview with the cast.”

This calls into question the seriousness of these other hair-triggered responses — and of cancel culture more broadly. Who makes the rules? Who enforces them? In the theater, an institution created to uphold dissent and promote conversation, why is cancellation suddenly a commonly utilized tool? Why do we condescend to audiences, not believing they can think?

“MJ” isn’t going anywhere, and nor should it. Jackson’s cultural importance cannot be overstated as one of the world’s first black global icons. His legacy is as cemented as it is complicated. We should not advocate for his cancellation.

We should instead advocate for more conversation, voices, perspectives and dissent. The remedy to harmful speech is “more speech, not enforced silence.” Theater was once about the nuanced examination of the flawed person.

“MJ the Musical” does theater (and music) lovers a favor by starting a conversation. Now, it’s our job to continue it.

Bydalek is a writer, performer and administrator living in New York City.

Published in the New York Daily News; February 5th, 2022

Image: Matthew Murphy