MJ The Musical’s opening scene finds dancers and musicians entering the Melbourne stage space to rehearse for Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour, which kicked off in Munich back in 1992.
Much like in the posthumous film, This Is It – which documents Jackson’s preparations for the planned London residency that was cancelled due to his sudden death in 2009 – we find the MJ the Musical Melbourne cast palpably awestruck in the presence of the King Of Pop (played by Ilario Grant), which effectively demonstrates his unparalleled star power at this point in his career.
The timeline of this jukebox musical is fluid, with flashbacks often triggered by interviews conducted for a fictional MTV special, which grants journalist Rachel (played by Home And Away’s Penny McNamee) and her cameraman Alejandro (Yashith Fernando) exclusive access to Jackson’s rehearsal studio.
Jackson’s entire back catalogue is represented here, from The Jackson 5/The Jacksons to his extraordinary solo work. As such, three MJs feature throughout: Grant, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the man himself; Liam Damons, making his professional theatre debut as Middle Michael; and Daniel Makunike, who plays Little Michael – The Jackson 5’s youngest member.
MJ The Musical – Melbourne
- Her Majesty’s Theatre, 219 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- From September 2025
- Tickets and information: here
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Derek McLane’s inspired sets pull motifs from different MJ eras, sometimes combining these to spectacular effect (see: the Thriller section, which heavily resembles the Dangerous album cover).
Christopher Wheeldon’s direction and choreography pays homage to MJ’s signature moves and music videos (eg. Thriller’s sideways monster walk with swinging claws), while expanding on the source material to keep things exciting for super-fans.
Rich and Tone Talauega (R+T) – who were discovered as teens by MJ’s choreographer while freestyling on a club dancefloor in Oakland, California and later toured with Jackson – were brought in as choreography consultants for MJ The Musical, providing invaluable insight into his movement vocab and singular flair.
Like Jackson himself, Damons is not a professionally trained dancer. He basically steals the show, reaping the benefits of playing Middle Michael (aged 15 through to his early twenties). This era’s aesthetic is showier, with more colourful costuming, and also pre-dates the incident that contributed to MJ’s decades-long drug dependency. We’re talking about the 1984 Pepsi commercial shoot, during which pyrotechnics ignited his hair.
One of MJ The Musical’s highlight scenes opens Act II, as dancers bring Jackson’s influences – Fred Astaire, Bob Fosse and the Nicholas Brothers – to life. It’s fascinating to watch MJ’s signature moves (including The Moonwalk), which were crucial to his own instantly recognisable persona, evolve in this way. He’s clearly indebted to these dance heroes (Google them, if you’re unfamiliar – you’ll be gobsmacked).
As Astaire, Liam Costello shines. His poise, long lines and precise movements are a joy to watch.
The true star of MJ The Musical, however, is the music: from Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’s soaring melodies to that iconic Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ bass riff and irrepressible Smooth Criminal – that beat that won’t quit! – just to name a few. The audience chair-dances and head-bops, basically embodying Blame It On The Boogie’s “I just can’t control my feet” breakdown.
“If you wanna make the world a better place/ Take a look at yourself then make a change…” – while miming/singing along with the closing number, Man In The Mirror, we’re struck by the song’s core message of self-reflection and personal accountability, which is even more relevant today.
Setting the estate-approved MJ The Musical in 1992 allows it to sidestep tabloid controversies and the child sexual abuse allegations, which have continued beyond the grave.
During one scene, MJ stresses to Rachel (the probing reporter): “I want to keep this about my music,” which echoes this show’s vision statement. MJ The Musical Melbourne honours Jackson’s musical legacy by spotlighting his artistry, perfectionism, innovation and the way he revolutionised pop music on a global scale.
MJ The Musical plays at Her Majesty’s Theatre until 1 February 2026.
