Broadway is the epicenter of American theatre, a place where stories come alive. One such story is MJ The Musical, an exploration of the life and music of the iconic Michael Jackson. The musical showcases the King of Pop’s rise to fame, his struggles and triumphs, and his contribution to the world of music. 

《MJ音乐剧》向我们致敬了这位传奇偶像的一生，从他早年作为杰克逊五兄弟（Jackson 5）的一员，到逐渐成为全球超级巨星的转变。剧中不仅收录了杰克逊的多首金曲，每一首歌曲都体现了他对流行文化的深远影响。

剧中，由利亚-约翰逊（Elijah Johnson）饰演的迈克尔-杰克逊，精准地捕捉了杰克逊的独特个性。青少年迈克尔由塔冯-奥尔兹-桑普尔（Tavon Olds-Sample）饰演，展示了杰克逊人生的转折期。幼年迈克尔由马克斯-张伯伦（Max Chambers）和杰克逊-海耶斯（Jackson Hayes）共同饰演，两位年轻演员的活力和才华让观众眼前一亮。凯瑟琳-杰克逊由阿亚娜-乔治（Ayana George）饰演，她以极具感染力的表演成为剧中的关键人物，深刻描绘了杰克逊家族的女主人形象。

剧组背后的创作团队同样值得称赞。该剧由托尼奖得主克里斯托弗-惠尔登（Christopher Wheeldon）执导并负责编舞，两届普利策奖得主林恩-诺泰奇（Lynn Nottage），负责剧本的撰写。布景设计师德里克-麦克莱恩（Derek McLane）与服装设计师保罗-塔兹维尔（Paul Tazewell）为该剧的视觉效果增添了不少亮点。音乐指导、配器和编曲由大卫-霍尔森伯格（David Holcenberg）和杰森-迈克尔-韦伯（Jason Michael Webb）这对才华横溢的组合负责，确保音乐表演的高水平执行。 

《MJ音乐剧》自首演以来便广受好评，评论界对演员的表演给予了高度赞扬，特别是利亚-约翰逊和塔冯-奥尔兹-桑普尔对迈克尔-杰克逊的精彩演绎。《卫报》赞誉杰克逊的歌曲具有“超凡脱俗的魔力”，并特别表扬了塔冯的表现“非常出色”。阿亚娜-乔治（Ayana George）饰演的凯瑟琳-杰克逊因其“令人惊叹的嗓音”而受到赞赏，她的演唱多次引发观众热烈的掌声。剧中将《Thriller》重新演绎为探索杰克逊心理挣扎的方式，被描述为“杰克逊心灵恶魔的狂欢”，这一桥段“让全场沸腾”。

The New York Times echoed these sentiments, praising Wheeldon’s choreography and the superb, “amazingly jacked” ensemble. Meanwhile, Elle India was full of praise for Elijah Johnson in particular. The publication hailed him as the perfect choice for the leading man, lauding his uncanny resemblance to the King of Pop and his mastery over MJ’s singing technique and legendary dance moves, including the iconic Moonwalk. The review even suggested that Michael Jackson himself would have been proud of Johnson’s performance. 

关于配乐，《Variety》表示“杰克逊的音乐荡气回肠”。音乐表演不仅仅是一次回顾，更是叙事的一个组成部分，在故事和歌曲之间建立了一种共生关系。《Variety》指出：“与故事相关的歌曲传达了杰克逊的处境。他既感到自我防备的，又感到被世界误解。”

《纽约时报》称赞了《MJ音乐剧》壮观的视觉效果和出色的创作团队。评论中写道：“归功于德里克-麦克莱恩、娜塔莎-卡茨保罗-塔泽威尔和彼得-尼格里尼所创造的华丽色调，整场演出让人体验到真正的美感。”这样的赞誉凸显了该剧为打造令人惊叹的视觉奇观所付出的巨大努力。

Audiences, too, have warmly embraced MJ The Musical, sharing their experiences and reactions across various platforms. On Trip Advisor, a theatre-goer gushed, “A thoroughly entertaining musical with a thought-provoking storyline,” while another shared, “So good, we decided to see it again before we left NYC.“

MJ the Musical has garnered considerable attention within the theatre community. The show has been recognized with numerous nominations, reinforcing its standing as a noteworthy production on Broadway. Among its accolades, MJ The Musical has been nominated for several prestigious awards. It has been recognized by the Drama Desk Awards, with nominations in categories such as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for Tavon Olds-Sample and Outstanding Choreography for Christopher Wheeldon, and winning in the Outstanding Orchestrations, Outstanding Lighting Design, and Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical categories. The musical has also been nominated for several Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical and Outstanding Orchestration, with another win for Wheeldon and the Talauega brothers in Outstanding Choreographer nomination. 

MJ The Musical was also honored with numerous Tony® nominations. Ultimately, the show won Best Lighting Design of a Musical, a testament to the show’s visually stunning presentation, Best Sound Design of a Musical, underscoring the production’s attention to detail in creating an immersive auditory experience, Best Choreography, recognizing the  dance sequences that bring the magic of Michael Jackson’s music to life, and most notably Best Actor for original MJ, Myles Frost.

Whether you’re a fan of Michael Jackson, a lover of theatre, or simply someone in the mood for a memorable night out in New York City, MJ The Musical promises a blend of music, dance, and storytelling that’s sure to delight audiences. So, as you venture into the world of New York’s entertainment scene, step into the Neil Simon Theatre, take your seat, and let MJ The Musical transport you into the world of Michael Jackson.