From Broadway to Hamburg: MJ - The Michael Jackson Musical will thrill audiences at the Stage Theatre an der Elbe from December 2024. It sheds light on the unique story of Michael Jackson's career with a special focus on the legendary Dangerous World Tour, which catapulted him as a solo artist into the pop Olympus and made him immortal in the pop world. The dark moments of the not uncontroversial artist are also thematised in flashbacks. Look forward to an entertaining evening with great hits and fantastic dance interludes. Tickets for MJ - The Michael Jackson Musical are available directly from us.

At the tender age of seven, Michael Jackson joined his siblings in the band ‘Jackson 5’ and became the lead singer. His passion for dance, performance and music characterised his entire life and helped him achieve worldwide fame. The musical uses flashbacks to tell the story of his childhood, which was characterised by his authoritarian father Joe Jackson, who encouraged him greatly but also left him scarred by his harshness. Michael Jackson managed to do what very few succeed in doing: making the leap from a successful band to an even more successful solo artist. In doing so, he not only established himself as a unique singer and entertainer, but also broke away from his family and the expectations placed on him. Artistically, he found his own way and with it his legendary dance style, which was often copied but never equalled in perfection. Further flashbacks show his collaboration with artists and producers such as Quincy Jones, who had a decisive influence on his musical identity.

The musical centres on the famous Dangerous World Tour, with which Michael Jackson made music history. It shows his legacy as an artist and the influence of his legacy on the music industry. The controversies and negative aspects surrounding him as a person are less emphasised and the focus is on his artistic work. The album Thriller finally catapulted Michael Jackson into pop heaven and helped him to absolute megastar status. In a central scene, various aspects of the creation of this legendary album are shown, as well as Michael Jackson's drive to create something unprecedented and to push the boundaries of the music industry. At the same time, however, the pressure to surpass himself also grew. In contrast to Michael Jackson's real life, the musical ends on a positive and inspiring note: Michael Jackson's uniqueness, his passion for music and dance and his incredible legacy for the pop world are made clear in a brilliant performance of Man in the Mirrow.

The musical's soundtrack takes the audience on a journey through the work of Michael Jackson and plays over 25 of his greatest hits, including Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat it and Smooth Criminal. But anyone expecting just a best of Michael Jackson's most legendary songs is far from the truth: the musical highlights are not just presented, but embedded in the plot, perfectly reflecting the key moments in Michael Jackson's life. His inner struggles, his triumphs and the complex relationship with his family become even clearer. Many of the songs have been newly choreographed for the musical, which gives the performance a fresh dynamic and will surprise even die-hard fans without losing any of its authenticity.

Songs such as Man in the Mirror and Earth Song also illustrate what moved Michael Jackson and delve deeper into issues of social justice. Furthermore, the song selection reflects the enormous diversity of Michael Jackson's musical output - from pop and funk to R&B and soul. This range once again demonstrates Michael Jackson's ability to successfully combine different genres.

‘We have put together a great international cast from hundreds of applications for the various challenging roles, which fulfils the high artistic demands of the show. We are very proud of every single talent in this cast,’ reports Stage Entertainment casting director Ralf Schaedler.

And indeed, the cast for MJ - The Michael Jackson Musical is a fantastic mix of well-known and new musical theatre performers. In the leading role, Benét Monteiro is a well-known Hamburg musical star. Most recently, he shone as Hercules in Disney's HERCULES - A Herculean Musical. ‘Benét auditioned for us in London at the very beginning of our process, before we had even created the show, and even then we were amazed and delighted by his incredible charisma, star power and understanding of Michael's language. I'm thrilled to be working with this incredibly talented young man on MJ in Hamburg,’ enthuses Christopher Weeldon, creator of MJ - The Musical. But even in the flashbacks, the young Michael Jackson will be played by no stranger: The role is played by Prince Damien, winner of Deutschland sucht den Superstar.

Michael Jackson's parents Joe and Katherine Jackson are played by David Hughey and Jessica Mears. Mears has been performing on various musical stages for over 20 years, most recently taking on the role of Nala in Disney's THE LION KING.