Tony Award nominee Ephraim Sykes will moonwalk on Broadway, playing Michael Jackson in “MJ The Musical.”
It begins previews on July 6, 2020, at the Neil Simon Theatre with an official opening set for Aug. 13.
Sykes is currently appearing in another pop music celebration, “Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of The Temptations.” He earned a Tony nomination for his turn in the show as David Ruffin and a Grammy nomination for the cast recording of the show. Sykes also appeared on NBC’s “Hairspray Live!.” On Broadway, his credits include “Hamilton,” “Newsies,” and “Memphis.”
“MJ The Musical” will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage (Who still hasn’t publicly clarified her view on Michael Jackson’s innocence since she spoke out in different interviews saying she believed the accusers). Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon (“An American in Paris”) will direct and choreograph the show. The show is produced by Lia Vollack and the Michael Jackson Estate.
“Michael Jackson, to me, was synonymous with song and dance,” said Sykes, exclusively to ESSENCE. “Growing up, I always wanted to be like him. It was literally my wildest dream.”
Sykes continues: “When it comes to Michael, he was the first person I remember ever seeing sing or dance without cue. And then seeing videos, “Leave Me Alone” and “Bad” shook me to my core because I had never seen anybody dance or sing to that level.”
“I really want to do my best to bring it back down to show how human he truly was,” said Sykes. “Putting those extraordinary circumstances, for better or for worse, so hopefully we can all have a little bit more empathy with him, his downfalls, his demons, his struggles as well as.”
And of course, said Sykes, there’s “this music that just rocks you to your core.”
Getting ready to play Jackson has meant the Tony nominated performer has been pulling double duty performing in Ain’t Too Proud while rehearsing for MJ. When asked how he’s managing a demanding physical schedule, he said, “To be honest, I always say just a bunch of prayers, and drink as much coconut water as I can find.”
With a quick laugh, Sykes thoughtfully adds, “I have to think at the beginning and the end of every day, ‘I get to do this, I get to play David Ruffin.’ That’s another huge dream and such a hero of mine in certain ways and hero of ours. And then I get to live my wildest dream playing Michael Jackson. When you’re given such a tremendous blessing in your life. Sometimes that can give you the energy or the strength to persevere.”
In the mean time, it seems that Rick & Tone, who worked with Michael Jackson and also worked on Cirque du Soleil’s “MJ ONE”, are doing the choreography for the show:
SOURCE: Essence
