DJs_Doodles
Daryl Joel 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
We've all heard of or probably even seen MJ the Musical on Broadway. However, what I noticed about the soundtrack is that it mostly features only Michael Jackson's most popular songs (with a few exceptions, like Keep the Faith and 2 Bad). Although this is great for helping the musical appeal to more people, what if there was a Michael Jackson musical created by fans? One that went more in depth on Michael and his life, as well as featuring more of a variety of songs (including ones that are more theatrical in nature)?
What I also seem to get out of MJ the Musical is that it mostly revolves around choreography and dance. This fanmade version, however, is largely story-based, and focuses on every major event in Michael's life, from the Jackson 5 all the way up until his death.
Here are a few of the songs that I would include on my version of an MJ-oriented musical, and when they would occur:
1. Big Boy - The Jackson 5 (Played around the beginning, signaling the beginning of Michael's career and the sacrifice of his childhood.)
2. To Make My Father Proud (From 1984's "Farewell My Summer Love," a ballad in which young Michael laments about the pressures of show business, while also paying a tribute to his parents.)
3. If'n I Was God (This song was originally sung by Michael in the early 70s, but in my version of this fanmade musical, he actually sings it as an adult, during a scene where he laments about the problems and suffering in the world, wishing he could do more to change it.)
4. Childhood (This one's probably the most important song in the entire musical. The performance I envision of it on stage is also a lot more dramatic and picturesque than the original music video, featuring Michael flying and jumping across clouds among many children, slashing an imaginary sword like a pirate, and even briefly changing his outfit to that of a king's robes and a crown. At the end, he eventually comes back down to the ground in complete darkness and a lone stage light.)
5. Smile (I envision this being at the very end, after the very last scenes occur revolving around his death. The very last scene involves a group of fans mourning outside of his grave, then transitioning to one stage light on Michael above them, standing on a platform designed to look like a cloud. He sings this song down to the fans below. As the song ends, the group of fans below release balloons to honor him, and with a smile, Michael catches it as it floats towards him and blows a kiss to the audience. The musical ends.)
These are the best ones I can think of for now, but I also want YOUR ideas on how you would make your own Michael Jackson musical. What songs would you include? When would they occur? How would the performance of it look on stage?