Detroit native Elijah Rhea Johnson stepped into the leading role of Michael Jackson in MJ the Musical April 4 at the Neil Simon Theatre, marking his Broadway debut.
Johnson, who helped develop the role of Middle Michael throughout the workshop process of MJ, succeeded Myles Frost, who played his final performance April 2. (Frost made history last year, becoming the youngest individual actor to win a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.)
Go backstage of the hit musical with Johnson and other MJ company members in the exclusive photos below:
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Tavon Olds-Sample backstage at MJ the Musical
Apollo Levine backstage at MJ the Musical
Christian Wilson backstage at MJ the Musical
Kamille Upshaw backstage at MJ the Musical
Company backstage at MJ the Musical
Company backstage at MJ the Musical
Whitney Bashor and Joey Sorge backstage at MJ the Musical
Sarah Sigman and Brandon Whitmore backstage at MJ the Musical
Joey Sorge backstage at MJ the Musical
Wonza Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Zelig Williams backstage at MJ the Musical
Gabriel Ruiz backstage at MJ the Musical
Carole Denise Jones backstage at MJ the Musical
Whitney Bashor backstage at MJ the Musical
Michelle Mercedes backstage at MJ the Musical
Ayana Jackson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Elijah Rhea Johnson backstage at MJ the Musical
Tavon Olds-Sample backstage at MJ the Musical
Bane Griffith and Walter Russell III backstage at MJ the Musical
Joey Sorge backstage at MJ the Musical
Kali May Grinder backstage at MJ the Musical
Antoine Smith backstage at MJ the Musical
Kyle R. Robinson backstage at MJ the Musical
Apollo Levine backstage at MJ the Musical
Company backstage at MJ the Musical
Matthew Frederick Harris backstage at MJ the Musical
Ayana Jackson and Walter Russell III backstage at MJ the Musical
MJ, which began previews December 6, 2021, prior to an official opening February 1, 2022, features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn
Nottage and a score made up of some of the most popular songs in
recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon directs and choreographs.
The musical also has sets by Derek McLane, lighting by Natasha Katz, costumes by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Gareth Owen, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe, music direction by Jason Michael Webb, musical supervision by David Holcenberg, and orchestrations by Holcenberg and Webb. Casting is by Rachel Hoffman of The Telsey Office.
The show took home four 2022 Tony Awards in total, including Best
Choreography, Best Lighting Design in a Musical, and Best Sound Design
in a Musical.
Read more about the hit musical in the Playbill Vault.
