'MJ: The Musical' review: Myles Frost's moonwalk, hit songs carry Michael Jackson show

Whatever you think of Michael Jackson, the man had a lot of hits and if there's one thing audiences love, it's a show with good songs.

"MJ The Musical," which recently opened at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City Tuesday, features tracks from "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" — and classics from The Jackson 5.

Is it, well, bad? No, but it's not great. Like most jukebox musicals, there are good scenes. It's certainly worth seeing, but it's not special — even with a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

The show takes place in Los Angeles at a rehearsal studio in 1992, before Jackson's "Dangerous" tour kicks off in Munich, Germany. As we walk into the theater, we see dancers on stage. Some chat, others stretch and practice dance moves. The band is there, too, tuning up.

A few minutes later, MJ appears, played by Myles Frost. This self-trained singer, dancer and actor is wonderful. He looks, sounds, acts and dances like Big Mike. "Beat It" kicks things off, and it's lots of fun. Director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon is inspired by the famous video, including a bit of the knife "fight." Eddie Van Halen fans will be happy to know that the guitarist on stage nails the solo.

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During rehearsals, MJ is being interviewed by MTV, so as he talks to the reporter (Whitney Bashor), he takes us back to how he started singing with his brothers.

That's where we meet Little Michael, played at certain performances by Walter Russell III and at others by Christian Wilson. In the Playbill, Wilson is described as "a rising superstar," and that is spot on. His smile is infectious, and the kid can dance and sing. Costumes by Tony winner Paul Tazewell — for Little Michael, his brothers and throughout the show — are a treat.

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But wait, there is a third Michael! Tavon Olds-Sample plays Jackson as an older teen, with the afro, and then the "Off the Wall"/"Thriller" Michael, working in the studio. Kudos to wig and hair designer Charles LaPointe.

Frost is always the center of attention, though. As he takes us through the creative process, he really captures the eccentric spirit of the King of Pop. His childlike voice is borderline comical at times, but that was Michael.

Fans will be happy to know there is the moonwalk during "Billie Jean," but Frost's favorite move seems to be the circular moonwalk (moonwalk circle? circle slide?). He does it several times during the show. Rich & Tone Talauega are credited in the Playbill with the "Michael Jackson movement." (The duo worked with Jackson since the 1990s.)

The impressive Quentin Earl Darrington has a big role as Rob, who is MJ's right-hand man, and Joseph, Michael's father. Sometimes, Darrington shifts gears from one character to the other in the same scene.

Rob is worried about Jackson working himself and the dancers too hard. He also notices when the superstar starts taking too many pills. But Darrington transforms as Joseph, becoming much more intense. It has been well reported that Joseph Jackson was abusive, and we see that here.

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Ayana George plays Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother. She's loving, supportive and forgiving. In one scene, she says she knows Joseph is not perfect, and hard on the boys. He does it, she says, because he never got the chance. So he's making sure his children do.

During the show, Fred Astaire, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Don Cornelius and Bob Fosse all make appearances. Each of them inspired Michael.

Tony winner Derek McLane creates some big moments with his sets. He's at his best during "Smooth Criminal," with its city skyline and neon signs creating a spectacle appropriate for this "Bad" song. This is another time where the show's choreography is inspired by the video. Frost wears a white suit jacket and fedora, and does the famous "anti-gravity lean" dance move.

"Thriller" is teased in the first act before the zombies take center stage in Act II. "They Don't Care About Us" and "Stranger in Moscow" from the 1995 album "HIStory" are other show highlights, effectively conveying anger and isolation, respectively.

There are bits and pieces of lots of other songs, leaving the audience wanting more a bit too often.

The $20+ million show took a lot of teamwork, including sound design by Gareth Owen; Neptune-native Jason Michael Webb for music direction, orchestrations and arrangements; David Holcenberg for music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements; Strange Cranium for electronic music design; and music coordinator John Miller.

Director Wheeldon does his best to bring the cast, the band, the sets and the music together. It's not surprising that it doesn't always work. Michael Jackson dreamed big, striving for heights he could not reach. He wanted "Bad" to outsell "Thriller." He wanted his "Dangerous" tour to be the biggest in the world. (The show ended up grossing $140 million and was seen by more than 4 million people. Curious enough, it never came to America.)

"MJ" does not address the 1993 allegation that rocked the pop world, when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 1993. The allegation is implied, however. In 1994, Jackson settled the matter out of court, reportedly spending $20 million but denying he did anything wrong. Child molestation charges followed in 2003, but Jackson was acquitted in 2005. HBO aired the documentary "Leaving Neverland" in 2019, focusing on two men who said Jackson (who died in 2009) abused them when they were children. Jackson's estate filed suit against the network, saying the singer was innocent.

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The encore of "MJ" is a missed opportunity. Did we need the cast singing the new jack swing song "Jam"? The cast also sings "Black or White," which makes sense. Let's come together and celebrate. We need more of that in the world — but it falls flat.

A better choice would have been "Black or White" followed by a Jackson 5 medley. Or "Can You Feel It" from The Jacksons. Or "Will You Be There," a top-10 song that was played during Jackson's Dangerous world tour but not included in "MJ." The song would have required some editing, but it's uplifting — and the cast could have served as the "choir."

There are even a few "woos!" for Frost.

Yet it's too late, as "Man in the Mirror" goes, to "make that change."

No matter what I say, say, say.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: 'MJ The Musical' review: Songs, new stars carry Michael Jackson show