The magic of Michael Jackson is coming to Vancouver as the Tony Award-winning MJ the Musical prepares for its limited Canadian engagement. Broadway Across Canada brings this spectacular production to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from November 25-30, 2025, offering fans a rare opportunity to experience the King of Pop's legacy live on stage.
A Journey Behind the Music
This critically acclaimed musical transports audiences backstage during the creation of Jackson's massive 1992 Dangerous World Tour. The production focuses on this pivotal moment in the pop icon's career, when he was developing his second world concert tour around his eighth studio album, Dangerous.
The creative team behind MJ the Musical represents the highest caliber of Broadway talent. The book comes from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, while direction and choreography are handled by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Originally scheduled for a Broadway premiere in mid-2020, the pandemic delayed the production's official opening until February 1, 2022.
Critical Acclaim and Global Success
Since its debut, MJ the Musical has earned remarkable recognition, receiving 10 Tony Award nominations and winning four. The production has enjoyed successful runs on Broadway, London's West End, and across Europe, Asia, and Australia before arriving in Vancouver.
The musical recreates the lavish production values of Jackson's original Dangerous Tour, which grossed more than $100 million and was seen by approximately 3.5 million people worldwide. The tour became even more widely known through the HBO special Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour, which brought Jackson's highly technical performance to millions more viewers.
Meeting the Man Playing Michael
Portraying the titular role is actor Jordan Markus, who has extensive experience with the character having performed on Broadway, the national tour, and in London. Markus admits the role requires such complete immersion that he jokes about moonwalking instead of walking forward at home.
"I'm only partly kidding about that, as a lot of hard preparation goes into getting 'show fit,'" Markus revealed. "The dancing is incredibly physical all on its own. Add in the singing and it becomes one of the more challenging roles in musicals."
Before landing this career-defining role, Markus had a brief appearance on Season 16 of America's Got Talent. Though his performance wasn't televised and he didn't advance to the Top 36, he ultimately secured what many would consider the role of a lifetime.
Markus shares his personal connection to the material: "The Dangerous Tour was a milestone for Michael and came at a difficult time in his career, in some ways, since the record was not received the same way as Off the Wall, Thriller or Bad. In a career full of creative peaks, planning and creating the tour around that album was a massive undertaking. Personally, Dangerous is my favourite of his recordings."
The production features Jackson's greatest hits spanning his entire career, along with spectacular dance routines, special effects, and pyrotechnics that made his live performances legendary. While centered on the Dangerous era, the musical incorporates songs from throughout Jackson's hit-filled career.
Tickets for MJ the Musical in Vancouver are available now through vancouver.broadway.com and ticketmaster.ca. This limited one-week engagement at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre represents a can't-miss opportunity for Michael Jackson fans and musical theater enthusiasts alike to experience one of Broadway's most celebrated recent productions.
