Jackson’s “Black or White” Video Spurred Furor, Album Sales

Expectations must have been a thorn in the side of Michael Jackson. Consider this: His 1987 album, Bad, sold roughly 35 million copies worldwide. That’s impressive by anyone’s standards, except Jackson’s: His previous album, 1982’s Thriller, sold twice that number. https://open.spotify.com/album/3Us57CjssWnHjTUIXBuIeH?si=LJlW_X-kQLWS4ImMhD9_lA MJ the Musical takes place on the eve of Jackson’s tour supporting the album... Continue Reading →

February 12, 2025

Producer’s Brush With Broadway Led to Record-Breaking Success

The Wiz was a Broadway smash, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz with an African-American cast and P.O.V. It had a four-year run, won a shelf-full of Tonys® and introduced the world to Stephanie Mills. https://youtu.be/uR2IZ9LFyxM The film version was a dumpster fire, swapping the musical’s book for trendy psychobabble, and replacing Mills (17... Continue Reading →

November 7, 2024

Celebrating The Spooky Season in the Performing Arts

Through Halloween and the spooky season, the performing arts come alive with all things supernatural. From haunted productions to ballet performances inspired by ghostly tales, Halloween has found its place across different mediums of artistic expression. Here's how this eerie season takes center stage in the performing arts and beyond. 1. Musical Theater: Spooky Songs... Continue Reading →

October 29, 2024

MJ the Musical Is Michael Before the Tabloids Took Over

The songs and stories heard in MJ the Musical, coming to The Straz Feb. 25 - March 2, are from throughout most of Michael Jackson’s life and career. It’s set two days before the beginning of his 1992-’93 Dangerous world tour and that would not seem to be a random choice. https://youtu.be/Hxgo-Qu-ZZE By the end... Continue Reading →

June 25, 2024

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