“MJ: The Musical” is tearing the house down at the Neil Simon Theatre at 250 W. 52nd Street. The amazing musical gives audiences a look into the life of Michael Jackson, his music, and the demons — both outer and inner ones — that he faced growing up. It tells the story of the pop icon with humanity, humor, and compassion. Ayana George Jackson is one actor that has been with the show since it opened and continues to shine on the stage. Making an incredible Broadway debut, she plays the character of Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s mother. Watching this musical your heart goes out to her character and it is beautiful to see the tender, close relationship that Katherine had with her very talented son.
This musical has had many cast changes over the years, but Jackson has always maintained her role as Katherine along with other scenes in the musical. Wanting to place a well-deserved spotlight on this talented lady who plays this role with such compassion, empathy, care and kindness, the AmNews recently had the opportunity to speak with her. A Q&A follows, please enjoy.
AmNews: How would you define the character of Katherine?
AJ: The character of Katherine is a woman of tremendous strength, yet she’s soft. She is a beautiful mix of resilience and tenderness. A woman of faith who has a deep love for God, her husband and her children. Katherine’s heart is pure and I think she always wants to believe the best about a person. However, she is tough when she needs to be.
AmNews: What was her special way of looking at Joseph and her boys, especially Michael?
AJ: She respected Joseph as a father and although she didn’t always agree with his parenting methods, she believed it came from a place of love. Katherine showed Joseph grace, continuously forgiving him for his indiscretions. Her primary focus was taking care of her family and keeping them together. Katherine was the one who discovered and nurtured her boys’ talent early on. Her relationship with Michael was special because she saw that he was extraordinarily gifted. She wanted to protect him.
AmNews: You’ve been with the show from the beginning, what has the journey been like?
AJ: Whew! The journey has been just that … a JOURNEY. I’m blessed to say that this was my first Broadway show, so I walked into it very “green,” not knowing what to expect. The workshop/rehearsal process was hard work but beautiful! Being surrounded by so much greatness was almost overwhelming. I literally had a meltdown in one of the rehearsals when I let impostor syndrome get the best of me and make me believe I didn’t belong in the room. But I realized that was a lie I told myself due to the magnitude of the opportunity. It was just so BIG to me. I’m proud to say that negative voice became more and more faint as I understood the impact my performance in the show had on our audience. Honestly, it had an impact on ME. I am a huge Michael Jackson fan, so being a part of his legacy in this way is nothing short of amazing. I’m honored to have been a part of telling his story.
AmNews: The role of Michael as a boy is consistently being recast as they age out. How do you approach working with each Little Michael?
AJ: I’m just myself. I love to laugh and have fun and that is how I’ve bonded with each of them. With every Little Michael & Little Marlon, we have a ritual before we go on stage — either a special handshake or a song we sing together that more than likely ends with us all screaming at the top of our lungs lol. They have each become my babies. I feel responsible for them and I take pride in seeing their amazing talent on stage.
AmNews: How moving is it to you to do the “I’ll Be There” number with Little and then Big Michael?
AJ: There have been times when it’s brought me to tears. I try not to let that happen too often, because ya girl cannot sing and cry. I allow myself to go “there” during this number … “there” can be thoughts of Michael as a young boy and as a young man, dealing with internal struggles as well as public scrutiny; “there” can be thoughts of my husband or my daughter, or even my relationship with God. “Just call my name … and I’ll be there.” Yeah. It gets me sometimes.
AmNews: How is it being on stage, singing and dancing in so many scenes?
AJ: Let’s just say at the end of a show, I am always amazed at what my 50+ year old body just did! I don’t dance as much as our incredible ensemble, but I do wear kneepads and throw a leg or two. As far as singing, this show has caused me to take my vocal health more seriously. Some of those notes are big and high. Singing them repeatedly night after night can take a toll if I’m not on top of my vocal care. I’ve incorporated a regimen that helps me with my breathing and vocal placement, which is so necessary for this type of singing.
AmNews: You have so many emotional songs. Where does that glorious voice come from?
AJ: The Lord! This is a gift I didn’t ask for, nor did I earn. God gets all the glory! I can be very honest to say pain cultivated my voice as well — things I’ve been through . … I sing from my heart and at times I did so while it was breaking. I’m happy to say I’m in a very different place now and it feels wonderful.
AmNews: What is the message the audience should come away with about Michael Jackson?
AJ: The audience should come away knowing that beyond the music, the fame, the money, the awards, the glitz & glamor, Michael Jackson was a human being. I think somewhere along the way, his humanity was no longer considered. This show gives you a little more insight into Michael, the person.
AmNews: Where are you from?/What is your professional educational background?
AJ: I am a native New Yorker, born and raised in the Boogie Down Bronx! I went to LaGuardia HS of Music & Art and Performing Arts, but believe it or not, when I graduated singing was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to be a broadcast journalist! I spent many years as an administrative assistant at various companies and did background singing as a side hustle. That led me to eventually touring with various world-renowned gospel and R&B artists all over the world. After being laid off from my last corporate job in 2011, I decided to pursue my dreams more intentionally. Broadway was definitely one of them, so the fact that I’m here still leaves me in awe.
AmNews: How do you make your performances fresh each time, especially since you’ve been with the musical the entire time?
AJ: I keep the audience in mind. They deserve a fresh experience. I literally pray that they leave with something they didn’t know they needed. While performing, I might do something a little different from the night before — that keeps it fresh. Sharing the stage with my amazing cast mates who I adore. We’re all on stage after experiencing a new day, with different events and circumstances and we come together, our talents intertwined, to use our God-given gifts and tell the story of this extraordinary man named Michael. I don’t take that lightly.
AmNews: Why should people come to see this musical?
AJ: People should come to see this musical to “disappear” — to get so lost in the music and the movement that they forget all about their personal struggles or the times we are living in. They should also come to remember … We all know
where we were when certain MJ songs came on the radio, or when the “Thriller” video premiered. People should come to remember the tremendous gift Michael Jackson was not only to music, but to the world. Michael was the equalizer. You can see it in the audience every night. Men, women and children, dancing, clapping and singing his lyrics. Forgetting and remembering.
For more info and for tickets, visit mjthemusical.com.