>>> LAST YEAR IT WAS A HIT ON BROADWAY, NOW IT IS OPENING A NORTH AMERICAN TOUR IN CHICAGO.

MJ THE MUSICAL TELLS A STORY OF MICHAEL JACKSON IN FLASHBACK.

IT BEGINS IN 1992 AS HE PREPARES HIS DANGEROUS TOUR THIS IS THE YEAR BEFORE HIS SEXUAL ABUSE CASES.

PENNY WHITESIDE DOWN WITH CHOREOGRAPHER CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON AND THE YOUNG ACTOR WHO PLAYS THE MAN IN THE MIRROR.

>> IT IS AMAZING, AS FAR AS I KNOW, MICHAEL NEVER REALLY HAD FORMAL TRAINING >> HE TRAINED WITH SOME GREAT POP AND LOCK TEACHERS AND HIP-HOP TEACHERS IN L.A.

HE HAD MENTORS.

ONE OF THEM, THE LARGEST FACETS OF HIS GIFT WAS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE FROM THE GREATS AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE A SHAPE FROM FRED ASTAIRE OR MOVEMENT IN THE FEET FROM JAMES BROWN OR EVEN A TURN OR A LEAP FROM BARYSHNIKOV.

>> WHICH CAME FIRST FOR YOU, SINGING OR DANCING TO CHECK >> DANCING CAME LAST.

SINGING CAME FIRST, ACTING HIM SECOND AND DANCING OUTSIDE OF MY KITCHEN WHILE MAKING BREAKFAST CAME LAST.

THIS ROLE WAS A BIG UNDERTAKING FOR ME.

>> TALK ABOUT THE VERY INTERESTING INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN MICHAEL'S MUSIC AND HIS DANCE STYLE.

>> IT ALL HAS TO BE CONNECTED.

CERTAIN THINGS DON'T CLICK WITH THE CHARACTER UNTIL EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AT ONCE.

SOMETIMES THE DANCE INFORMS THE BOYS, SOMETIMES THE VOICE INFORMS THE EMOTION AND SOMETIMES THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER AND I ALMOST BLACKOUT WHEN I AM PERFORMING AND SOMEONE IS LIKE HOW DID THAT FEEL AND I AM LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

>> TALK ABOUT THE ANGER ISSUES THAT COME THROUGH IN THE DANCE.

>> THERE IS A VIOLENCE.

EACH MOVE IS SO EXPLOSIVE AND SO ACCURATE, I THINK IT IS THE DYNAMIC, THE EXPLOSIVE POWER OF HIS MOVEMENTS THAT CAN MAKE ME REALLY ONLY THINK THAT IT WAS COMING ALSO FROM EMOTION AND FRUSTRATION.

>> I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AT THAT TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY THERE WERE NOT REALLY RESOURCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND OBVIOUSLY WE TAKE AFTER OUR PARENTS TO SOME DEGREE.

I TRULY THINK HE DID THE BEST WITH WHAT HE HAD.

WE FOCUS VERY MUCH ON THE CREATIVE INSPIRATION AND THE BEAUTY OF MICHAEL'S CREATIVE IMAGINATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS BROTHERS, WITH HIS MOTHER, WITH HIS FATHER.

WE DO GET TO GO BACK IN TIME AND EXPERIENCES GREAT ICONIC MOMENTS.

THE COMPLEXITY LIES WITH SORT OF INTERWOVEN WITH THE BEAUTY, AND I THINK THE GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND SOME OF THAT COMPLEXITY ACTUALLY IS WHAT MADE THE ARTIST TRULY GREAT.

>> THAT IS A SUPERSTARDOM WE WILL NEVER SEE OR WE WILL ADMIT TO SEE OR FEEL THAT LEVEL OF PRESSURE FROM THE WORLD.