Actor Ilario Grant is doing what all musical theatre stars hope to do – living out his dream.
Ilario plays the lead role of MJ in Melbourne‘s MJ The Musical – and assures me he is having the time of his life.
Set in 1992, the show takes us behind the scenes of Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour – and gives us an insight into his life leading up.
Jam-packed full of some of his most popular songs, the musical has been nominated for ten Tony awards – and won four.
Sitting in his dressing room, Ilario gives New Idea a peek into his life playing the King of Pop.
With experience playing the role on Broadway in New York, the actor tells us he’s excited to make this show his own.
“On Broadway, I was a standby. So in this moment, I’m able to create and see what my show looks like,” he says.
“It’s certain things in the show that I do that are unique to me. Certain movement, vocabulary that I do from MJ… I don’t really know how to specify, but when you watch the show, you can tell that it’s my show,” he adds.
Living up to the name
However, as much as he loves playing the role, he says it is challenging “living up to who he [Michael Jackson] was”.
“He was such a great artist. I’m so young in my artistry, so continuing to learn and to push myself to be as great as he was. Still today, nobody is as great as Michael Jackson was as an artist,” he says.
Ilario reveals that if he had ever had the chance to say anything to the King of Pop, he “probably wouldn’t say anything”!
“I probably would just cry. I don’t know what I would be able to say. I’d probably thank him for who he was as an artist, and say thank you for the path that was laid out for not only me, but for every artist today, you know what I mean? He’s the reason why a lot of people, including myself, do what I do today,” he says.
Transforming from Ilario to MJ
Before each performance, Ilario takes the time to get into his MJ character.
“I sit in here in this dressing room and I take a couple of minutes to myself, put on some high frequencies -like some meditative frequencies to clear my mind,” he says.
He reveals he will then play videos from Michael Jackson‘s Live At Wembley performance, his Bad tour, and watch a variety of his music videos.
“I just keep them on repeat to remind myself of how excellent an artist he was,” he says.
He reveals that it’s important for him not to use his vocal chords too much.
“I don’t talk a lot before the show, and I don’t talk a lot after the show. But – I do warm up by singing his music. And because we talk the entire show, I try to refrain from doing that,” he says.
And of course – the dancing is non-stop, so he’s got to make sure he stretches his body.
“Our bodies are continuing to be pushed physically, so we are in shape and staying strong for the show – for this role in particular,” he says.
As for audiences going to see the show, Ilario wants everyone to “get up and dance and have a good time”.
“The story is great, but it’s the music of Michael Jackson that we are all connected to,” he says.
MJ The Musical is on now in Melbourne.
