The Night I Met MJ’s Family

Ushering at Broadway shows is truly wonderful! I’d never get to see as many productions as I do if I weren’t an usher. Beyond the thrill of the shows themselves, there are the people: the actors, the backstage teams, my fellow ushers, the patrons. It’s a social experience I look forward to every month. And sometimes, something happens that makes the magic shoot right through the roof.

Tonight was one of those nights.

I was stationed at the back of the house, doing the usual: handing out programs, directing patrons, pointing people toward the restrooms, and occasionally helping with seating. One man came to me, saying people were already in his seats—and that they had tickets for the same ones. My team leader stepped in, got everything figured out, and found the man and his party new seats, which, as luck would have it, were right next to where I was working for this show.

While we waited, the man leaned over and said, “My son’s in the show.”

Naturally, my ears perked right up. “Oh really? Who’s your son?”

He grinned. “Guess who he looks like,” pointing at his other son who had come to see his brother perform.

I scanned the bio pictures in the program.  I tried. I failed. Twice.

So I switched tactics. “What role does he play?”

“He plays MJ,” he said, brimming with pride.

“Wait—Jordan Markus is your son?” I asked, completely floored.

He nodded, clearly delighted with my reaction. He and his wife and son had traveled from Atlanta to see Jordan perform, since the tour is heading to Louisville and then into Canada before circling back to Atlanta in 2026. He told me that his daughter was there too, though she was seated in another section.

We chatted until the lights dimmed, and again during intermission. I won’t share private details, but let’s just say I’d hold my own at a Jordan Markus trivia night now! (Fun fact: several years in a row, his Halloween costume of choice was—you guessed it—Michael Jackson.)

Meeting his family was such a joy. To mark the occasion, I asked for their autographs—maybe a little unconventional, but how could I resist? Later, when I made it to the stage door, I got to meet Jordan’s sister, take some photos, and even got a hug from Jordan himself. That is one of the things that I love most about theatre–the personal connections with the actors.

Now, I’ll confess something: I’m not really a Michael Jackson fan. His music was part of the backdrop of my teenage years, so I recognize the hits, the Moonwalk, the signature costumes. But I never thought much beyond the surface.

And here’s where the magic of Broadway comes in.

Jordan Markus—and, before him, Roman Banks—brought Michael Jackson alive for me in a way I’d never experienced. Jordan especially moves with a kind of liquid grace, embodying more than just the dance steps or vocal stylings. He showed me the person behind the voice, the videos, the album covers—a human being with history, feelings, and emotions I’d never really considered.

The show itself tells a solid story, but it’s the cast—their artistry, their skill—that transforms it into something more. They breathe life into characters we thought we already knew, and for me, that’s the magic: being able to look into their eyes after a performance and tell them, “You made me feel something real.”

I will never be able to do that with film.

And that, for me, is priceless.  

Left photo from left: Jordan, Me, Jordan's Sister, Jordan's Mother

Right photo from left: Jordan's Father, Jordan, Me, Jordan's Brother