Josh A. Dawson is no stranger to Detroit’s Fisher Theatre. Coming in this week with “MJ The Musical,” a jukebox production about the late Michael Jackson,” will mark the University of Michigan alumnus’ fourth time on that stage after two previous stops with “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and one as part of “Hamilton.
” “The Detroit area’s been home since I went to college there,” says Dawson, 35, who portrays Jackson’s older brother, Tito, as well as producer Quincy Jones in “MJ.” And he plans to make the most of this particular return in a very maize and blue kind of way. “I haven’t seen a game at the Big House in a long time, so I’m taking off the first Saturday we’re there,” says Dawson, who will be in the house for Michigan’s annual rivalry game against Michigan State University.
“I’ll take the whole day off and do an old-fashioned tailgate, hopefully, see some old college buddies, go see the game at night. I can’t wait.” The visit also will mark the return of one of the school’s more accomplished alumni, with credits on stage and screen and in the music world.
Dawson has had several homes — born in Atlanta, raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Dallas, also educated in Cincinnati and residing in New York. He was raised singing and playing instruments in church, where his father was a pastor who introduced him to R&B, funk and jazz (including Quincy Jones’ work), while his mother favored singer-songwriters such as C.