Jacksons Eternally Newsworthy
• The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage announced that they are developing a Broadway musical inspired by the life of “The King of Pop.”
The new musical, as yet untitled, will feature a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize® winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the best-loved, top-selling songs in recording history. Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph.
The musical is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2020.
• In other major Jackson news, global music icon, multiple Grammy® Award winner and multiplatinum-selling artist Janet Jackson will receive the first-ever “Impact” Award at the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards (RDMA), music’s biggest event for families. The “Impact” Award is in recognition of Janet Jackson’s influence on society and the world of entertainment — particularly women — across generations of fans. Janet (Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty) joins previously announced honorees including Carrie Underwood, who will receive the RDMA “Hero” Award, and Kelly Clarkson, who will be honored with the RDMA “Icon” Award.
“As one of the most influential and transformative artists of all time, we are proud to celebrate Janet Jackson as the first recipient of the RDMA ‘Impact’ Award,” said Phil Guerini, VP, Music Strategy, Disney Channels Worldwide, and GM, Radio Disney Network. “From her contributions to the world of entertainment and her humanitarian work to make a better tomorrow, we could not think of a better recipient to receive this inaugural award.”
The 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards are happening this Friday, June 22, at the Dolby Theatre® in Hollywood, with scheduled performances by Carrie Underwood with Ludacris, Kelly Clarkson, Meghan Trainor, Charlie Puth, Marshmello, Echosmith and 2018 American Idolwinner Maddie Poppe. The show will air on Saturday, June 23 at 8pm ET/PT on Disney Channel as well as multiple Disney-branded platforms, including Radio Disney, the Radio Disney app, the DisneyNOW app and Disney.com/RDMA. [Photo credit: Solaiman Fazel]
