Michael R. Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael R. Jackson
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Jackson at the 75th Tony Awards in 2022
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| Born | 1981 (age 43–44) Detroit, Michigan |
| Occupation | Playwright, composer, and lyricist |
| Education | New York University (BFA, MFA) |
| Notable awards | Whiting Award, Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award, Lambda Literary Award for Drama, Drama Desk Award, Obie Award |
Michael R. Jackson, born in 1981, is a talented American writer, composer, and lyricist. He is famous for creating the musical A Strange Loop. This amazing show won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2022 Tony Award for Best Musical. Michael Jackson grew up in Detroit.
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Michael Jackson's Career
Michael Jackson once worked as an intern at ABC, helping with TV shows. He especially worked on the daytime show All My Children. Jackson loved soap operas and first wanted to write for them.
He wrote the story and lyrics for a musical called Only Children. Rachel Peters wrote the music for it. This show was performed at NYU's Frederick Loewe Theatre.
Jackson also wrote lyrics and helped write the story for Teeth. This musical was based on a 2007 indie film. He sang a song called "Lonesome of the Road" on a special album honoring Elizabeth Swados.
In 2019, a collection of his songs, The Kids on the Lawn, was featured. It appeared in The New York Times Magazine's culture issue. This issue imagined what America might be like in the year 2024.
Jackson's musical, A Strange Loop, first opened in New York City in 2019. It was shown at Playwrights Horizons. After a successful six-week run in Washington, D.C., in 2021, A Strange Loop came to Broadway. It opened at the Lyceum Theatre in April 2022.
His musical White Girl in Danger started previews on March 15, 2023. It officially opened on April 10, 2023, at the Tony Kiser Theater. This musical looks at how race, social class, and identity connect in TV soap operas.
Major Musicals by Michael Jackson
| Year | Title | Music | Lyrics | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | A Strange Loop | Michael R. Jackson | ||
| 2023 | White Girl in Danger | Michael R. Jackson | ||
| 2024 | Teeth | Anna K. Jacobs | Michael R. Jackson | Anna K. Jacobs & Michael R. Jackson |
Awards and Special Recognition
Michael Jackson has received many important awards for his work.
- In 2017, he won a Jonathan Larson Grant. This award helps new musical theater artists.
- He was also one of 11 winners of the 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.
- He was a fellow at the Sundance Theatre Institute and the Dramatist Guild.
In 2018, The New York Times named Jackson one of the "Black Male Writers for our Time." In 2019, he received a Whiting Award for drama. He also won a Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting.
In 2020, Jackson won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for A Strange Loop. He was the first Black musical theater writer to win this prestigious award. He also won the Lambda Literary Award for Drama and a Fred Ebb Award. This award helps new musical theater songwriters.
Additionally, Jackson earned two Drama Desk Awards and two Obie Awards. He also received two Outer Critics Circle Award Honors. An Antonyo Award for Best Book for A Strange Loop was also given to him.
In June 2020, he was recognized for his work in promoting equality and acceptance for all people. This was part of a special event celebrating 50 years of progress. In 2022, he was featured in a book called 50 Key Figures in Queer US Theatre.
In March 2021, Jackson was given the Windham–Campbell Literature Prize for drama.
At the 75th Tony Awards, A Strange Loop was nominated for 11 awards. It won two major awards: Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical.
About Michael Jackson's Life
Michael Jackson went to Cass Technical High School. He also studied at New York University.
