“I’m in sort of a Quincy Jones Era in my life,” he says. “It all just feels connected in some way and very authentic to my journey right now. At the end of every show, I feel like I have given every ounce of energy that I can possibly give, and I still want to give more.” Audiences are noticing. Dawson says the show has sold out, or nearly sold out, in every city it has visited. He credits the power of Michael Jackson’s music and the way it continues to connect with people. “The music just makes you want to move your body,” Dawson says. “We have people dancing in the aisles. It’s not a traditional musical, where you sit in the audience and follow a story. It feels more like a rock concert.” Dawson takes great pleasure in having an Iowa stop on this tour. He has friends and family all around the Midwest, and he’s looking forward to seeing them. But he’s also hoping to inspire some Iowans he’s never met. “I know what it’s like to be in the middle of the Midwest and have Broadway come to you,” he says. “That is what inspired me to do it full-time, to see that I could have a career. There were people that looked like me; I could do what they do. I just want to be able to inspire people like that. For me, at this time in my career, it’s the most important thing.” Josh A. Dawson and the rest of the MJ cast can be seen live at the Des Moines Civic Center as part of the Willis Broadway Series April 30-May 5, 2024. Tickets are available at DMPA.org. Josh A. Dawson as ‘Tito Jackson’ and the cast of the MJ First National Tour. Photo by: Matthew Murphy 27 Josh A. Dawson as ‘Quincy Jones’. Photo by: Matthew Murphy
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