Return of the king: MICHAEL JACKSON tour comes to OKC

NORMAN — Until his death five years ago, Michael Jackson was one of the most fascinating people in the world. From his string of No. 1 hits to the ground breaking videos to the controversies that followed him in real-life, the “king of pop” was a magnet for attention.

The creators of Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour were betting that Jackson’s star attraction was so big that it would continue to shine even after his death. It seems they made the right decision.

As the Immortal Tour sets to arrive at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, the show is in the midst of a three-year tour that has no end in sight.

“Its been great,” tour spokeswoman Laura Silverman said. “We’ve been touring for almost three years. It premiered in October of 2011. Went to Europe, Asia ... now we’re backing touring the states. It’s been incredible. Michael Jackson has some loyal fans out there. It’s been quite an incredible tribute.”

The Immortal World Tour is a theatrical production that combines the music and vision of Michael Jackson with Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic performance style to create a rock concert experience.

The arena show began its tour Oct. 2, 2011, in Montreal and is currently touring the rest of the world. The tour is jointly owned by The Michael Jackson Company and Cirque du Soleil.

“They go hand in hand. A lot of it is Michael Jackson imagery and his spirit,” Silverman said. “That is really the main thing that you feel. But it’s paired with the Cirque Du Soleil. So they really just took the two elements and mashed them together. You are seeing the color and creativity of Cirque du Soleil and seeing recognizable Michael Jackson images.”

Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a “dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment”. Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme and storyline with dancers, acrobats, contortionist and a festival of lights and sounds.

Show creators Jamie King (writer & director), Chantel Tremblay (director of creation) and Kevin Antunes (musical designer) wanted the tour to be more than just other people singing Jackson songs. With the infusion of Cirque du Soleil, they were looking to transform it from just a show into an event.

“This show is probably the most different show we have,” Silverman said. “Typically most shows are very theatrical. They are mostly a sit down and watch experience. This show is really a rock concert. We call it a hybrid of a pop concert meets Cirque du Soleil. You’ll see the acrobatics that people love. It really is a concert environment. You will see people getting up in their seats and dancing along. Unlike any of our other shows, this is much more like a rock concert.”

Fans have seemingly bought in to the show’s concept. The Immortal tour is currently No. 9 on top grossing music tours of all time and still climbing.

“The goal was for the creators and everyone involved was to create a show that would truly celebrate Michael Jackson and his music and legacy and everything he left behind to the pop industry,” Silverman said. “And do that in a way that he would have loved and appreciated. Something that really properly expressed who he was as an artist. I think having done that, it was a given the show would be a great success.”