Apollo Levine on Finding Family in the MJ Cast and His Four Year Journey With the Musical

Apollo Levine has been with the biomusical MJ since it opened on Broadway in 2022, starting out in the dual roles of Quincy Jones and Tito Jackson before stepping in as patriarch Joseph Jackson and touring manager Rob. Though Levine has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, MJ marks his Broadway debut. According to Levine, this career development would not have materialized had it not been for a twist of fate.

“I lived in New York in 2014 through 2016, when things were not happening the way that I thought that they would. There was one specific show that I will never name that I got called in like eight different times. When I found out I didn't book it, I stood in the middle of Times Square and said a few choice words to the universe. I moved to LA a week later,” says Levine. “I was out there for two-and-a-half years and somebody said to me, ‘Hey, we're auditioning for Dreamgirls.’ I ended up booking it and got a manager. I told them right then and there, ‘I don't want to do any more theater. I've lived in New York. I just want to focus on TV and film.’ The first thing she sends me in for is this unnamed Westlake production of a Michael Jackson musical. In a matter of three weeks, I booked it.”

“It's nuts, especially because I thought Broadway was just not in my cards,” admits the Louisiana-born performer. “I'm learning now, it's all God's timing. So I'm here.” For Levine, the journey has not been without personal hardships. “The year that I joined the show, my oldest sister passed Christmas Eve. Then we had to go through the pandemic. The day that we came into rehearsal out of the pandemic, my sister called me and said, ‘Mom is in the hospital.’ I lost my mom two days into rehearsal coming back to Broadway. Last Christmas, I lost my dad. And I still showed up to work."

He credits his co-stars for helping him through. "One of the things that I really, really appreciate about being in this particular family is that it held me down through something that I never thought that I would get through," he says. "It has made me grow as an actor in so many ways, but it has also taught me about community and family and resilience. I'm so grateful.”

In his original casting as Quincy/Tito, Levine shares, “Before I joined the show, that role hadn't been put together. The first time they asked me to sing 'Keep the Faith' I was like, 'I've never heard of this song in my life.' I kept saying, ‘Oh, it's going to get cut.’ Not only did it not get cut, it got reprised in the second act. When I took over the Rob/Joe role, it ended up following me. One of the lessons that I've learned is to keep the faith. It really is not a song just to sing, but a mantra and a testimony. If you do that, wonderful things can come out of something that you never even expected to come into your life in the first place.”

Levine has been privy to all three full-time actors who have portrayed the King of Pop during the show’s run. The latest among them is Matte Martinez, who officially took over the role this past fall after being in the company since 2023. "I have been fortunate to be with every MJ that has touched this stage, which nobody else can really say that, but I have. Matte is just one of a kind, he’s a powerhouse and a star. People can sing and people can dance, but when you see something like that in one person's body, you're just like, ‘Oh, you're made for more than just this.’ I can't wait to see what happens after this for him.”

Being in a long-running show has also given Levine the opportunity to witness other performers make their Broadway debuts, as is the case with Samuel Nelson III, standby for MJ and Middle Michael. “It is so cool to see somebody at 18 take on something so huge and so monumental. I didn't make my Broadway debut until what, 38? You can go to school for it, but nobody can teach you what you will learn until you step into those shoes," Levine says. "He's doing this in real time and I applaud him every step of the way. He's handling it with such grace and you just support in the best way you can.”

MJ has drawn Michael Jackson fans from across the world, speaking to the massive reach of the posthumous pop icon. Levine says he encounters this the most when meeting audience members at the stagedoor. “There's not one time that I'm out there that I don't hear, ‘I'm from Japan’, ‘I'm from Chile’, ‘I came from Argentina.” For MJ audiences, one viewing is oftentimes not enough. “We've had people that have been here 8 times. We've seen people that have been here 80 times. We're bringing people back. People have stood outside and been like, ‘Remember I said I was coming back and this is my mom.’ They've become extended family now.”

As he plows ahead on his distinctive Broadway journey, Levine keeps his family’s values front of mind. “One of the things that my parents always instilled and taught me was leave it better than you found it. And hopefully whenever I do decide to leave or depart—and I pray that the show runs forever and that a million other kids get their Broadway debuts—that I've set a standard. I don't want anybody to follow in my footsteps, I actually want them to make their own.”

The Broadway Show's new Five Inside series highlights the individuals who help bring Broadway's long-running shows to life, both onstage and off.

GET TO KNOW THE MJ FAMILY
The Star: Matte Martinez | The Debut: Samuel Nelson III | The Long-Runner: Apollo Levine | The Creative Engine: Global Associate Director Dontee Kiehn | The Backstage MVP: Global Associate Costume Designer Christine Meyers

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