Thriller Live thrills audiences in Macao

Thriller Live, which celebrates the life and music of the world's greatest entertainer, Michael Jackson, is being performed at The Parisian Theatre in Macao until Nov. 13, 2016. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

A London West End musical based on the life of the late Michael Jackson is being presented at the newly-opened The Parisian Macao resort to much audience acclaim.

"We know that Michael Jackson is considered by many to be the greatest Western entertainer of all time and that, in China, he is very popular. We feel that the show and Michael's music appeals to many age groups and cultures and we want to showcase the very best shows here at The Parisian Theatre," Tomos Griffiths, Executive Creative Director of Sands China, told China.org.cn to explain why it was chosen as the debut show for the new theater.

With the opening of the 1,200-seat theater at The Parisian Macao, Sands China Ltd is adding another dimension to its entertainment strategy in building up Macao as Asia's top entertainment destination.

From live music concerts to Broadway and Vegas-style shows, the new state-of-the-art theater plans to bring top entertainment from around the world to Macao, complementing existing entertainment venues such as The Venetian Theatre and the Cotai Arena.

"We also have many very exciting projects in the pipeline," Griffiths promised.

Direct from London's West End where it is now in its eighth year, Thriller Live is a 90-minute, high-energy explosion of pop, rock, soul and disco that takes the audience on a magical audio-visual journey through Michael Jackson's 45-year musical legacy.

From Sept. 30 - Nov. 13, except for a rest day every Thursday, audiences will have the chance to cheer and dance along while listening to some of the most well-known Michael Jackson songs over the years.

"The show has undergone a few changes since coming to China. We have changed some of the songs, and the lighting and video is constantly being upgraded. The director, Gary Lloyd, has also changed the song order in places," said Thriller Live tour manager Phil Watts. The show toured the Chinese mainland in Beijing and Guangzhou in 2010 and was well received.

Leading the cast of talented performers are Cleo Higgins and Rory Taylor. Cleo was lead singer of 90s R&B pop group Cleopatra, who had five hit singles in the UK and were recruited by Madonna's Maverick label in the US.

The group appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight show and the Queen Latifah show and toured the US extensively. Cleo has since worked with such music stars as the Spice Girls and Lenny Kravitz, released several singles and now appears regularly on television in the UK, including BBC 1's program The Voice.

Meanwhile Rory is a singer and musician from the UK whose band 54321 has released two albums and performed alongside major acts including Ace Of Base and The Beach Boys. He has appeared in high-profile international tours of shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent The Musical, West End Women and Thriller Live.

The tour manager pointed out the show is very demanding for singers, dancers and musicians. "After eight years we are lucky enough to have a pool of performers we can call on, and we also hold regular auditions in both the UK and the US in order to discover new talent to join the show. Every performer comes to us as a big MJ fan to start with, so we have a common standard, presenting a show that would surely make Michael proud," he said.

Thriller Live has performed to over 4 million fans in 32 countries with a total of over 5,000 shows. It is the longest-running production in the 127-year history of its West End home, The Lyric Theatre.

The show first entered the record books in October 2014 when it became the 20th longest running musical in West End history. It has since climbed the charts and will become the 16th longest running musical in December 2016.

"To have such a long running show in the West End is an outstanding achievement and to stand side by side with shows such as The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and many other iconic works is a testament to Michael Jackson as well as the talented creative team, casts and crew who work tirelessly on the show," Watts added.