Ilario Grant and Brandon Lee Harris Reunited on Broadway in MJ

Brandon Lee Harris has returned to the Neil Simon Theatre, and this time Ilario Grant is on stage beside him. The two performers, now appearing in Broadway's MJ, spoke to Broadway.com about their intersecting journeys, the craft behind their performances, and the lasting appeal of Michael Jackson.

For Harris, the move back to Broadway follows his run in the musical's first national tour. He described the return in warm terms. "The energy in the Neil [Simon Theatre] is so special," Harris said. "The show is built for the Neil."

The touring company, he acknowledged, brought its own personality to the production. Still, being back where he started "feels very much so like a homecoming."

What makes this reunion significant?

The return carries a professional milestone that the two men have waited for. Grant and Harris began with the Broadway production at roughly the same time. Harris then left for the national tour before the two could ever share a stage. Each had followed the other's journey from a distance. Now they perform together in the same company.

Harris did not hide his admiration for his castmate. "To play MJ is such a massive, massive feat and he's doing an incredible job and I'm grateful to be sharing the stage with my brother," Harris said of Grant.

How demanding is the role?

Playing Michael Jackson on Broadway, in Harris's words, is a "massive, massive feat." The part asks a performer to capture what the actors call the singer's essence. That search — for the core of Jackson as artist and stage presence — sits at the center of the performers' preparation. Grant and Harris each reflected on the work behind their performances in their conversation with Broadway.com.

The performers also spoke about the enduring appeal of Michael Jackson himself. Decades after his rise, the material continues to draw Broadway audiences to the Neil Simon Theatre. The musical is, as Harris put it, built for that house.

Who are the performers?

• Ilario Grant: a member of the Broadway production of MJ, now performing at the Neil Simon Theatre.
• Brandon Lee Harris: performed in the MJ first national tour, including the role of Michael, and has now returned to the Broadway company.

The two actors' paths ran parallel from the start. They joined the Broadway show around the same time, parted ways when the tour called, and have now converged again in New York.

For Grant, the moment marks the arrival of a stage partnership long deferred. For Harris, it closes a circle that began at the Neil Simon. As the production continues, the two will keep testing what Harris calls the "essence" of Michael Jackson — together, eight shows a week.