Christopher Sean Cooper Jr., seen on screen in Sweet Tooth and Wonder Pets: In the City, joins the cast of MJ the Musical February 5 at the Neil Simon Theatre.

The nine-year-old actor, who is making his Broadway debut, will alternate in the role of Little Michael with Austin Rankin. The Brooklyn native succeeds Eric Williams, who played his final performance February 2.

MJ, which began previews December 6, 2021, prior to an official opening February 1, 2022, features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and a score made up of some of the most popular songs in recording history. Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon directs and choreographs.

Detroit native Elijah Rhea Johnson stepped into the leading role of Michael Jackson in MJ the Musical April 4, 2023, marking his own Broadway debut. Johnson, who helped develop the role of Middle Michael throughout the workshop process of MJ, succeeded Myles Frost. (Frost made history in 2022, becoming the youngest individual actor to win a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.)

The musical also has sets by Derek McLane, lighting by Natasha Katz, costumes by Paul Tazewell, sound design by Gareth Owen, projection design by Peter Nigrini, hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe, music direction by Jason Michael Webb, musical supervision by David Holcenberg, and orchestrations by Holcenberg and Webb. Casting is by Rachel Hoffman of The Telsey Office.

The show took home four 2022 Tony Awards in total, including Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design in a Musical, and Best Sound Design in a Musical.

The North American tour is currently playing in Norfolk, Virginia, starring Jordan Markus, and the West End production is currently playing London’s Prince Edward Theatre with Jamaal Fields-Green. The musical opened in Hamburg, Germany, led by Benét Monteiro, in December 2024 and will open in Sydney, Australia, later this year.

Read more about the hit musical in the Playbill Vault.