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theatre · Thursday 10 September 2026 · Various 
Michael Starring Ben - The Magic of Michael Jackson
At Millennium Forum · 1 Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
At Millennium Forum · 1 Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
Ben Bowman has been performing as Michael Jackson long enough that audiences frequently forget they are watching a tribute act. This touring theatre production - Michael Starring Ben - arrives at Derry’s Millennium Forum in September 2026 for a single night, bringing a full live band, the original costumes and the choreography that made the King of Pop unmistakable. If you grew up with Thriller on the radio or danced to Billie Jean at a school disco, this is the kind of night that holds up. It suits all ages, and the 1,000-seat Millennium Forum gives it the scale the show deserves.
Ben Bowman performs the full catalogue - Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, Man in the Mirror and the Jackson 5 classics alongside them. The production travels with a live band rather than backing tracks, which makes a real difference in a venue with the Millennium Forum’s acoustics. Expect the moonwalk, the white glove and the sequinned jackets; the staging is as much a visual show as a musical one. The Forum’s stage is one of the largest in Ireland, so there is room for the production to breathe. The show is a tribute production and is not associated with or endorsed by the Michael Jackson Estate.
Derry sits on the north-west coast of Ireland, about an hour and 20 minutes by road from Belfast via the A6 dual carriageway, and around two and a half hours from Dublin via the M1 and A5. Translink runs regular Goldline express coaches from Belfast Europa Bus Centre to Derry’s Foyle Street bus station, which is a short walk from the Millennium Forum. The venue is on Newmarket Street in the city centre, close to the Guildhall and the River Foyle. Street parking is available in the city centre and there are multi-storey car parks nearby on Foyle Street and at Quayside Shopping Centre.
Derry is a city worth arriving into early. The 17th-century city walls are the best-preserved in Ireland and take about an hour to walk; the Bogside murals are just below them. September evenings are still mild enough to sit outside along the riverfront before the show. There is more to see in Derry and across Co. Derry.
Heading to Millennium Forum in Derry? Derry has plenty more to see. Read the Derry area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.