At the 74th Tony Awards, Moulin Rouge! received a total of 14 nominations and won 10 awards (the most for the evening), including Best Musical.
Background
In 2002–2003, there was speculation about the possibility of a stage musical based on Moulin Rouge!, possibly in Las Vegas, but there had been no public discussion in the years since.[3] Some sources claimed in 2006 that director Baz Luhrmann had approached the leads of the film, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, to star in the potential stage version.[4]
A workshop took place in 2017,[6] starring Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivo. The lab ran from October 30 until December 15.[7]
Plot
Moulin Rouge! is set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France, during the Belle Epoque at the turn of the 20th century. The musical relates the story of Christian, a young composer, who falls in love with cabaret actress Satine, who is the star of the Moulin Rouge. Similar to the film, the musical's score weaves together original songs with popular music, including songs that have been written in the 17 years since the film's premiere.[8][9][10]
Act I
The Moulin Rouge cabaret club, "where all your dreams come true", is in full swing under the direction of Harold Zidler, flanked by four dancers: Nini, Baby Doll, Arabia, and La Chocolat. Christian arrives at the Moulin Rouge with fellow bohemians Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago the Argentinean. At the same time, the money-motivated Duke of Monroth is introduced as well ("Welcome to the Moulin Rouge"). Right before Zidler introduces the Moulin Rouge's Sparkling Diamond, Christian interrupts to start a story "about love", about a woman named Satine.
In 1899, Christian arrives at the Montmartre district of Paris from Lima, Ohio, where he meets bohemians Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago, who are attempting to create a play with songs in it. The two are impressed by Christian's musical and songwriting talents and ask for help to get their work produced at the Moulin Rouge. The trio celebrates the Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and love ("Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love").
Back at the Moulin Rouge, Zidler introduces Satine ("The Sparkling Diamond"). After Satine performs for the club, Zidler prepares for her to meet and impress the Duke of Monroth, who might invest in the Moulin and save it from financial ruin. However, Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke. Toulouse and Santiago distract Zidler from seeing Satine and Christian interact. While dancing and still thinking she is speaking with the Duke, Satine invites Christian to come to her dressing room in "the Elephant" outside the club ("Shut Up and Raise Your Glass").
Arabia, Baby Doll, and La Chocolat share their worries with Satine backstage about the Moulin's financial future. Nini expresses cynicism about its future, while Satine tries to maintain morale. Afterward, Zidler expresses the dire straits that the club is in and stresses the importance of Satine impressing the Duke. Satine, who is concealing her worsening consumption from her colleagues, resolves to stay strong for them ("Firework").
Christian arrives in the Elephant hoping to impress Satine with his musical talent, whereas Satine is prepared to seduce him, under the impression that he is the Duke. Christian's true identity is revealed ("Your Song"). The Duke interrupts them; Christian and Satine claim they were practicing lines for a new show, Bohemian Rhapsody. With Zidler's help, Christian, Satine, Toulouse, and Santiago pitch the show to the Duke with an improvised plot about an evil gangster attempting to woo an ingenue who loves a poor sailor ("So Exciting! (The Pitch Song)"). The Duke decides to back the show, and Zidler reminds Satine that her duty is to keep the Duke happy for the sake of the Moulin Rouge. She dismisses Christian from the Elephant. The Duke returns, and he and Satine spend the evening together ("Sympathy for the Duke").
In Montmartre, Toulouse shares with Christian that he fell in love with Satine many years ago, when she was living on the streets. He was impressed by her spirit but was too self-conscious to ever share his love for her over the years. He urges Christian to return to Satine and confess his love for her, insisting to him, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return" ("Nature Boy"). Christian goes back to Satine to convince her that they should be together. Though she initially finds this ridiculous, she eventually returns his affections ("Elephant Love Medley").
Act II
Two months later, rehearsals are underway for Bohemian Rhapsody. Christian and Satine continue seeing each other behind the scenes, and Santiago falls in love with Nini ("Backstage Romance"). As the company rehearses, tensions rise between Toulouse and the controlling Duke. Backstage, Nini tells Satine that she needs to be careful about her relationship with Christian and keep the Duke happy, as he once threw a vial of acid in the face of another woman who betrayed him. Satine tells Christian that their relationship endangers the show and the Moulin Rouge, but he counters by writing a secret love song to affirm their love ("Come What May").
In the Champs-Élysées neighborhood, the Duke tells Satine that he wants every part of her, including her heart. Despite Satine's protests that she does not "fit in" with the upper-class society of Paris that he inhabits, he remodels her image accordingly against her wishes ("Only Girl in a Material World"). Back in rehearsals, the Duke continues to involve himself in the show's creative aspects, to Toulouse's frustration. It becomes clear that Bohemian Rhapsody is a metaphor for Christian, Satine, and the Duke, resulting in an outburst by Christian. The Duke, enraged, threatens to reconsider his investment entirely. Zidler reminds Satine that she alone can fix the dilemma with the Duke. Satine's illness worsens, but she urges her colleagues not to share that she is ill; she wants to fight to keep the Moulin Rouge alive and for the play to go on.
Toulouse and Santiago tell Christian he needs to forget about Satine and move on. Christian retreats in frustration and drinks absinthe with them in excess, at one point, imagining Satine as The Green Fairy ("Chandelier"). Christian expresses jealousy and disgust that Satine is with the Duke instead of him, ignoring Zidler's warning that falling in love with a prostitute "always ends badly" ("El Tango de Roxanne"). At his castle, the Duke threatens Satine from being with Christian ever again, saying that he will have Christian killed if she chooses him. Christian interrupts their conversation to try to save Satine, singing their secret song. Knowing that Christian would be killed if she says otherwise, Satine tells Christian that she does not love him. Christian leaves.
Christian decides that without Satine's love, he will load a prop gun with real bullets and commit suicide on stage during the play's opening night. Meanwhile, Satine's illness dramatically worsens. Together, she and Toulouse stand up to the Duke, who leaves the Moulin Rouge before the performance begins ("Crazy Rolling"). As Satine performs, Christian enters and asks her to face him as he turns the gun his way. Before he pulls the trigger, Satine sings their secret song, all at once saving his life and revealing to him that she loved him the entire time. After a final song together in which the two affirm their love one last time, Satine tells Christian to "tell our story," and subsequently dies in his arms ("Your Song (Reprise)"). Over a year later, Bohemian Rhapsody is a success, and Zidler regains control of the Moulin Rouge. Christian affirms that his and Satine's story will forever be told ("Come What May (Reprise)").
Productions
Boston (2018)
Moulin Rouge! was scheduled to begin preview performances on June 27, 2018, at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston. The production was scheduled to officially open on July 22, 2018, and would complete its limited run on August 5, 2018.[9] On June 6, it was announced that the Boston production would be extended by 16 additional performances, running through August 19.[11] Construction delays in renovating the Emerson Colonial Theatre resulted in the premiere date being pushed back to July 10.[12] The production featured choreography by Sonya Tayeh, sets by Derek McLane, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Justin Townsend, and sound design by Peter Hylenski.[10]
On November 19, 2018, it was announced that Moulin Rouge! would open on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.[13] Previews on Broadway began on June 28, 2019, and opening night was July 25.[14]
Beginning on March 12, 2020, the production was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, producers indicated that one of the performers had possible symptoms of the coronavirus;[15] at least four performers contracted the virus, including stars Aaron Tveit and Danny Burstein.[16][17][18] At the time of closing, producers said that they planned to reopen on April 13, 2020.[15] This date would continually shift as Broadway's closure was eventually pushed to mid 2021.[19][20] The production officially resumed on September 24, 2021.[21]
On April 14, 2021, Olivo announced that they would not return to the show once it reopened as a protest of the industry's silence on the allegations of abusive behavior against producer Scott Rudin, who is not a producer of the show. In an Instagram video, Olivo stated, "Social justice is more important than being the sparkling diamond."[22] On August 2, 2021, it was announced that Natalie Mendoza, who appeared in the original Luhrmann film as a can-can dancer, would replace Olivo in the role of Satine.[23] Julie McBride took over as Music Director in 2021, replacing Cian McCarthy.[24]
Australia (2021–present)
Image of the stage at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne in April 2022
On July 28, 2019, producer Carmen Pavlovic of Global Creatures announced that the international premiere of the musical would take place in her home country of Australia. The show will open in Melbourne's Regent Theatre in 2021. The premiere was originally announced by the Premier of Victoria, Dan Andrews.[25] The show moved to Sydney in May 2022 but will return to Melbourne in August 2023 for another season due to the popularity of the 2021-22 season, and the earlier lockdown disruptions.[26][27]
West End (2022–present)
Image of the stage at the Piccadilly Theatre, London in March 2023
Sahr Ngaujah, who usually plays Toulouse-Lautrec in the Broadway production, was flown over to the West End to perform with the company on December 13, 2021, as the production was hit with COVID-19 related closures.[citation needed]
After the announcement on September 5, 2022, the cast change happened on October 17, 2022 as planned, with Jamie Muscato taking over the role of Christian, Melissa James as Satine, and Matt Rixon as Zidler; other new cast members took over other roles.[34]
On October 16th 2023 Dom Simpson, formally Elder Price in the Book of Mormon London and Broadway, took over the role of Christian, and Tanisha Spring returned to the company as Satine.
US tour (2022–present)
On September 19, 2019, producers announced that the musical would have a ten-week engagement in Chicago at the James M. Nederlander Theatre beginning in December 2020.[35] The tour will begin technical rehearsal at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans in November and then continue, with casting and the full lineup of dates and cities to be announced later.[36][37] Producers announced on December 16, 2020, that the tour will now kick off in March 2022 at Chicago's Nederlander Theater.[38] The tour officially started on March 19, 2022.
Germany (2022–present)
On November 6, 2022, the musical celebrated its German premiere at the Musical Dome in Cologne. Before that, previews took place from October 18, 2022.[39] In addition, the cast performed on the German entertainment show Wetten, dass..? on November 19, 2022.[40]
South Korea (2022–2023)
A South Korean production is set to play in the Blue Square Sinhan Card Hall from December 20, 2022 to March 5, 2023.[41] The Asian premiere was held in Korea. For the first time, the United States, Australia, and South Korea co-produced the costumes. Throughout the 104th performance, it recorded 90% of the total audience share.[42]
Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) was released digitally on August 30, 2019.[47] A CD version was released on October 25, 2019[48] and a vinyl version on December 13, 2019.[49]
The Broadway production received mixed to positive reviews.
In a rave review, theater critic John Simon wrote, "If you like splash, Moulin Rouge! is the show for you. Even more than the Baz Luhrmann movie, on which the musical is loosely based, it can hold your wonderment without abate from start to finish. ... This is a show to make the young feel mature, and the old blissfully young again."[51] It was named a Critic's Pick by The New York Times with Ben Brantley calling it "a cloud-surfing, natural high of a production."[52]
Diane Snyder of The Telegraph praised the scenic design, choreography, and costume and wrote that "Moulin Rouge! may not have the depth of some of Broadway's great musicals... [but] it's fun, tuneful and entertaining, and that's exactly what we need right now."[53]Mashable's Erin Strecker said that "This is the best of what a jukebox musical can be; a thrilling burst of color and chorus and nostalgia and bold reimagining."[54] Adam Feldman leaned positive as he called the show "an extravagant Broadway megamix," commenting that it "looks and feels expensive."[55] Some critics praised the changes made from the film. Patrick Ryan of USA Today commented that "the use of recent pop songs actually improves upon the source material, helping flesh out characters' motivations and deepen the central romance."[56] David Cote of The New York Observer wrote, "Logan's tweaks to the original screenplay are neat and necessary."[57]
In a mixed review, Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos criticized the musical's disjointedness but praised the high-energy parts of the show.[58] In another mixed review, Charles Isherwood of Broadway News summed up that "The resulting show is all flash, splash and megawatt musical numbers, nimbly if not entirely masking a fairly hollow and certainly hoary emotional core."[59] Alexis Soloski of The Guardian also commented on the leads' lack of chemistry, but mentioned that the show delivers when it comes to "dazzle and excitement," praising its choreography, set, energy, and costume.[60]
Box office
According to Playbill, Moulin Rouge! grossed around $2.2 million for the week ending of October 13, 2019.[61] On May 3, 2022, it was reported that Moulin Rouge! The Musical became the fifth highest grossing Broadway shows with $1.4 million box office in the week.[62] As of September 11, 2022, the musical grossed around $135.5 million with 371,285 attendance and 260 performances.[63][64]
