Australian company, Global Creatures’ production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical has received rave reviews from critics in the US with many predicting the show will be a major worldwide hit. The show premiered at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre this week. The musical is based on the 2001 20th Century Fox motion picture by Baz Luhrmann.
“I’m overjoyed at the response Moulin Rouge! The Musical has received from the world’s leading theatre reviewers audiences alike,” said Carmen Pavlovic, CEO of Global Creatures and Moulin Rouge! The Musical producer – who is currently in New York for Kong Kong rehearsals.
“Moulin Rouge! was a complex transition to make from the cinema to the stage. On the one hand we wanted to honour what fans loved about the film. On the other we wanted to translate the film into a theatrical language that had something new to offer audiences in 2018.”
“I applaud the vision of the creative team lead by Alex Timbers and thank Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin for entrusting us with this golden opportunity.”
Set in Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France at the turn of the century, a world of indulgent beauty and unparalleled extravagance, of bohemians and aristocrats, of boulevardiers and mademoiselles, Moulin Rouge! The Musical tells the fictional story of an ambitious, lovesick writer, Christian (Aaron Tveit), and a dazzling, entrancing chanteuse, Satine (Karen Olivo).
Their lives collide at the Moulin Rouge with its many characters including the host of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler (Danny Burstein), the brilliant and starving artist Toulouse-Lautrec (Sahr Ngaujah), the greatest tango dancer – and gigolo – in all of Paris, Santiago (Ricky Rojas), the tempting Nini (Robyn Hurder), and The Duke of Monroth (Tam Mutu), the wealthy and entitled patron of the club who thinks he can buy anything he wants, including love.
Directed by Alex Timbers (Tony Award-nominated for Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Peter and the Starcatcher) with a book by John Logan (Tony Award for Red), choreography by Sonya Tayeh (Lucille Lortel Award and Obie Award for Kung Fu, and Emmy winner), and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson).
The design team for Moulin Rouge! The Musical includes Tony Award winner Derek McLane (sets), Tony Award winner Catherine Zuber (costumes), two-time Tony Award nominee Justin Townsend (lighting), Tony Award winner Peter Hylenski (sound) and Drama Desk Award winner David Brian Brown (wig and hair design).
As in the film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical celebrates some of the greatest popular music of the last 50 years. The stage musical features many of the iconic songs from the movie and also includes recent hits released since the movie premiered 15 years ago.
Released by 20th Century Fox, “Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!” premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. At the 74th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and won two (Best Costume Design for Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie, and Best Art Director for Catherine Martin and Brigitte Broch).
“A knockout. I could feel the ghosts of Michael Bennett and Bob Fosse nodding their approval.” Five Stars – The Stage, UK
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is currently playing at the Emerson Colonial Theatre (Boston) through to 19 August 2018. For more information, visit: www.moulinrougemusical.com for details.
Image: Karen Olivo as Satine and Aaron Tveit as Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical – photo by Matthew Murphy