Fans of the cult favorite film from Baz Luhrmann’s musical film will be delighted to know that Moulin Rouge! The Musical now has an official opening date. Previews have been announced to begin next summer on June 28, and opening night has been set for July 25, 2019.
The musical, directed by Alex Timbers (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) with book by John Logan (Red) is set to follow in its 2001 silver screen sibling’s footsteps, celebrating popular musical numbers from the last 50 years. Moulin Rouge! eventually picked up eight Academy Award nominations, winning Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The film version starred Ewan McGregor (Christopher Robin) and Nicole Kidman (Big Little Eyes) as the leads. For the stage run at the Al Hirschfield Theatre, many of the cast who participated in last summer’s performance run in Boston are set to reprise their roles. Karen Olivo (In the Heights, West Side Story) and Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal, Catch Me if You Can) lead an ensemble that also features Danny Burstein (Fiddler on the Roof), Tam Mutu (Doctor Zhivago), Sahr Ngaujah (Fela), Robyn Hurder (Nice Work If You Can Get It), and Ricky Rojas (Burn the Floor).
The official synopsis for the production is described as follows: “Set in the 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.”
Choreography for the show is from Sonya Tayeh (Kung Fu), and musical orchestration and arrangements have been created by Justine Levine (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). The show is produced by Carmen Pavlovic.
Back in May, the production released a music video starring Tveit performing “Come What May” which can be viewed below.
