'Moulin Rouge!': Tony-winning Broadway hit to open in Columbus for two-week run
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“Truth! Beauty! Freedom! Love!”
Like the movie musical that inspired it, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” revels in such Bohemian ideals reflecting the passion and intensity of romanticism.
The national tour will open Jan. 2 for a two-week run at the Ohio Theatre.
The musical “takes us on this fantastic journey, exploring the true definition of what it means to be a romantic,” said Catherine Zuber, the show’s Tony-winning costume designer.
Still attracting crowds after its 2019 Broadway opening, the musical was nominated for 14 Tony awards and won 10, including best musical, choreography, direction and design.
Critic Ben Brantley, in his “New York Times” review, hailed “Moulin Rouge” as “a perpetual motion machine of often bruising sensuality” that “translates the shimmery illusions of cinema into the grit and greasepaint of live theater.”
What’s the story of 'Moulin Rouge'?
Set in 1899 Paris, the musical explores love, friendship, artistic integrity, “the dangers of the tragedy of corrupting influences” and “how brief and fleeting life can be,” Zuber said.
Book writer John Logan and director Alex Timbers adapted the musical from Baz Luhrmann’s film about Christian, a poor Bohemian poet who falls in love with Satine, a beautiful star at the Moulin Rouge!, a Paris cabaret.
“The musical covers quite a spectrum of tones and shifts in pacing, going from light and bright to dark and rich,” said Christian Douglas, who plays Christian.
“Christian comes to Paris in search of meaning, romance and excitement... The most important things to him are Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love,” Douglas said.
When Harold Zidler, the club’s canny producer, pressures Satine to woo a wealthy Duke to save the club and get funding for their next big “spectacular,” she’s torn between duty and desire.
How different are the movie and musical?
Like the Oscar-winning 2001 movie “Moulin Rouge!”, the stage musical is about “the passion of love, the madness of love, the humor of love, the intensity of love.... (with) a big red-velvet heart at the center,” Logan told “Red Carpet News” while honing the script in rehearsals.
“The last thing Baz wanted us to do was just put the movie onstage, so it’s a new work, but... exciting and provocative as well,” said Logan, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter (“Gladiator,” “Hugo,” “The Aviator”) and Tony-winning playwright (“Red”).
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One key way Logan makes the musical different is its portrayal of the villain.
“The Duke is less of a caricature and more suave and debonair. That makes the story more of a real love triangle,” Douglas said.
How does Christian change?
When he arrives in Paris, Christian meets Bohemian artists (including painter Toulouse-Lautrec) and gets involved in writing a new Moulin Rouge! musical starring Satine.
“Christian has unshakeable hope and desire for love to conquer all, but those ideals are tested... Christian gets a bit broken down by life and harsh realities,” Douglas said.
Ohio theatergoers have responded sympathetically and with audible amusement, he reports, to Christian’s naivete and admission that he’s from Lima, Ohio.
“When we played Cleveland and Cincinnati, that dialogue between Satine and Christian went over really well,” Douglas said.
“Driven by his imagination and romantic ideals, Christian falls into this larger-than-life adventure. But realizing his naivete amid the love triangle, he sees love isn’t quite enough to keep his dreams afloat,” he said.
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What are Satine’s emotional challenges?
While Nicole Kidman co-starred with Ewan McGregor on screen, Gabrielle McClinton plays Satine opposite Douglas’ Christian on tour.
“For the two of them, it’s a fast progression from that first spark and initial attraction, then testing the waters,” McClinton said.
“Satine fights what she feels for Christian, but then they succumb to their feelings, only to have external circumstances get in the way,” she said.
Even more than most musicals, “Moulin Rouge!” aims to encompass many facets of romanticism: larger-than-life characters, melodramatic flourishes, comedy and tragedy, love and death.
“This isn’t just happy-go-lucky love or a perfect romance. This has all the edges. Christian and Satine go through everything... It’s also a father-daughter love story and business partnership between Zidler and Satine and an unrequited-love story between Lautrec and Satine,” McClinton said.
How does design enhance the show?
Zuber, part of the design team that swept the Tonys (for costumes, lighting, scenery and sound), considers the kaleidoscopic production as rich and romantic as its story.
Although still a period piece, the musical boldly reinterprets the past with a “new spin” embracing contemporary elements, said Zuber, who’s won eight Tonys in her 30-year career.
She said her costumes offer a “real mix” of colors and shades (especially oranges, deep pinks, purples, chartreuses) and fabrics (lace, velvet, silk, jacquard, corduroy, cottons, leather, printed fabrics, taffeta-style ruffles).“I don’t think there’s a fabric we don’t utilize. This particular musical has it all,” Zuber said.
McClinton agreed.
“She did the best job with all the colors, which enhance the emotions. Putting on Cathy’s gorgeous costumes,” she said, “I feel elevated, beautiful, like a sparkling diamond.”
How many songs fill the show?
Set to more than 70 songs over the past 160 years from Offenbach to Beyonce, Lady Gaga and U2/Bono, the two-act, 2½-hour musical adds more-recent Top-40 hits released since the film’s premiere.
“The musical is exciting, loud and very in-your-face... It’s a celebration of artists, and all these songs spanning different generations and genres,” McClinton said.
Among remixed cover versions, many in medleys: “Diamond Dogs” (David Bowie), “Firework” (Katy Perry), “Lady Marmalade” (Labelle), “Material Girl” (Madonna), “Nature Boy” (Nat King Cole), “One More Night” (Phil Collins), “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele) and “Your Song” (Elton John).
“The medleys are crafted so well, I don’t think of them as separate songs... The lyrics are super-recognizable — “all you need is love,” “what’s love got to do with it?”, “love lifts us up where we belong” — but can be built on dramatically,” Douglas said.
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How do the stars relate to their roles?
While both lead actors identify with their characters, McClinton said she empathizes with Satine almost too much.“As star of the show, she has pressure on her to keep the club running. As a performer leading the show, going nonstop and doing quick changes, I feel pressure to be your best... and I can relate to falling in love, finding your own voice and being free,” McClinton said.
Even beyond shared first names, Douglas found similarities with Christian as fellow artists.
“I’m a songwriter; so many things Christian says have been lyrics in my songs... I’ve always been a romantic,” Douglas said.
“The coincidences... make me feel like I’m in the right role at the right time,” he said.
Douglas also takes the show to heart.
“While it’s a tragedy,” he said, “people see the beauty of living life with abandon ... learning to love and be loved in return.”
@mgrossberg1
At a glance
PNC Broadway in Columbus and the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts will present “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays Jan. 2-14 at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Tickets start at $39. (614-469-0939, cbusarts.com)
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 'Moulin Rouge!' musical set to open in Columbus for 2-week run
