It’s one of the hottest shows in town right now, having opened to audiences just this weekend but do you know about its origins, Besties?

We’re sure you’ve heard of, or even seen, the 2001 smash-hit movie Moulin Rouge!, directed, co-produced and co-written by Baz Luhrmann and starring Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman and Jim Broadbent. Well, that’s where it all began! It was a huge success, being nominated for eight Academy Awards and garnering critical acclaim, especially for Nicole Kidman and Baz Luhrmann. The soundtrack and costumes were praised, and the film was a commercial success, grossing $179.2 million. So, did the musical have big shoes to fill? 

The jukebox musical follows Christian, a young composer who falls in love with Satine, the star cabaret act at the Moulin Rouge. It’s set at the turn of the 20th century, the Belle Epoque, in Paris’s Montmartre Quarter. The 2001 feature film used original songs and popular music and, similarly, the stage musical did the same but also included songs that had been written in the 17 years since the film was released.

There had been speculation in 2002-2003 that Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor had been approached by Baz Luhrmann to reprise their roles from the film, but this was never confirmed. In fact, the musical stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! didn’t reach Broadway until 2018. 

Karen Olivo and Aaron Tveit took on the lead roles for a workshop in New York, running from 30 October to 15 December 2017. The workshop was so successful that Moulin Rouge! was scheduled for its out-of-town previews at Boston’s famous Emerson Colonial Theatre. These previews ran from 10 July to 19 August 2018. It was then announced that the production would start previews on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 28 June 2019 and it had a press night on 25 July. 

The stage adaptation received good reviews and was named The New York Times Critic’s Pick. Critics from USA Today and Observer also praised the changes made to the original music and script from the movie. Danny Burstein and Aaron Tveit won Tony Awards for their performances with the show receiving 14 Tony nominations and winning ten. The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and Sound Designers all won for their amazing work. 

Like so many, Moulin Rouge! closed its doors on 12 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and at least four performers, including Aaron Tveit and Danny Burstein, contracted the virus. However, the production re-opened on 24 September 2021. 

The talk of the town, the West End transfer of Moulin Rouge! finally began previews on 12 November 2020 at the Piccadilly Theatre, starring Jamie Bogyo and Liisi LaFontaine. It had been delayed from March 2021 due to the pandemic and has been eagerly anticipated in the UK. 

You can catch the production at London’s Piccadilly Theatre and the original Broadway cast recording can be streamed on all the usual streaming platforms!

Facts:

Music: Various Artists (including Elton John)

Lyrics: Various Artists (including Bernie Taupin)

Book: John Logan

Theatre: Al Hirschfeld Theatre

Run: 28 June 2019 – 12 March 2020; 24 September 2021 – present (Broadway); 12 November 2021 – present (West End)

TONYS:

Won:

Best Musical; Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Aaron Tveit); Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Danny Burstein); Best Direction of a Musical (Alex Timbers); Best Choreography (Sonya Tayeh); Best Orchestrations (Justin Levine, Matt Stine, Katie Kresek, and Charlie Rosen); Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Derek McLane); Best Costume Design of a Musical (Catherine Zuber); Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Justin Townsend); Best Sound Design of a Musical (Peter Hylenski).

Nominated:

Best Book of a Musical (John Logan); Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Karen Olivo); Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Sahr Ngaujah); Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Robyn Hurder).