Walking into the Al Hirschfeld Theater located on West 45th St. on Broadway in New York City, you get to experience the one and only “Moulin Rouge!” the Musical. “Moulin Rouge,” known for its can-cans and high kicks, made its debut on Broadway July 25, 2019 and is based on Baz Luhrmann’s film made in 2001.
The musical is a specific type of musical called a jukebox. A jukebox musical is when the songs are taken from well-known, popular songs and implemented into the storyline. Some of the ones featured in “Moulin Rouge” are classics such as “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, “Single Ladies” by Beyonce and “Royals” by Lorde.
Once seated in the theater, the bright red lights shut off, and Christian is introduced, the main loverboy of the show. He is an American singer/songwriter who travels to Paris to fulfill his dreams of becoming a famous composer. While Christian is walking around Paris, he meets two men, Santiago and Lautrec. Santiago and Lautrec are attempting to produce a show at the Moulin Rouge nightclub, and they become best friends. When they first visit the nightclub, Christian meets Satine, the main star at the nightclub, also known as the “sparkling diamond.” This moment marks the start of their secret love affair, one that the Duke de Monroth must not find out about.
Having already seen the musical four times, I plan to see it many more times. What attracts me the most is everything from the beautiful lighting to the wonderful singing and dancing of actors and ensemble. During my visit March 28, Satine was played by the talented Solea Pfeiffer, Christian by John Cardoza, Sanitago by Pepe Muñoz, Lautrec by Andre Ward and the Duke de Monroth by Andy Karl. All of their personalities and acting create a dynamic that is engaging and what I would call perfection.
For me, there are no negatives. Some critics and audiences say that while the musical has a visually appealing set, the actual story line misses its depth and meaning. Freshman Chase Goldrich agreed. “I just don’t like the story and I think it’s designed for non-theatre people,” Goldrich said.
I would recommend this musical for tweens, teens and adults because there are some inappropriate dancing moments that wouldn’t be the most ideal for a younger audience. During your next trip to New York City, this musical should be on the bucket list.
The glowing red Moulin Rouge sign entices everyone entering the theater to get excited for the upcoming show. I arrived at the pre-show around 15 minutes before the show started, when a few of the ensemble members came out and gave a little sneak-peak for the action about to happen. (Photo/Adiya Mukhitdinov)
One notable thing about the musical is the set. When you come in and look up, there is a windmill and an elephant, both having significant meanings in the play. The windmill is a direct reference to the real one located in the Moulin Rouge in Paris, while the elephant represents Satine’s dressing room, said to be in an elephant. (Photo/Adiya Mukhitdinov)
