By Jason and Alisha Hagey
On this cold winter’s evening in Salt Lake City, Moulin Rouge! The Musical sizzles with energy and glorious eclecticism in the Eccles Theater. You find yourself sitting in the audience wondering whether you are at a rock concert or a musical as you feel the bass line pulse through you. Joyfully, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is both.
Set in Paris, France, at the turn of the 20th century, Moulin Rouge! exemplifies the bohemian narrative with Christian, a young poet, falling in love with Satine, a cabaret actress – at the famed Moulin Rouge. Their love affair meets with instant conflict as the Duke of Monroth is also in love with Satine. In the middle of their love triangle are Harold Zidler (the cabaret’s proprietor seeking financial help from the Duke), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Santiago the Argentinean, two bohemians who are attempting to produce a play.
In 2001 a postmodern, frenetic jukebox musical entered movie theaters with unusual force. Under Baz Luhrmann’s direction, the actors’ performances, and especially the soundtrack, were enthusiastically received. Nominated for eight Academy Awards, it won two. Much lauded, Moulin Rouge! was a movie production begging to find its way to Broadway. The stage adaptation exploded on stage in 2019, where it garnered 14 Tony nominations, winning 10 of them – including Best Musical. Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a tour de force.
The impressive cast brings to life the words of John Logan (Book) and the direction of Alex Timbers (Director). It may have seemed impossible, but Logan improves upon the source material. His script provides a greater understanding of character motivations and clarity of events original to the movie. Timbers then transforms the words and music into effervescent performances. The story maintains the same sense of pacing and electricity as the film through Timbers’ exceptional ability to translate his vision into actuality.
Featured throughout, Austin Durant (Harold Zidler) commands the stage. Durant’s bravado and powerful charisma make the theater reverberate with excitement. He is a joy to watch and a pleasure to spend time with as he generously brings the audience into his cabaret.
Courtney Reed (Satine) sparkles literally and figuratively. Satine may be the “Sparkling Diamond” of the Moulin Rouge, but Reed carries the role with poise and polish. Indeed, she is the diamond of the production. She shines through musical numbers like the cover of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” There is a sensitivity to her performance that is stirring and beautiful.
Cast as the starry-eyed poet, Conor Ryan (Christian) engages with his light eyes and expressive demeanor. If anything, Ryan is earnest, and his passion is felt from the moment he first speaks. His voice impressively tackles a difficult vocal range, and his ability to move between glee and morose is uncanny. By the end of the show, his despair is palpable.
The Duke of Monroth is a difficult role as it is instinctive to peg him as the personification of evil since he is the antithesis of the bohemian ideals espoused, but David Harris makes for a sympathetic character. Harris is extraordinary. Where it could be easy to be simply dastardly or a seething narcissist, Harris exudes a human aspect that is frighteningly familiar. He is entitled and isn’t afraid to throw his money and power around, but Harris is ultimately relatable. He also performs with stunning prowess. Harris isn’t your typical villain.
André Ward (Toulouse-Lautrec) takes your breath away. When he sings “Nature Boy” you almost forget you are in a theater and instead are transported to the Latin Quarter. He is a larger-than-life version of this famous historical figure. Ward navigates the humor and heartbreak with seeming ease all while capturing our imagination. Gabe Martínez (Santiago) quickly becomes an audience favorite. He especially shines during “Backstage Romance.” He and partner Libby Lloyd (Nini) are titillating. Between his voice and demeanor and her incredible dancing, they are a complete powerhouse.
The ensemble is remarkable. Whether dancing, singing or speaking, they never waste a moment or a motion. During the “Elephant Love Medley” the dancers become the night sky and even the constellations. The featured singers who bookend the show with “Lady Marmalade” give fierce individuality in both visuals and in their textured vocals. These seemingly small artistic choices add up to become the audience’s delight.
Though ostensibly set in 1899 Paris, the world of Moulin Rouge! is a reality unto itself. When entering the theater, you are immediately struck by the fantastic scenic design. Layers of heart-shaped flats are lowered with “Moulin Rouge” lit up at the front. The set is bathed in reds, pinks, and amber lighting. The costumes capture the fashionable silhouettes of the day, but the colors are all over the spectrum. Sets are stylized and given depth with pieces flown in. The lighting is dramatic and sometimes reminiscent of a pop concert.
Derek McLane’s (Set Designer) set is Tony Award-winning for a reason: it is impressive, nuanced, and gorgeous. His attention to detail is unparalleled. The world of Moulin Rouge is thick with intricacies and complexities that not only inhabit the characters but are reflected in McLane’s scenic design.
Also winning the Tony Award for this production, Catherine Zuber’s (Costume Designer) costuming is vibrant and alive unto itself. The moment a character steps onto the stage, who they are and what they are about is recognizable by the costume design. Her use of color is playful, her understanding of line and form is remarkable, and the overall effect is outstanding.
Completely necessary to enhance mood and provide clarity in such an intense production, Justin Townsend (Lighting Designer) creates the perfect atmosphere. When the world is buzzing with excitement, his lighting is just as exuberant. When things are still, almost quiet, a couple of spots drop on a character with stars in the background. Whatever the emotion, Townsend’s lighting transports us to that feeling and we experience through it the character’s perspective.
Sonya Tayeh (Choreographer) creates visual pictures that layer, like the set of hearts, like the ruffles of one of the can-can dresses, and like the lights flashing throughout our theater-turned-nightclub. She keeps pace with the frenzied change of music and heightens the moments, creates humor, builds drama, and pushes the performers to new heights.
Between all the lush visuals, what is always memorable about Moulin Rouge is the music. Justin Levine (Music Supervisor, Orchestrator, Arrangements and Additional lyrics), Peter Hylenski (Sound Designer), and Andrew Graham (Music Director) create for us this rich and diverse sound. Whether it is the mash-ups of melody spanning generations of pop-hits all helping to move the plot forward, the tooling of the score or the pieces of audio not generated by the incredible orchestra, the talents of these three are not to be ignored.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical takes you on a journey exploring the blur and fervor of love. What continues to draw audiences and artists to the story of Puccini’s La Bohème (itself based on Henry Murger‘s novel Scenes de la vie de Bohème)? Renowned for its melodies and unforgettable characters, we see this opera resurge in various Broadway productions: In the mid-90s with Rent and now with Moulin Rouge! The Musical. What is it about this forbidden love story that hooks us? Perhaps it is the celebration of the themes of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and above all – Love. Regardless of what draws you into the Eccles, you exit the theatre the same way you enter it: with a buzz of excitement and a rush of enthusiastic wonder.
Zions Bank/Broadway at the Eccles presents Moulin Rouge! The Musical by John Logan (Book), Justin Levine (Musical Supervision), based on the film by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
The George S. And Delores Doré Eccles Theater
131 Main St. Salt Lake City, Utah, 84111
November 30 – December 11, 2022
Tickets are $59.50-199.50
Eccles Theater Website
Purchase Tickets at ArtTix.org
Eccles Theater Facebook Page
Moulin Rouge Website
Photography from Marc Viscardi (Bond Theatrical)
Duration: 2 hours, 35 minutes, with 1 intermission
Recommended for ages 12 and up
Accessible Performances:
Open Captioned: Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 at 2pm.
Patrons who are interested in the captioned performance should select seats located Orchestra Right on the Main Floor (excluding Orchestra Pit seating).
Audio Described: Friday, December 2nd, 2022 at 8pm.
December 3, 2022 2:00PM
December 3, 2022 8:00PM
December 4, 2022 1:00PM
December 4, 2022 6:30PM
December 6, 2022 7:30PM
December 7, 2022 7:30PM
December 8, 2022 7:30PM
December 9, 2022 8:00PM
December 10, 2022 2:00PM
December 10, 2022 8:00PM
December 11, 2022 1:00PM
December 11, 2022 6:30PM
My husband and I saw this with some friends and we couldn’t agree more! An excellent show. Loved the set design, costumes, dancing, but most of all the vocals. My favorite is Connor Ryan’s vocals which gave me goosebumps each time he sang. He has incredible range. Absolutely a must see. I’m thrilled they came to the Eccles ❣️