Moulin Rouge! The Musical

CL Critic Kevin C. Madigan Recommends:  The stage version of Moulin Rouge comes with a heavy pedigree, replete with splendor and romance, eye-popping excess, glitz, grandeur and glory, the hype proclaims. Direction is by Alex Timbers with a book by John Logan; choreography is by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements are by Justin Levine - every one of them an award winner for their work on the musical. It’s based on the extravagant 2001 movie by Baz Luhrmann about the goings-on inside the turn-of-the-century cabaret and music hall venue in Paris that was immortalized on canvas by post-impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Its main protagonists are the lovestruck young composer Christian and Satine, the object of his affection and starlet at the club. The original locale, which at times served as a bordello, was ravaged by fire in 1915 and eventually reopened in 1989. Its shows these days on the Boulevard de Clichy are tame, nay, downright respectable compared to those of yesteryear, yet tourists still flock to its Belle Epoque decadence, and the infamous can-can dance is still performed at every revue. Celebrating more than 160 years of music - from Offenbach to Lady Gaga - this staging features many of the iconic songs from the movie and includes more recent hits as well. The show is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards including Best Musical, two Drama League Awards including Outstanding Production of a Musical, five Drama Desk Awards and ten Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations including New Broadway Musical. - KCM

CL Critic Okla Jones, III Recommends:  Based on the 2001 film of the same name, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is one of the most exciting stage plays in the world. Two years ago at the 74th Tony Awards, it received a total of 14 nominations and won 10 awards, including Best Musical. Now, it’s arriving at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta for two weeks of s ,white:plendor and romance, eye-popping excess, glitz, grandeur, and glory. This world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment is brought to life onstage, becoming one of the first can<span style=”color:<span style=”font-family”>”Arial Unicode MS”, sans-serif”>’t-miss events of the year. -OJ