newportbeachindy . com NOVEMBER 11 , 2022 3
STEPPING OUT
Tony Award-Winning ‘ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ’ Dazzles at Segerstrom Center Through November 27
By Christopher Trela | NB Indy In 2001 , the jukebox musical romantic drama film “ Moulin Rouge ” – directed , co-produced , and co-written by Baz Luhrmann – was released and dazzled moviegoers with its stylized production and captivating concept .
Nearly 20 years later , Luhrmann ’ s over-the-top visuals and musical mosaic has been translated to the stage , and it ’ s even more dazzling live .
“ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” won 10 Tony Awards in 2021 including Best Musical , two Drama League Awards including Outstanding Production of a Musical , five Drama Desk Awards and 10 Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations including New Broadway Musical .
“ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” opened to critical acclaim at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the summer of 2019 but like all Broadway shows shut down at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 . The show reopened in September 2021 , followed by a touring production that opened November 9 at Segerstrom Center and runs through November 27 .
The New York Times called the
Adéa Michelle Sessoms and Jennifer Wolfe in the North American Tour of “ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical .” Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade
show “ Spectacular ! Euphoric !” The New York Post deemed the show “ a fabulous new musical . The high begins the instant you walk into the theatre .” And Entertainment Weekly said “ it ’ s easy to believe that ‘ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ’ could run for 50 years .”
As the press material for the show states , “ Enter a world of splendor and romance , of eye-popping excess , of glitz , grandeur and glory ! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment . Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular … Baz Luhrmann ’ s iconic film comes to life onstage , remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza . ‘ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ’ is a
theatrical celebration of Truth , Beauty , Freedom , and - above all - Love . ‘ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ’ is more than a musical ; it is a state of mind .”
If you saw Luhrmann ’ s latest movie musical , the biopic “ Elvis ” released last summer , you ’ ll be reminded of what ’ s in store for audiences in “ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” although “ Elvis ” is not nearly as visually extravagant nor musically diverse .
“ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” celebrates over 160 years of music , from Offenbach to Lady Gaga . The stage musical features many of the iconic songs from the movie , and also includes recent hits released since the movie premiered 20 years ago .
“ Moulin Rouge ! The Musical ” features a lot of dancing . A lot . Just ask Justin Keats .
Keats is the Assistant Dance Captain and Swing of the First National Tour of “ Moulin Rouge !”
So what is a Dance Captain and a Swing ?
A Dance Captain is a member of the company responsible for overseeing
MOULIN ROUGE Page 5
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