Moulin Rouge Chicago
The New York vs. Chicago productions of Moulin Rouge is complete now that we saw the Broadway In Chicago The North American Tour show yesterday, and it was spectacular, spectacular. We give a slight edge to the New York production, as their Diamond Dogs brought more electrifying energy, which helped catapult the entire show. Still, Chicago is nobody's second city when it comes to theater. The singing and dancing bested out the New York crew, and the costumes were immaculate.
“This Bohemian love story is something that everyone should enjoy. ”
For the history of Moulin Rouge, click below.
Set in various parts of Paris, the musical relates the story of Christian, a young composer, who falls in love with cabaret actress Satine, who is the star of the Moulin Rouge. Christian becomes infatuated with Satine, a singer; however, the owner of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler, has promised Satine to the Duke of Monroth in return for funding his next production. However, the bohemian aristocrat named Toulouse-Lautrec has also made an arrangement for Satine to meet Christian. As their lives intertwine at this popular nightspot, they meet and fall in love, but Satine discovers he is not the Duke and is forced into secretly meeting with Christian.
The Duke believes he can buy anything he wants, including love demands from Zidler, Satine's total obedience to him, or he will destroy Moulin Rouge and the band of deviants forever. Christian and Satine continue to meet in secret, but Satine hid a fatal secret from both Christian and the Duke that will change their lives and Moulin Rouge's future.
As you walk into the James M. Nederlander Theatre, the stage is set up like New York, with stunning set design and elaborate choreography with the bold, large letters spelling out Moulin Rouge. The theater has the iconic Windmill glowing bright red with yellow-lit windows and the giant blue elephant with a long tusk shimmering under the red lights. As the show begins, you enter a world of glamour and spectacle, with bohemian characters strolling on stage, revealing where artists, aristocrats, and ambitious members of society come to find love or lust.
Then the lights slowly fade to dark. The audience is mesmerized when four courtesans appear on stage singing, "Hey sista, go sista, soul sista, flow sista," from the song Lady Marmalade as we prepare for the spectacular spectacular... Welcome to Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
We included a song list below featured in Moulin Rouge, and the favorites like Satine and Christian's love ballad, "Come What May," Elton John's famous "Your Song," and Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" are still there melting the hearts of the audience.
See Moulin Rouge Song List Below
Moulin Rouge mesmerizes with stunning and lavish music, costumes, and staging. Moulin Rouge's main characters were Conor Ryan (Christian) and Courtney Reed (Satine). Conor Ryan, who reminds you of Matthew McConaughey, made his Broadway debut as part of the ensemble as the understudy for Prince Topher in the Broadway production of Cinderella. Ryan was exceptional as Christian. His voice and acting dazzled the audience, and you could feel his energy of love and pain throughout his performance. Reed, who played Jasmine in Aladdin on Broadway and Andrea in Once on this Island at Paper Mill Playhouse, brought out the sexiness and made the legendary "Sparkling Diamond" the queen of the night. I admit that I wasn't feeling Courtney Reed as Satine when she was lowered down on the stage to perform Diamonds are Forever, but she won me over with her outstanding performance and singing.
I loved the intoxicating, soulful voice of Andre Ward, singing Nature Boy, and his performance as Toulouse-Lautrec, who had his heart set on producing a truly revolutionary play, was exceptional. He should be a mainstay in Broadway productions. Austin Durant as Harold Zidler (parody of Charles Zidler, the first owner of the real Moulin Rouge), the French club impresario, ringmaster, and founder of the Paris cabaret Moulin Rouge, David Harris (The Duke of Monroth), and Gabe Martinez a Santiago bested the New York Trio. The three amigos were spot-on with their performances.
Libby Lloyd is one of Zidler's new legendary Diamond Dogs, Nini. She does a sexy dance number with Gabe Martinez; starting the second scene of Moulin Rouge is joined by Diamond Dogs, Keely Beirne (La Chocolat), Nicci Claspell (Arabia), and Andres Quintero as Baby Doll.
Both, New York & Chicago's Moulin Rouge are enthralling, captivating, and beguiling productions. Still, New York wins in overall performance presentation in our comparison, with Chicago having bested them with the singing and individual performances.
Let's Play Highly Recommends Moulin Rouge at the James M. Nederlander Theatre in Chicago.
James M. Nederlander Theatre - Chicago
Moulin Rouge
Book by John Logan
Directed by Alex Timbers
Now Playing thru May 14, 2022
Songs Featured:
"Lady Marmalade" - Labelle
"Because We Can" - Fatboy Slim
"Hips Don't Lie"- Shakira
"So Fresh, So Clean" - OutKast
"Money" - The Trashmen
"Ride wit Me"- Nelly
"Burning Down the House" - Talking Heads
"Let's Dance" - David Bowie
"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" - Dead or Alive
"Royals" - Lorde
"Children of the Revolution" - T. Rex
"We Are Young" - Fun.
"Diamonds are Forever" - Shirley Bassey
"Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"- Beyoncé
"Material Girl" - Madonna
"Brick House" - The Commodores
"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" - En Vogue
"Diamonds" - Rihanna
"Shutup and Dance" - Walk the Moon
"Raise Your Glass" - Pink
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - Whitney Houston
"Firework" - Katy Perry
"Your Song" - Elton John
"Sympathy for the Devil" - Rolling Stones
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" - Rolling Stones
"Gimme Shelter" - Rolling Stones
"Nature Boy" - Nat King Cole
"Pride (In the Name of Love)" - U2
"Play the Game" - Queen
"Love Hurts" - Nazareth
"Take On Me" - a-ha
"I Love You Always Forever" - Donna Lewis
"Love Is a Battlefield" - Pat Benatar
"Don't Speak" - No Doubt
"Everlasting Love" - Carl Carlton
"What's Love Got to Do With It" - Tina Turner
"Fidelity" - Regina Spector
"Can't Help Falling In Love" - Elvis Presley
"Torn" - Ednaswap (You probably know Natalie Imbruglia's cover.)
"Such Great Heights" - The Postal Service
"Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong" - Joe Cocker
"Heroes" - David Bowie
"I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston
"Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga
"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell
"Toxic" - Britney Spears
"Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" - Eurythmics
"Come What May" - Moulin Rouge
"Only Girl" - Rihanna
"Chandelier" - Sia
"Roxanne" - The Police
"Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley
"Rolling In The Deep" - Adele
