As the sun begins to set and the twinkling stars come to life in the night sky, the bright lights of the Moulin Rouge flicker on. The bright red neon sign and spinning windmill call one and all to the club’s doors, welcoming them in for a night of fun, debauchery, and of course, love. All of which can be found in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which has arrived in Detroit as the first show of Broadway in Detroit’s 2024-2025 season!
Hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko saw the musical on opening night at the Detroit Opera House and couldn’t wait to share their thoughts in the latest episode of The Cosmic Curtain! In this episode, they break down some of the show’s highs and lows, whether the addition of more pop songs to the stage show from the film enhances the show or detracts from it, and how the duality of the tones works with the message of the show. Plus, listen as they discuss who the true villain of the musical is!
Catch Moulin Rouge! The Musical when it arrives in a city near you! Have you seen this musical before? What did you think of this episode? Let us know your thoughts on social media @mycosmiccircus and @boxseatbabes! If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and following us on social media, or joining our Discord.
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Timestamps: Moulin Rouge! The Musical discussion and review
- 00:00 – Intros
- 00:45 – The 2001 Baz Luhrmann film which the musical is based on
- 05:00 – SPOILER WARNING for the movie and the musical
- 05:30 – Was the Moulin Rouge! The Musical a good adaptation of the movie?
- 08:50 – The 2 tones to the story, romance and tragedy.
- 11:00 – Issues/problems that effect enjoyment of a show and things that can go wrong
- 18:00 – Balancing the tragedy for the audience, and what stood out about the show
- 20:00 – Learning to love again
- 22:20 – Differences with the Duke in the musical and film
- 27:16 – Harold Zidler and his relationship with Satine. Is Zidler a villain?
- 35:10 – Jukebox Musicals and songs in this musical.
- 43:30 – Audience interaction in this show
- 46:21 – Best songs in Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- 49:45 – Stand-outs from the cast in the show
- 54:15 – The use of lights in this show
- 57:27 – RJ’s sister and the confetti cannon. The joy of theatre.
- 01:00:00 – Overall/final thoughts on this show.
- 01:05:33 – Rewatchability of Moulin Rouge! The Musical
- 01:07:00 – Outros
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Podcast credits and show notes
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