Moulin Rouge! The Musical Is a Sizzling, Sensual Delight

The cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical delights at DPAC (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

Whether or not you've seen Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film, Moulin Rouge!, you're probably familiar with some of the imagery, songs, and costumes. They've pervaded modern culture since the movie's debut.

The stage version of the movie, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, didn't premiere until 2018 -- in Boston. Despite that fact, and despite the fact that the show is set in 1899, the story -- which focuses on a struggling singer/sex worker, Satine, and the struggling club where she works -- still holds up quite well. In some ways, with modern music woven in, this 2019 Broadway and 2021 West End musical is even better. It's a production that's thoughtful, scandalous, empowering, and seductive. In short, it's a whole lot of wonderful, mixed-up things, presented all at once to create a fun, frenzied show with plenty of heart underneath the raunch.

Courtney Reed stars as Satine in the North American Tour (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

The current North American tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, onstage now at the Durham Performing Arts Center, under the direction of Alex Timbers, features a book by John Logan, paired with music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Justin Levine. Although it's hard to top that creative team, Derek McLane goes all out with the show's scenic design.

Even before Moulin Rouge! begins, viewers are treated to an explosion of red and bright lights, instantly evoking a night-club feel. There's also a huge circus elephant on one side of the stage and, fittingly, an ever-turning windmill on the other. It perfectly mimics Paris' real Moulin Rouge cabaret, while still capturing a decadent, anything-goes vibe that's all its own.

As the story begins, that "anything-goes" feel stays put. The show's heroine, Satine, portrayed by an effervescent, raven-haired Courtney Reed, dazzles the audience early on with her pitch-perfect "Diamonds Are Forever" number, delivered while she's decked out in a glittering costume. But that's just the first of many songs. Everything from "Royals" to "The Sound of Music" to "Firework" gets its moment in the sun, resulting in a fun, unexpected mash-up of melodies.

The North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! stars John Cardoza (center) as Christian (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

Those songs also work together to tell a powerful story. What starts as a tale of mistaken identity -- Satine thinks the bumbling bohemian Christian (played Friday night by Christian Douglas, subbing for John Cardoza) is the Duke whom she's supposed to seduce -- evolves into a story of pursuing true love (and some self-love too) against all odds. Luckily, these two "lovers" have amazing onstage chemistry. They flirt and song battle in a way that's both engaging and endearing. Of course, it also doesn't hurt that both Reed and Douglas have impeccable vocal skills.

The two leads are backed by an equally strong supporting cast, including Nick Rashad Burroughs in a charming portrayal of Toulouse-Lautrec, and an appropriately dastardly Andrew Brewer as the cruel Duke of Monroth.

Nick Rashad Burroughs stars as Toulouse-Lautrec (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

Other standouts include Austin Durant as the wheedling Moulin Rouge cabaret director Harold Zidler and Libby Ward as mesmerizing dancer Nini. She kicks, leaps, and twirls in ways that defy gravity and highlight Sonya Teyah's stunning choreography. Speaking of which, the "Backstage Romance" number, which opens the second act, is a visual feat in and of itself. If you're lucky enough to see it live, try not to blink. It's that good.

You'll also want to keep your eyes open for Justin Townsend's sometimes-eerie lighting effects, the beautiful painted sets that showcase the streets of Paris, and the over-the-top, alluring costumes, designed by Catherine Zuber. In fact, just keep your eyes open period -- there's a new and glorious spectacle to see at every turn. And, even though the ending might be bittersweet, the journey to get there is worth every single second.

The cast includes (from left) Harper Miles, Libby Lloyd, Nicci Claspell, and Andres Quintero (photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade)

John Logan's MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 7 p.m. Sunday, May 6, 7, and 9-14), based on the 2001 film co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, directed on Broadway and tour by Alex Timbers, choreographed by Sonya Teyah, presented as part of Truist Broadway at DPAC, and starring Courtney Reed as Satine, John Cardoza as Christian, Austin Durant as Harold Zidler, Nick Rashad Burroughs as Toulouse-Lautrec, Andrew Brewer as the Duke of Monroth, Libby Lloyd as Nini, and Gabe Martínez as Santiago (Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham). DIGITAL PROGRAM: https://issuu.com/dpac0/docs/dpac_moulinrouge_digital. DPAC TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URvoPnj1csY&t=2s. MOULIN ROUGE! VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/MoulinRougeMusical. THE PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.dpacnc.com/, https://www.facebook.com/DPACNC, https://www.instagram.com/DPACNC/, https://twitter.com/DPAC, and https://www.youtube.com/user/DPACLive. 2023-24 TRUIST BROADWAY AT DPAC SEASON: https://www.dpacnc.com/truist-broadway/season/truist-broadway-at-dpac-2023-2024. DIRECTIONS: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/directions. PARKING: https://www.dpacnc.com/plan-your-visit/parking. DPAC COVID-19 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/latest-updates-on-events-at-dpac/reopening-faq. THE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR: https://moulinrougemusical.com/us-tour/home/, https://www.ibdb.com/tour-production/moulin-rouge-the-musical-527336, https://www.facebook.com/MoulinRougeBway, https://www.instagram.com/moulinrougebway/, https://twitter.com/moulinrougebway, and https://www.youtube.com/MoulinRougeMusical. TOUR CAST: https://moulinrougemusical.com/us-tour/cast/. TOUR CREATIVE TEAM: https://moulinrougemusical.com/us-tour/creative/. MOULIN ROUGE! (2001 Jukebox Musical/Romance/Comedy): https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/moulin-rouge, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/, https://prod-www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/452492/moulin-rouge/#overview, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_Rouge!. MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL (2019 Broadway Jukebox Musical/Romance/Comedy): https://moulinrougemusical.com/new-york/home/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/moulin-rouge-the-musical-520636, https://www.facebook.com/MoulinRougeBway, https://www.instagram.com/moulinrougebway/, https://twitter.com/moulinrougebway, and https://www.youtube.com/MoulinRougeMusical. JOHN LOGAN (San Diego, CA-born playwright and screenwriter): https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/john-logan-486440, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517589/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Logan_(writer). TICKETS: $35 and up, plus taxes and fees. Call 800-982-2787 or click here to buy tickets. GROUPS (10+ tickets): 919-680-2787, Groups@DPACnc.com, and https://www.dpacnc.com/events/groups-services. INFORMATION: 919-680-2787 or CustomerService@DPACnc.com. Susie Potter's Triangle Arts Review Review.

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