5 Reasons Moulin Rouge! The Musical is still the most spectacular show on Broadway

Before the curtain even rises, the Al Hirschfeld Theatre immerses you in its decadent world. Red neon flickers. Velvet drapes pool in the shadows. A glowing elephant looms over the stage. From there, the show only builds with the same extravagant richness. The stage explodes with cabaret dancing and every square inch of the stage bursts with sequins and mirrors. Derek McLane’s Tony-winning set design and Catherine Zuber’s eye-popping costumes work in tandem to create a world where glamour isn’t just an aesthetic but—in true Parisian style—the point of life itself. 

In recent years, Broadway has been flooded with a series of "jukebox musicals" that integrate pop songs with musical productions. What can sometimes feel gimmicky is instead a work of genius in the masterful hands of Tony Award winners John Logan and Justin Levine. The musical turns pop anthems into the emotional architecture of the show. Katy Perry’s “Firework” becomes a declaration of longing; Sia’s “Chandelier” is infused with the desperation of Christian and Satine. You’ll hear everything from Lady Gaga to the Rolling Stones, recontextualized in ways that are sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking and often both.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical was Sonya Tayeh's first foray onto Broadway after her breakout role as a judge on the Fox show So You Think You Can Dance. She arrived with a bang and earned a Tony Award for her work. Her choreography brings a visceral dimension to even the quietest moments, infusing them with the embodied tension of doomed love. In a Broadway landscape full of clean lines and chorus symmetry, Tayeh’s work is defiantly alive, reminding us that dance can be feral, chaotic and utterly captivating. 

Satine and Christian may be star-crossed lovers, but what makes their romance come alive is its excess: they fall hard, fast and recklessly for one another, despite the fact that Satine has already agreed to marry the wealthy Duke. In a world so cynical about love, it still feels radical (and deeply romantic) to watch a show about two people willing to risk both wealth and social standing to be together. And the ending still lands like a gut punch. At its core, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is a tragedy wrapped in glitter.

There are shows you see and forget about by the time you've made your way onto the subway home. Moulin Rouge! The Musical is not one of them. This is the show you dress up for, tell your friends about afterward and visit multiple thrift stores hunting for the best cabaret-style dress you can find. Whether you’re planning a date night, birthday outing or group adventure, it’s the kind of bold experience that reminds you why we go to Broadway in the first place.

Experience the spectacular on Broadway. Get tickets at moulinrougemusical.com

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