REVIEW: Experience the Passion and Magic of ‘Moulin Rouge!’

By Sarah E. Saysoukha | Photo Credit TPAC-Matthew Murphy

I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited to see a show as I was “Moulin Rouge!” The musical is set at the real-life Moulin Rouge based on the Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce film of the same name. The experience began as soon as I entered the theatre. The curtain was pulled and the set was in full view with the ensemble sauntering around the stage. There was a theme of red, from the roaming red lights to the red curtains and set pieces. The color red means rage, passion and desire — all strong emotions that were displayed expertly throughout the musical.

“Moulin Rouge!” is set in Paris in the 1890s and follows a young American songwriter, Christian (Christian Douglas), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, Satine (Arianna Rosario), but she is also being sought after by the Duke de Monroth (Amar Atkins). The Moulin Rouge is run by the campiest of camp, Harold Zidler (Robert Petkoff).

Director, Alex Timbers, was masterful in his capturing of the essence of the Moulin Rouge. The sets, the costumes, and the choices of actors were absolute perfection.

Our Christian played a lovesick young man like he was written by Booktok — a subsection of TikTok where the ladies enjoy a well-written man. Actor, Christian Douglas, was meant to play songwriter, Christian, as he is also Christian the songwriter himself! His songs are on his Instagram and on Apple Music. His voice is angelic and his range gives Mariah Carey a run for her money. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him own the stage.

Ariana Rosario is ethereal as Satine. Her character experiences so many emotions and changes as the musical goes along, and Rosario acts her way through each of them like the professional she is. She joins the cast after originating the role of Gloria Falbury in the musical adaptation of the MGM film “Summer Stock.”

I loved the variety of races, sizes, and orientations that were showcased in the cast. From Harold Zidler’s delightfully and unabashedly gay character, Baby Doll’s gender-bending character — but what is gender but a construct — and the ladies singing the title song being of various body types. Deserved claps for La Chocolat, Nini, Arabia, and Baby Doll. The only negative I can think of is that the confetti drops were given away by lone confetti falling randomly from the ceiling. Of course, that has nothing to do with the actors and their command of the stage and the script.

The musical, like the film, is like the best-mixed CD that your crush ever gave you, featuring popular songs from bygone years that were the soundtrack of our collective lives. There are songs in every nook and cranny of this musical and I’m telling you, it was all I could do to not sing along. Even the curtain call was chocked full of songs. I would give “Moulin Rouge!” five stars and would, 10 out of 10, recommend this beautiful, magical musical.