Karen Olivo not returning to MOULIN ROUGE!

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:22pm

“Calling for Greater Integrity in the Theater, Karen Olivo Announces Departure From Moulin Rouge!”

 

Bravo to her for making this decision. The way she didn’t even sugar coat her exit by mentioning the cast and crew of Moulin Rouge and making the video purely about the issues in the industry is really fascinating. I bet she knows of a lot more Scott Rudins. 

 

https://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/calling-for-greater-integrity-in-the-theater-karen_92135.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=14apr2021&fbclid=IwAR1LIa0jqWm0rYByDIsZ69Xlz3Z_a_CgNHX1WOjc490Cm2b_CUQGVmLfCDY
 

Updated On: 4/14/21 at 05:22 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:27pm

I like her. I respect her. But I don’t think her decision helps make any progress. So happy I got to see her in it. She is such a talent and I wish her all the best.

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:29pm

I’m very curious as to whether this might spark an actors strike until they see some REAL industry changes.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:33pm

Curious who will replace her. They don’t need a name for this show so it would be a great spotlight for an “unknown”.

[MBFan]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:33pm

And just when Bway is starting to come back and now they're all going to start striking??  Please no...

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:36pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Curious who will replace her. They don’t need a name for this show so it would be a great spotlight for an “unknown”."

I would kill to see Nicole Scherzinger as Satine.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:41pm

No joke - she immediately popped in my mind when I heard the news!

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:41pm

Her standby Ashley Loren should be promoted to full-time Satine. She's already played the role about as many times as Olivo anyway.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:49pm

Gotta agree with DAME. She already quit the business once due to how unhappy it was making her (P.S. actors do this all the time - even highly successful actors). Now she's quitting again because...what, the Moulin Rouge producers won't speak out against Scott Rudin? Or won't make some sort of B.S. "solidarity statement" against abusive behavior? She doesn't even make it clear in her Instagram video. She repeats the same "social justice is more important than money in your pocketbook" phrase like five times but doesn't really say anything concrete or specific. Did the Moulin Rogue producers or other personnel actually do something bad and she's trying to be vague on purpose as to avoid a slander lawsuit?

Honestly, my guess is the truth is much more simple: the show has been closed for a year due to COVID, she's happier being back in Wisconsin again being a theatre professor and teaching/inspiring the next generation, and just doesn't want to go back to the show. Fine. I'm sure many, many Broadway vets will never go back to being New York actors for similar reasons. But this vague, ranty video trying to make herself out to be some sort of hero is...unflattering.

Her departure and announcement helps no one except perhaps the lucky actress that gets to replace her as the female lead in Moulin Rogue. It's an overly-dramatic, non-sensical, and self-serving way of simply saying, "show business is hard, I like academia better, bye." Like she had already declared a few years ago.

Updated On: 4/14/21 at 05:49 PM

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:52pm

I can't say I'm surprised. I think someone had said she has a history of not staying with a show for very long. 

I think I would like to either Nicole Scherzinger, or an unknown.

I'll be honest, it is not Aaron's greatest achievement either, I wouldn't mind seeing Johnathon Groff or Jeremy Jordan take on the role. 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 5:53pm

hearthemsing22 said: "I’m very curious as to whether this might spark an actors strike until they see some REAL industry changes."

If that's really what it will take to build a better B'way, then I'm all for it. The industry has turned a blind eye to these social issues for much too long, and it is completely unacceptable.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:02pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Gotta agree with DAME. She already quit the business once due to how unhappy it was making her (P.S. actors do this all the time - even highly successful actors). Now she's quitting again because...what, the Moulin Rouge producers won't speak out against Scott Rudin? Or won't make some sort of B.S. "solidarity statement" against abusive behavior?She doesn't even make it clear in her Instagram video. She repeats the same "social justice is more important than money in your pocketbook" phrase like five times but doesn't really say anything concrete or specific. Did the Moulin Rogue producers or other personnel actually do something bad and she's trying to be vague on purpose as to avoid a slander lawsuit?

Honestly, my guess is the truth is much more simple: the show has been closed for a year due to COVID, she's happier being back in Wisconsin again being a theatre professor and teaching/inspiring the next generation, and just doesn't want to go back to the show. Fine.I'm sure many, many Broadway vets will never go back to being New York actors for similar reasons.But this vague, ranty video trying to make herself out to be some sort of hero is...unflattering.

Her departure and announcement helps no one except perhaps the lucky actress that gets to replace her as the female lead in Moulin Rogue. It's an overly-dramatic, non-sensical, and self-serving way of simply saying, "show business is hard, I like academia better, bye." Like she had already declared a few years ago."


I imagine she left for whatever reason all those years ago and overtime slowly edged back towards Broadway but her return maybe wasn’t what she imagined it would be and it just enforces her earlier decision that Broadway isn’t where she wants to be. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:03pm

bwayphreak234 said: "Jordan Catalano said: "Curious who will replace her. They don’t need a name for this show so it would be a great spotlight for an “unknown”."

I would kill to see Nicole Scherzinger as Satine."

Nicole would be amazing in this role and would sing the hell out of it however now that the Pussycat Dolls have reformed and are planning an album followed by a huge tour I doubt she’d be available. 

Updated On: 4/14/21 at 06:03 PM

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:11pm

Jordan Levinson said: "hearthemsing22 said: "I’m very curious as to whether this might spark an actors strike until they see some REAL industry changes."

If that's really what it will take to build a better B'way, then I'm all for it. The industry has turned a blind eye to these social issues for much too long, and it is completely unacceptable."

They have been turning a blind eye. I wouldn’t be surprised if other actors follow Karen’s example. Not exactly with a video, but just leaving until there’s real change that happens. 

[rkade21]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:14pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Gotta agree with DAME. She already quit the business once due to how unhappy it was making her (P.S. actors do this all the time - even highly successful actors). Now she's quitting again because...what, the Moulin Rouge producers won't speak out against Scott Rudin? Or won't make some sort of B.S. "solidarity statement" against abusive behavior?She doesn't even make it clear in her Instagram video. She repeats the same "social justice is more important than money in your pocketbook" phrase like five times but doesn't really say anything concrete or specific. Did the Moulin Rogue producers or other personnel actually do something bad and she's trying to be vague on purpose as to avoid a slander lawsuit?

Honestly, my guess is the truth is much more simple: the show has been closed for a year due to COVID, she's happier being back in Wisconsin again being a theatre professor and teaching/inspiring the next generation, and just doesn't want to go back to the show. Fine.I'm sure many, many Broadway vets will never go back to being New York actors for similar reasons.But this vague, ranty video trying to make herself out to be some sort of hero is...unflattering.

Her departure and announcement helps no one except perhaps the lucky actress that gets to replace her as the female lead in Moulin Rogue. It's an overly-dramatic, non-sensical, and self-serving way of simply saying, "show business is hard, I like academia better, bye." Like she had already declared a few years ago."

You should review the work she’s doing with and mission of AFECT Change... I’m quite sure she’s made this decision both for the message, and to instead dedicate herself to fighting for change to systematic inequities in the industry. So in fact she’s is doing this precisely to help her entire community of actors... 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:24pm

It’s not lost on me that she posts her disbelief and anger that the industry is in denial and not addressing important issues and some of the first responses are tone deaf. Someone is worried that actors will go on strike (which would be performers defending their right for equity and safety) as it could possibly delay re-opening. That’s pretty crummy. Others are salivating over replacements. It completely illuminates her point. People are more concerned about the product than people. These are lives. Real people whose livelihood was cast to winds by their industry and their country when the pandemic hit.

Stage actors all over Instagram are posting how Equity is not responding to them. Their plans aren’t clear and they are muting or kicking members out of Zoom Town Halls who have questions and concerns.

Houston, we have a problem. And it’s bigger than Rudin. Karen clearly says he is just the easy one. The “no-brainer” yet no one is speaking out. She wouldn’t be risking her livelihood if she wasn’t aware of the multitude of people with stories who could speak out. I assume she believes that this is an open secret and it’s being passed over way too easily.

She is naming that people are putting money over people and she is taking a huge risk putting her neck on the line. She has some power and she is asking people to speak up.

It’s easy to just start calling her difficult or crazy or impulsive (she left before) but she’s also human and entitled to change her mind and feelings when ever she likes.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:27pm

Ashley Loren should be promoted, she is brilliant in the role.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:32pm

Maybe she thinks she is...Who knows. She has had a dream of a career and has nowhere to go but sideways anyway unless she wants to do TV/film.

Also, there are a**holes in EVERY industry. The theatre world is pretty soft and cushy compared to many others. “There needs to be change.” Yeah, we know. We are theatre people, your fellow liberals. You are preaching to the choir, girl. Quitting your show (especially when you already have a pretty sweet theatre professor job) is not going to make everyone go, “Oh my God? What have we done?!?”

I wish her happiness, but no, I don’t get it.

[amandap213]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:32pm

(reminder, karen uses she/they pronouns)

i love how in her video karen mentioned wanting to speak about their decision before it gets whirled around in the media and that's literally what half the people on this thread are doing !! their decision is incredibly brave and she doesn't need your "good wishes," they want a more equitable and sustainable broadway. the people on this thread thinking that this won't do anything, maybe or maybe not, but at least she's taking a stand. broadway has been such a toxic place for people of color, so maybe it's time to listen to them because they're the ones who are being affected.

[Philly Theater Girl]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:34pm

Kudos to her for sticking up for what she believes in but I dislike how she seems to indicate that if you don't speak up, you don't have integrity. There are a lot of people who won't speak up because they are afraid of losing/not getting jobs they desperately need - especially after being out of work for over a year. 

I saw Karen in the show during previews and she was wonderful but I think her leaving will have zero impact on ticket sales for Moulin Rouge. As another post said, I think she really enjoy being back home and is not in  rush to go back to NYC. Not to discount her social activism because she is passionate about that. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:36pm

Bettyboy72 said: "It’s not lost on me that she posts her disbelief and anger that the industry is in denial and not addressing important issues and some of the first responses are tone deaf."

No one is being “tone deaf.” Get off your high horse. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:44pm

I’m just glad she’s not calling for an industry that matches her work ethic.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:49pm

Mam, this is a Wendy's. Here's a concept, stay with the show and work from the inside to make the industry better. 

Bye girl. And yeah, I agree, Ashley Loren is incredible. Sadly, we wasted a cast recording on Olivo. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:54pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Bettyboy72 said: "It’s not lost on me that she posts her disbelief and anger that the industry is in denial and not addressing important issues and some of the first responses are tone deaf."

No one is being “tone deaf.” Get off your high horse."

Rich coming from someone who seems to be able to read her mind and her motivations and is just taking the opportunity to shred her. By all means, carry on. 

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 4/14/21 at 6:55pm

CATSNYrevival said: "I’m just glad she’s not calling for an industry that matches her work ethic."

Tone deaf.