MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/24/21 at 12:01am

Truth, beauty, freedom, love, reopening. 

The jukebox musical spectacular Moulin Rouge! resumes Broadway performances tonight at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The show features over 70 pop songs from the last several decades, including some of the movie’s touchstones: “Your Song,” “Come What May,” “Nature Boy,” and “Elephant Love Medley,” just to name a few. Upon reopening, Moulin Rouge! welcomes over a dozen new ensemblists and swings, a new music director / conductor (Julie McBride – whoop whoop!), and one new principal cast member: Natalie Mendoza as nightclub courtesan Satine. She previously appeared in the 2001 Baz Luhrmann motion picture that served as the basis for this musical and has also previously worked with director Alex Timbers on the London production of Here Lies Love.

For those going tonight, you can-can-can post your thoughts and reactions below.

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 9/24/21 at 6:27am

I’ll be there tonight! My first of three shows this weekend. Can’t wait to be back in a Broadway theater!

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 9/24/21 at 10:26pm

I can’t wait to hear reports!! I will be there tomorrow night and am so interested, especially about our new Satine.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/24/21 at 11:11pm

Any reports yet from the Rouge, folks?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/24/21 at 11:25pm

I’ve seen attendees have been given masks! Has any other show done this?

[supersam1026]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:07am

Scattered thoughts: Absolutely electric audience! No speeches or anything before or after. Just the full crew coming out for the curtain call. I’ve not been the biggest Aaron Tveit fan, but this was by far the most I’ve liked him. Natalie Mendoza sounded great, but used an Australian access which threw me off a bit.
Thoroughly enjoyable evening all around!

EDITED: Was corrected about it being an Australian accent.

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 12:07 AM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:40am

The opening minute of the show is on their Facebook page. So glad everyone had an amazing night back there!

[AllThatJazz2]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:53am

It was a great time. Audience was wonderful. As previously noted, no speeches given, just the whole crew out for curtain call. I believe Natalie is using her Australian accent, which threw us at first but we quickly warmed to it. She has some great comedic timing. You could tell how much everyone on stage was enjoying being back. Tons of applause for everyone, but especially I would say for Danny. Awesome evening. Handed out Moulin Rouge disposable masks prior to the show, and folks were handing out MAC lipsticks as we exited. Playbills had re-opening night stickers plus an insert with a faux “admit one” ticket for the return night. Our hands are going to hurt tomorrow from clapping so much, lol.

Also pretty sure we saw Gavin Creel attending (tough to tell with everyone masked though).

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 1:08am

Yep, Gavin was there! He was with Grey Henson.

I absolutely loved Natalie Mendoza as Satine. She has a very unique voice and had great chemistry with Aaron Tveit.

Danny Burstein was incredible. I missed him in January 2020 and was beyond thrilled to see his performance tonight. He is truly one of the best.

An incredibly energetic night - from both the cast and audience!

edited to add: Aaron almost burst out laughing after one of the numbers. 

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 01:08 AM

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 1:13am

“Weird British like accent”… Australian.

 

lol

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 01:13 AM

[bwaylady3]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 1:44am

Recording floating around Twitter of Aaron “optioning up”  the end of Roxanne tonight. Wow! 

[kennin]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 7:45am

It was an electric evening. Aaron was the best that I have seen him. Natalie was amazing. She definitely adds something to the role. There is more of a delicacy and vulnerability which enhance the role. She also has an amazing sense of comedic timing. As mentioned before, the audience ate up everything Danny did. The rest of the cast were at 150% as well. The masks and faux tickets were amazing. There were several standing ovations…I lost count. Jenn Colella was in our row. It was the first show I have seen this season that felt (with the exception of the masks and vax checks) like a pre-COVID show. The bars were open and packed, the merch stores had lines, people were getting pushed and bumped…felt like old times.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 8:00am

And on a night that should be celebrated, Karen takes a big s**t on their night with her well timed interview in the LA times.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 8:40am

songanddanceman2 said: "And on a night that should be celebrated, Karen takes a big s**t on their night with her well timed interview in the LA times.”

Unfortunately, you need a subscription to read the L.A. Times article.  Luckily, PEOPLE Magazine is covering that article here: https://people.com/theater/moulin-rouge-tony-nominee-karen-olivo-on-why-she-left-show-something-really-shifted-in-me/

 

[Philly Theater Girl]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 8:43am

bwaylady3 said: "Recording floating around Twitter of Aaron “optioningup” the end of Roxanne tonight. Wow!"

What do you mean by optioning up? I've never heard that term before.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:05am

songanddanceman2 said: "And on a night that should be celebrated, Karen takes a big s**t on their night with her well timed interview in the LA times."

I read that...my biggest takeaway was that she is having some second thoughts about quitting the show (she didn't say this directly, but it was pretty obvious IMO), and is just really bitter about everything. She's alienated herself from her Broadway colleagues and I'm sorry...just considering what an amazing career they've had they are really not in a position to whine about how terrible commercial theatre is. Nora I feel bad for. Karen? Not so much.

A particular low point:

"Plus, when it came time to make offers to go back, they offered the same amount of money, and the same amount of rehearsal time. This is the hardest show I’ve ever done. I was like, who’s gonna remount it in six weeks? This robot that you built to look like me?"

Yes, Karen. That's what they did. And apparently, according to some who saw the show last night, Mendoza is actually better than you were in the role, so enjoy Wisconsin.

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2021-09-24/karen-olivo-left-broadway

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:10am

Ooof that article did them no favors. They do not come across well.

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 09:10 AM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:18am

Even if she wanted to return to Broadway, it really sounds like she burned all her bridges.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:22am

So it came down to money, costume changes, and bathroom breaks …

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 11:11am

Some are really simplifying the great discussion from that interview about commercial theatre and where our money goes. From Karen finally opening their eyes to it, to how Nora was treated, it’s all connected.

Karen and Eden Espinosa particularly are doing great work on this and should be supported for standing up and speaking out.

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 11:11 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 11:33am

kennin said: "It was an electric evening. Aaron was the best that I have seen him. Natalie was amazing. She definitely adds something to the role. There is more of a delicacy and vulnerability which enhance the role. She also has an amazing sense of comedic timing. As mentioned before, the audience ate up everything Danny did. The rest of the cast were at 150% as well. The masks and faux tickets were amazing. There were several standing ovations…I lost count. Jenn Colella was in our row. It was the first show I have seen this season that felt (with the exception of the masks and vax checks) like a pre-COVID show. The bars were open and packed, the merch stores had lines, people were getting pushed and bumped…felt like old times."

How long was the inevitable ovation after "Bad Romance / Tainted Love / Seven Nation Army / Toxic / Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"?

Updated On: 9/25/21 at 11:33 AM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 11:43am

I was halfway through the People article when I realized Karen is now going by they, didn't realize and I'll try to remember.

While I can certainly understand how they feel about the industry changing, I don't really get how they think the rehearsal process would change. I mean, six weeks to remount something that they did in Boston and on Broadway. It's not like the show is being done from scratch.

[Kasseisl2]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:22pm

Natalie’s Satine is fantastic. Her voice isn’t as strong as Karen’s, but her acting and comedic timing are both phenomenal. Her Satine is much more antagonistic towards the Duke from the very beginning, which allows the romantic connection between Satine and Christian to really shine. Natalie and Aaron have great chemistry and his performance last night was incredible. Danny was also amazing and really played along the crowd who was along for the ride from the very beginning. Entrance applause for everyone and a bunch of standing ovations for the cast who truly deserved it! A night I will never forget.

[bwaylady3]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:52pm

Philly Theater Girl said: "bwaylady3 said: "Recording floating around Twitter of Aaron “optioningup” the end of Roxanne tonight. Wow!"

What do you mean by optioning up? I've never heard that term before."

Sorry if I confused. Instead of the normal ending, he went up an octave higher and ended on a high belt. For me, it added “desperation” to his character, thus seeming more unhinged. Time will tell if this was a one time thing or if stays. That note was definitely in his pocket last night. 

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 9/25/21 at 5:09pm

Brief video from 'Moulin Rouge's'' reopening last night ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8YRRZZJfRU