MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#1
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#2
Posted: 9/24/21 at 6:27amI’ll be there tonight! My first of three shows this weekend. Can’t wait to be back in a Broadway theater!
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#3
Posted: 9/24/21 at 10:26pmI can’t wait to hear reports!! I will be there tomorrow night and am so interested, especially about our new Satine.
-Jeff Bowen's worst onstage line flub.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#4
Posted: 9/24/21 at 11:11pm
Any reports yet from the Rouge, folks?
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#5
Posted: 9/24/21 at 11:25pmI’ve seen attendees have been given masks! Has any other show done this?
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#6
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#7
Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:40amThe opening minute of the show is on their Facebook page. So glad everyone had an amazing night back there!
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#8
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).
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#9
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#10
Posted: 9/25/21 at 1:13am
“Weird British like accent”… Australian.
lol
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#11
Posted: 9/25/21 at 1:44am
Recording floating around Twitter of Aaron “optioning up” the end of Roxanne tonight. Wow!
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#12
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#13
Posted: 9/25/21 at 8:00amAnd 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#14
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/
Understudy Joined: 7/26/19
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#15
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#16
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
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#17
Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:10am
Ooof that article did them no favors. They do not come across well.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#18
Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:18amEven if she wanted to return to Broadway, it really sounds like she burned all her bridges.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#19
Posted: 9/25/21 at 9:22amSo it came down to money, costume changes, and bathroom breaks …
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#20
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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#21
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)"?
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#22
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.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
Swing Joined: 10/14/15
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#23
Posted: 9/25/21 at 12:22pmNatalie’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.
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#24
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
MOULIN ROUGE! Reopening Night Thread#25
Posted: 9/25/21 at 5:09pm
Brief video from 'Moulin Rouge's'' reopening last night ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8YRRZZJfRU
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