Moulin Rouge?

[Mactor327]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 9:14pm

Will "Moulin Rouge" EVER be a musical on Broadway?
Has there ever been talk of it?
I think it would make perfect sense for them to make it into a stage adaptation.
But then again, it's such an artistically beautiful movie. Afterall, it IS BAZ LURMAN. It would be a challenge.

BTW Cast:
SATINE: Sutton Foster (preferably), or Idina Menzel
CHRISTAN: Christian Borle, Norbert Leo Butz(preferably), or Adam Pascal

THOUGHTS????

[Songsstresss]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 9:34pm

I, personally would much rather see Moulin Rouge come to the stage than most of these other movies they are making into musicals. But, dear GOD, there are SOOOOOO many actors out there. Let's stop using the same ones OVER and OVER when casting!

[skb2010]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 9:42pm

Gavin Creel for Cristian

[Mactor327]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 9:43pm

it would be cool to see 2 unknowns. BUT, i think inorder for MOULIN ROUGE to be sucessful, having big broadway names would not hurt.

[logan0215]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 10:06pm

If it did, it would probably have to come a la "The Wedding Singer" where cheap imitations of the original songs would be constructed due to copyrights on the varying pop songs in the movie's score.

But if it was done (and kept intact):

Hadley Fraser (Christian)
Lisa Brescia (Satine)
Gary Beach (Zidler)
Caroline O'Connor (reprising Nini)

duh.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 10:10pm

It will never be a stage musical. They could never afford to license all those pop songs individually.

It's not one person's (or one band's) music catalogue. These songs come from so many different sources.

It will never happen, unless they use an entirely different score.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 10:32pm

best12bars is right in that it will never happen, but I think a stage musical of Moulin Rouge would be amazing. I am biased though, since it is one of my favorite musical movies ever. The film is visually-stunning and direction was great (gotta love Baz), so those two aspects wouldn’t be the same on stage obviously. However, I do think the story itself and music would be enough to make a great musical onstage.

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 10:33pm

I don't think getting rights to the songs would be all that expensive. Other musicals have done it. I'm sure Fox or some big producers would be involved and willing to put alot of money out for it to be done well. That's if it were to ever happen which sadly i dont think it would.
Updated On: 12/16/08 at 10:33 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:01pm

There already is a stage version of Moulin Rouge--it's called La Traviata.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:32pm

Though I know it probably wouldn't be as popular, I would love to see a stage version of this, but relying heavily on the play that Christian pens in the film. I just think it would be very interesting, especially on a stage, to switch back and forth between the action in the play and the mirroring actions in the play-with-a-play. Kind of like a mix of Drowsy Chaperone and Bare. Well, more of a mix of those particular elements, not the shows themselves - now THAT would be interesting. As much as I liked them cutting back and forth between the two lovers rehearsing in their loft and the rehearsals at the theater (during "Come What May", at least one song they would keep - and a gem at that), I absolutely loved the last few scenes where we actually get to see the production. It was just so ridiculously opulent.

Dang it. Now I have to go watch this film. :) Thanks for the reminder. It's been a while!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:40pm

Yes, please turn one of the worst movie musicals of all time into one of the worst stage musicals of all time. I loathed this film top to bottom.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:52pm

How about Adam Fiorentino for Christian?

[BrianS]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:53pm

Not only would the rights to the songs be prohibitive (and certain songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" would most likely not make the cut anyway as Courtney Love barely allowed it to be used in the movie), but I think a big part of why that movie works is the tempo/editing. Not saying it couldn't work onstage, but it would have to be a very different beast because of the insane cinematography and the fact that the average cut in that film is literally about 3 seconds. As our friend Mel Brooks says, "in theater you only have a master shot."

[DrewBill]

Posted: 12/16/08 at 11:55pm

Bad idea. Just because it works on film doesn't mean it will work on stage. And supposedly, it took 2+ years to license all the songs for the film. It would take forever to license it for a stage musical.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 12:04am

They couldn't even license all the original Fanny Brice songs for the stage production of Funny Girl. My Man, Second Hand Rose, etc. They had to get Merrill and Styne to write "substitute" songs for the Broadway show. Then, when they made the film version, they were able to afford the original songs and put them all back in.

These songs have to be licensed for each and every performance. Ongoing. That's 8 shows a week, for an open ended run. That's why it costs so much in the end. They simply can't afford it for Broadway.

Don't look for it to happen.

[jejr]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 12:15am

The only Moulin Rouge that should be a stage musical is the original film with Jose Ferrar. If they can do the short legs in Shrek, it could be done for a stage Moulin Rouge.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 9:01am

Its being developed in Spain for a late 2009 opening produced by the same people as the current Spanish productions of 'Grease' and 'Spamalot'.

[willrogers2008]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 9:16am

I guess there is a lot of non-authorized stage versions of MOULIN ROUGE around the world.I saw a beautiful abridged one (one hour)here in Japan.Ok,it was a University production but the staging was amazing.And the female lead was called Satine.Almost 80 persons on stage.I`ve heard of an Argentina one,too.

[fanadu1996]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 12:40pm

never say never.
im just saying.
this works differently, there is a "blanket rights" over all the songs, one does not have to go to each person individually.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 1:17pm

All this talk about licensing the individual songs...Rock of Ages did just fine. I would think that aside from one or two that would need to be replaced due to licensing issues, it could work out.

I would love to see it on stage.

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 1:22pm

Only if Jose Ferrer plays Toulouse-Lautrec. And Zsa Zsa is in it.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 1:25pm

The Theatre Victoria in Barcelona will be fitted out as a nightclub as they did for the Spanish version of the Donmars 'Cabaret'.
My partner is a director for Filmax Spain who are co-producers and as soon as he can give me more info I'll certainly pass it on.

[parislover87]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 1:27pm

There is just no need. It's my favorite movie, it is perfection. Perfectly cast, perfectly shot. I think it could only lose its luster when brought to stage. Don't get me wrong I would love it and see it 100 times, but I just don't think it could improve upon the masterpiece.

That's like having the Mona Lisa already, and then asking a less accomplished artist to recreate it live in two and a half hours and expecting the same mastery.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/17/08 at 1:39pm

The licensing costs for Moulin Rouge! were around $1.5 million, just for reference.