Find Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love with Moulin Rouge! The Musical at PPAC

Courtesy of PPAC

I have a confession: I’ve never seen Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. I’ve heard the soundtrack and seen clips of a young and forlorn Ewan McGregor making eyes and a redheaded Nicole Kidman, but I knew very little about the plot beyond that it was romantic and, well, sexy.

I knew so little, in fact, that I was dumbfounded to learn that the Broadway iteration didn’t come around until 2018 — I had assumed that the film was the adaptation and not the other way around. But like its predecessor, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has only been received with widespread acclaim and appreciation, having even earned ten Tony Awards — including Best Musical — since it first hit the stage.

But now, after having had the pleasure of catching the touring show at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) last night, I can easily understand the hype. From the moment I stepped into the theater and saw the brilliant sign casting a sensual glow over the ensemble below as they prowled the stage prior to the show, I was hooked. And then the set, costumes and performances (a special shout out to lead for his gut-wrenching portrayal of the angel-voiced Christian) only became more and more dazzling as the night when on.

For those unfamiliar like I was, the story is set in 1899 Paris and follows a poor Bohemian poet as he ill-fatedly falls for a beautiful courtesan of the famed nightclub, Moulin Rouge. The piece de resistance, however, is the way that story is told: as in the film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical celebrates more than 160 years of music, featuring medleys that span a multitude of artists and genres. The theatre version, however, is not quite your mother’s Moulin Rouge, as it includes more recent hits (think: Katy Perry, FUN, Lorde, Adele, and so on) that weren’t yet recorded when the film first premiered in 2001.

Now, movie fans need not fret: as I was assured by my friend — who attended the show with me and who counts herself among you — the best parts of your favorite soundtrack earworms are still present and a force to be reckoned with on stage (yes, I’m talking about Lady Marmalade and the Elephant medley).

But don’t just take her word for it.

Courtesy of PPAC

“I love the movie. It was one of my favorite movies for the longest time,” says Nicci Claspell who plays Arabia, one of the Lady Ms in the stage production. “So going into the show and seeing it for the first time was interesting. Like, ‘Oh, this is a little different, this is not what I expected, but that’s the reason why you do a show. You don’t want to do the same exact thing. It brings something new and special to it. Once I wrapped my brain around it being a completely different way of telling the story, I love it now. You get songs you know and love from the movie along with things from the past five ten years as well.”

Fellow Lady M, Max Heitmann , had not seen the movie until after landing the role of Baby Doll, but agrees that the modernized run makes the show all the more accessible.

“It’s easy to get into because they’re pop songs that we all know. We’re singing a lot of your favorite artists, new and old, so you feel like you’re a part of it.”

Harper Miles, who plays La Chocolat, adds, “Your expectations should be fun, exciting, passionate. It’s just full of love and it’s great for the whole family. The reception in Providence has already been great so far — they’re filling those seats!”

That being said, there are still a handful of tickets left if you’re hoping to enter this “world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory!” Moulin Rouge! The Musical is playing at PPAC now through December 31 — see the website for tickets and times. ppacri.org

Courtesy of PPAC