photo by Matthew Murphy
Travel to Paris! Become a Bohemian! Learn to love love love!
Ladies and gentlemen of Philadelphia, if you haven’t bought tickets to Moulin Rouge yet, what are you waiting for? Last month, I was invited to visit Moulin Rouge on Broadway then come back here and tell you all about it. You can read more here.
The Academy of Music is a gorgeous venue and perfect for the dazzling Moulin Rouge. If you’ve seen the show on Broadway, you know just how breathtaking the set is. The touring version is just as great, and if you grab a themed cocktail or champagne from the lower level’s champagne bar (bottles are available too), you’ll feel like you’re in Paris for sure. The brilliant reds of the lighting, the costumes, the detailed set will take you far from Philadelphia for a few hours.
And if you don’t know the story already- well, it’s pretty much what you remember from the 2001 Baz Luhrmann masterpiece (yes, it’s one of my favorite movies). Some of the pop songs from the movie are still here, but the musical has an updated soundtrack of more recent music as well. Here, we meet Satine, a cabaret star at the Moulin Rouge who falls for a man she initially believes to be The Duke- his money could save the failing venue. Instead, a misunderstanding leads her to Christian, a penniless composer who has come to Paris from America. If you like love stories with a side of tears, this is absolutely the show for you.
The sparkling diamond herself, Satine, is currently played by the brilliant Courtney Reed (known for originating the role of “Princess Jasmine” in Disney’s Aladdin, for which she received a Grammy nomination). Philly- you actually only have a few chances left to see her incredible performance, as she’s leaving the tour to join the Broadway cast in the same role. Reed will be in Philly through July 16th, but Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer will be taking over full-time shortly (Broadway fans will know her from the original cast of Hadestown). John Cardoza is phenomenal as Christian as well. I’ve seen the show three times with three different actors in the role, but Cardoza brings out so much emotion in the character. Your jaw might drop when you hear “El Tango de Roxanne” which blends “Roxanne” by the Police with Sia’s “Chandelier”.
The music itself is worth the trip to the Moulin Rouge. With mashups of so many songs you already know, it’s a thrill to see how they are incorporated into the scenes and storyline. “Come What May”, the Oscar-winning song from the movie is sung at the top of Act II and helps kick off an unforgettable second half performance. The curtain call is just as fun, with an epic combo of hits.
Get to the Kimmel Center this magical show unfold in front of your eyes. Truth, beauty, freedom, and, of course, love. Tickets here.
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