Moulin Rouge **Pre-Show Spoiler Request**

[PatrickDC]

Is the pre-show choreographed or staged to be the same at every performance? Or does it change? 

Last Saturday we had Benjamin in a corset and nylons in the cage next to the elephant, Kyle and Dylan with arms locked walking around, Khori and another actress doing sword swallowing, Reed as a sort of devil/clown thing. And of course various others walking around, quietly chatting, etc. 

[Lot666]

That sounds like exactly what I got a few weeks ago.

[Will3700]

That also sounds like what I saw on Aug 16. It was very cool

[smidge]

And different videos I’ve seen indicate it’s the same. Except, it’s Kyle in the corset.

[PatrickDC]

Ah, yes. Comparing the photo I took with the website, it is Kyle in the corset. Stunning. Nick’s boyfriend...what a hot couple.

One other question. Do the actors get a pay supplement for working the pre-show, or are they considered to be “on the clock” and that the milling around is part of the actual production?

[BrodyFosse123]

One other question. Do the actors get a pay supplement for working the pre-show, or are they considered to be “on the clock” and that the milling around is part of the actual production?

Since the same actors do the pre-show at every performance, this is considered part of their performance track.  If the pre-show was an open-choice a bonus would be implemented to whoever chose to do the pre-show as actors would vary per performance.  

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Sounds to me like they took a page from Cirque's Zumanity in Vegas with this preshow.

Quite frankly, Vegas has been doing preshows like this for over a decade.  It's sorta funny that NYC is freaking out over this with Moulin Rouge.

[BrodyFosse123]

The 1998 Broadway revival of CABARET did this pre-show bit at both the Henry Miller Theatre (it’s original home) then when it moved to Studio 54. The Kit Kat girls and guys would pace around the extended stage and interact with the audience who sat at the tables surrounding the stage. Many times you saw the headlining actress playing Sally Bowles doing stretches upstage: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brooke Shields, etc.

[Stage Door Sally]

Network recently had a really fun pre-show for audience members seated on the stage. We saw the actors warm up, and  were also invited to engage with them. I was super thrilled when Nick Wyman came over and starting talking to me. 

[sppunk]

The Play That Goes Wrong had a great pre-show routine as well, both on stage and through the theater. Funny enough it confused a lot of people.

[DoTheDood]

sppunk said: "The Play That Goes Wrong had a great pre-show routine as well, both on stage and through the theater. Funny enough it confused a lot of people."

There was just a thread about this a few days ago, it's a great read if anyone is curious about any pre-show/during intermission interactions the cast had/has with the audience. I just adore it when shows do this. 

https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1118660&dt=11

[PatrickDC]

[PatrickDC]

My friend was asking, are the two swords real?