Interview: Bobby Daye on Bringing Harold Zidler to Life in MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL

For veteran Broadway performer Bobby Daye, stepping into the role of Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge! The Musical feels a bit like coming home.

Daye joined the Broadway company in 2021, performing in the ensemble and serving as a standby for Zidler before leaving a year later to take on a supporting role in “Our Town.”

Originally from New Jersey and now based in Los Angeles, Daye returned to “Moulin Rouge!” about a month ago to play Toulouse-Lautrec—the show’s eccentric bohemian—before being asked to rejoin the production in L.A. for a 12-week run as Zidler.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical runs at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts from October 28–November 2 before moving to the Hollywood Pantages from November 4–16. 

The smash Broadway hit brings Baz Luhrmann’s iconic film to life with pop-song medleys, lavish sets, and high-energy choreography. It opened at New York’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2019 and went on to sweep the 2021 Tony Awards, taking home 10 trophies, including Best Musical.

Daye recently spoke with BroadwayWorld about returning to Moulin Rouge!, his appreciation for the L.A. theater scene, and the time he fell asleep in the middle of a show.

This isn’t your first go around with Moulin Rouge, right? What’s your history with the show?  

I was actually in the Broadway company, in the ensemble, starting in 2021, right after the pandemic. I ended up becoming the standby for Zidler and Toulouse-Lautrec. I left the show about a year ago to do “Our Town” on Broadway, then I moved out to L.A. in January because I was starting a company with Michael Feinstein called FeinDaye Music.

And now you’re returning to the show?

Yes! They called me back to do Lautrec for five weeks about a month or two ago, and now I’ll be doing Zidler for twelve weeks starting in L.A.!

So they just called and asked you to come back—no audition?

Yeah. They knew I knew the roles already, and they had the costumes (laughs).

Do you feel ready to just jump back in?

Oh, my God, I absolutely remember it—especially going back to do Lautrec. My rehearsal period for Lautrec was: I came in on Tuesday, rehearsed for two hours, and I was on Tuesday night. I know these characters so well. I’m just excited to get on stage with different actors doing the other roles, because then I can feed off of that.

OK, so the opening number of Moulin Rouge is one of my favorite Broadway opening numbers. How do you all keep up that energy!  

It’s a marathon (laughs). The fortunate part is that, in that moment, Harold Zidler is supposed to be talking to the audience and revving them up. Anyone in that theater—they’re my Moulin Rouge.  

Do different cities react differently? Is it harder to get some crowds going?

Fortunately, our set designers give us a head start. When people walk in and see all the red and the performers walking around, it’s already set up before we even hit the stage. If the crowd’s hard to get going, then I’m not doing my job. I have enough leeway for improvisation to get them excited. If the audience isn’t revved up, there’s one line where I say, “Hello, aristocracy.” If they’re quiet, I’ll repeat it: “I SAID HELLO,  ARISTOCRACY!” And then they get excited. I have the leeway to do that.

Do you have a favorite city to perform in?

I think Los Angeles. Los Angeles and New York. I’m so happy that I’m going to get to do L.A. I’ve done New York a lot, but I love performing in Los Angeles.

Where are you originally from?

New Jersey—Lakewood.

And you’ve been in L.A. for about a year now?

Yes. I live in West Hollywood. Hills. It’s been great. I thought I’d have to meet new friends, but just about everybody I know from New York has moved here! The first week I was at the gym, I ran into at least five people I knew.

What do you think of the L.A. theater scene compared to New York’s?

I’ve been going to every little show that’s in a small theater, and I think it’s great. One thing I saw was 44, a parody about Barack Obama. It’s in New York now. It’s like Saturday Night Live on steroids. I went in with my highbrow New York theater nose, but let me tell you: It was the best time ever. Everybody in that audience was having a great time. I loved it.   

Any favorite local theaters?

I love going to the Geffen Theatre. A friend of mine runs the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center—I just saw Chaz Shepherd do his play about Donny Hathaway there. It was brilliant. That space is amazing.

What’s your favorite moment in Moulin Rouge!?

For my character, it’s the scene in Satine’s dressing room after everyone’s gone except Christian and her. He’s telling her that the duke is going to be there—he doesn’t suspect anything’s going on, but then he realizes Christian’s there not for the reason he needs him to be. In that moment, you see a turnaround—that Zidler can be a very dangerous man. One thing that sticks in my head from Danny [Burstein, who originated Harold Zidler] and Alex [Timbers, who directed the Broadway musical] is that Zidler is a showman, but a desperate man. There’s a dangerous side to him. 

 What’s your favorite musical mashup in the show?

The opening. You’re setting up the world so that by the time you get to the other mashups, you’re in it. That’s the thing about this show — it’s so alive.  

Tell me about the company you started with Michael Feinstein.

Michael’s manager, Jason Winter, had been listening to some of my music from The Young and the Restless. I sent him a reel, and Michael—who’s a genius—loved it. He knows Gershwin backward and forwards, and I realized he has so much to say too. I wanted to write with him and get some of his stories out. They thought that was a good idea, so Michael and I have been writing together, and now we’ve started this company; we’re writing for TV and film now. 

So you’re a singer, songwriter and actor. Which role do you identify with most?

I identify with songwriter most, but it's “slash-actor" (laughs)

OK, rapid fire round! I want you to answer these questions with the first thing that comes to your mind.

OK! 

First Broadway show?

Dreamgirls.

Most embarrassing onstage blooper?

I fell asleep during “The Lion King,” when I had my arms up and everyone turned around. I was still asleep, standing up, facing the wrong direction.

Wait, I have to ask you about that: How do you fall asleep on stage during a show?!

I was so exhausted because I had just been in rehearsals, and in “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” we're in these costumes, and at the very end, everybody turns around slowly and puts their arms out. I fell asleep with my arms up. And a friend of mine was like, “Turn around!”  

That's crazy. You must have been really tired. Okay, back to the questions. Go-to karaoke song?

Bonnie Raitt,  “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Favorite pre-show snack?

General Tso’s chicken.

Dream role?

My dream role hasn’t been created yet. I want an original role.

If you could steal something from the Moulin Rouge set or wardrobe department, what would it be?

Oh, it would definitely be my Zidler jacket.

Thank you so much, Bobby. This was such a fun conversation! Break a leg in the show!

Thank you! 

Moulin Rouge! The Musical plays at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts Oct. 28–Nov. 2 before heading to the Hollywood Pantages Nov. 4–16. 

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