Review: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL Returns to OC’s Segerstrom Center

There are only a handful of stage musicals I have seen in my lifetime that have inspired me to reevaluate my initial reaction about them, only to later find myself loving them even more the second time around. Well, I'm happy to report that I have added another show to that short list.  

After making a light splash when it first visited the OC back in 2022, MOULIN ROUGE! - THE MUSICAL—the dazzling, Tony Award-winning 2019 Broadway stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's groundbreaking 2001 movie musical—is back full throttle at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for a limited week-long engagement that continues through November 2, 2025 (the show then travels an hour north to Los Angeles' Hollywood Pantages Theatre for performances running November 4-16, 2025).

Much like that original tour's first appearance in Southern California (and, really, across the country), this vibrant, high-octane, gorgeous-looking musical extravaganza continues to be an overwhelming spectacle for the senses, plunging mesmerized audiences inside a pop music-infused jukebox musical on caffeinated steroids and maybe a dash of absinthe. 

While I certainly found the show genuinely entertaining and aesthetically pleasing the first time around, I admit that it did not, personally, make much of a significant impact for me at the time. In fact, in my initial published reaction to the show, I described MOULIN ROUGE - THE MUSICAL as simply just "big, bright, loud, and curiously titillating." 

That seems to still be the case here in its too-brief OC return, but now the show just feels excitingly different somehow. Though still very much leaning into its embedded, amped-up energy, the show does feel more self-assured and maybe even a little cockier with age, as if its organized chaos has settled nicely into pure, unapologetic fun that overwhelms you into submission. The show even embraces its melodramatic aspects as sources for comedy, too, transforming the show into an even more enjoyable, viscerally entertaining musical comedy sprinkled with bits of high drama. 

Though I cannot be sure if there have been any significant changes made to it since the musical was last here, I don't remember ever laughing, smiling, or being touched this much the first time I saw the show. 

On the surface, this stage adaptation still offers a seemingly non-stop cavalcade of theatrical treats, from its colorful sets crafted by Derek McClane and exquisite Steampunk/Guilded Age-inspired costumes designed by Catherine Zuber, to its impressively innovative lighting designed by Justin Townsend and, of course, its expanded playlist of hits that offer even more musical earworms that span across different genres. Though the songs don't share much connective tissue between them except for matching character/situational thoughts and upholding its "entire vibe" of mesmerizing the audience into awed surrender, they’re a lot of fun to hear one after another. And though the existing narrative—provided by John Logan's serviceable book—is still predictable and paper thin, the show's sharp dialogue provides some genuinely amusing lines that adequately fill in the less dynamic non-musical moments.

Experiencing MOULIN ROUGE! now years later, the show is even more impressive than ever, and, more importantly, it doesn't merely feel like another style-over-substance kind of musical when approached with a mindset of wanting to just have some escapist fun at the theater. 

But perhaps it's because of its more overtly-displayed passion exuded by this renewed tour (and its new players) that has helped change my thoughts. Or maybe it's the volatile real-world environment that we are in now that has propped up our affections for this show's nostalgic, more hopeful themes as more important and needed than ever. 

Fueled by heightened histrionic emotions, cheeky line deliveries, outrageous vignettes, Sonya Tayeh's dynamic dance numbers that wow with every move, and a fresh pair of leads that showcase some of the best vocal work I've ever heard on this stage, this second go-round of the show's national tour is, simply put, a helluva good time.

I do have two words everyone needs to remember: John Cardoza.

Fans of the show may already know that name, but this talented actor—who earlier this year concluded his run in the very same role in the Broadway production —made a very welcome surprise appearance playing the lead character Christian during the OC Opening Night performance with no prior announcement or, unfortunately, even an inserted "At This Performance" bio in the program to confirm it (I really wish all theaters would give proper, more blatant due and acknowledgment when these substitutions occur). It took me going to the lobby and seeing Cardoza's name on the official current cast board to finally confirm who it is that is guesting in the lead for opening night. 

Be that as it may, the incredible Cardoza nonetheless blessed the opening night audience, in my opinion, with one of the best, richly textured musical theater vocal performances to ever grace this stage. Equipped with a searing, emotionally-affecting stage presence that is punctuated with a beautiful singing voice that's marked by flawless control and gorgeous, buttery-smooth riffs that—forgive me for saying—gave me ear-gasms throughout the evening, this guy refashioned what could have easily been just a very standard-issue romantic lead role into a very memorable, endearing one that earned our collective affections. Seriously, I was so impressed with his amazing take on Christian that I ended up doing a late-into-the-night deep dive into his past performances on YouTube once I returned home later that evening. 

Though I was initially looking forward to seeing one of my theatre faves Jay Armstrong Johnson in the lead role (he's still listed in the program playing Christian), getting Cardoza—a proven excellent Christian direct from Broadway—here to the OC was indeed a lovely surprise that clearly wowed us all. He is scheduled to reprise the role in Costa Mesa again Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday while usual understudy Luke Monday (whom I remember seeing play Captain America/Steve Rogers in the short-lived ROGERS - THE MUSICAL stage show at Disney California Adventure a few years ago) will be playing Christian on Thursday and Friday to give his hometown crowd some love, too.       

Those familiar with this show's original cinematic inspiration will remember that the musical is physically set in Paris at the turn of the 20th Century, but with a palpable modern-flavored story that centers around the aforementioned Christian, a young, moody, idealistic American songwriter who arrives in Montmartre from Ohio and meets fellow bohemian artists Toulouse-Lautrec (the fab Jahi Kearse) and Santiago (the seductive Danny Burgos) and agree to collab on creating a brand new musical that upholds their ideals of "truth, beauty, freedom, and love."

Meanwhile, at Paris' famed Moulin Rouge—the popular but financially struggling club in the city run by bawdy showman Harold Zidler (the hilarious Robert Petkoff)—things are looking grim despite all the mirth and scantily-clad fun. Hoping to keep the doors open, Zidler convinces his star performer Satine (the gorgeous Ariana Rosario) to, uh, seduce the sinister but wealthy Duke of Monroth (the deliciously menacing Andrew Brewer) into investing in the club.

Spearheaded by an initial case of mistaken identity, Christian—hoping to score an audition for him and his friends—meets then proceeds to fall in love with Satine, who, for her part, initially thinks Christian is the Duke that she was tasked to seduce, feigning instead that he’s part of a collective that wants to put on a spectacular new show at the club with the Duke attached as its benevolent patron. 

As expected, Satine gets swept up in Christian's dreamy notions and romantic overtures. I mean, with that singing voice, who wouldn't? 

We then watch as their love blossoms amid the creatively chaotic process of creating a new show, which is, of course, threatened constantly by the sadistic and controlling Duke, who has agreed to finance both the club's survival and its brand new show in exchange for Satine's affections. Naturally, Christian and Satine must agree to pretend not to be lovers to keep the lights on. 

Sadly, we soon learn—spoiler alert for those unfamiliar with the film—that Satine has been concealing a progressively worsening illness, all while she and Christian struggle to keep their romance, um, alive (and hidden from the public) while the Moulin Rouge cabaret's future—and their own personal dreams—hang in the balance. Along the way, there are adorable rooftop serenades, seductive tangoes, and lots and lots of can-can-can-ing.

If you're hoping to get your money's worth from a big Broadway musical spectacle, this dazzling stage show is just what you need.

What continues to be undeniable about MOULIN ROUGE! - THE MUSICAL is that the show is purposely designed to be a mesmerizing triumph of theatrical excess—embracing the spirit of Luhrmann's original "spectacular spectacular" while reimagining it for the stage with even more arresting showmanship, louder thrills, and bolder creativity. 

The production's visual grandeur—courtesy of McLane's lavish set, Zuber's sumptuous costumes, and Townsend's electric, visually compelling lighting—turns its host theater into a living, vibrant nightclub, pulsating (and bass-thumping) with exuberant life and intriguing decadence. 

Director Alex Timbers effectively amplifies this immersive, communally joyful experience, blending cinematic flair with a theatricality that only a big, loud, Broadway musical can deliver in all its allowable parameters. From its thrilling opening number of "Lady Marmalade" to the bombastic finalé that (literally) blasts the audience with confetti, the show triggers inescapable sensory overload and euphoric responses.

Is it all a bit much? Sure. But is it fun? Heck ya.

But what distinguishes this stage version from the movie besides its eye-popping visuals is its cheeky musical evolution. This adaptation exponentially expands from the film's early-2000s soundtrack into a postmodern collage of popular songs spanning decades, cleverly re-contextualizing familiar lyrics into new emotional frameworks—sometimes hilariously so, to the point that each new song is met with a collective chuckle from the audience, regardless of whether the scene is happy or sad (the trick works so well, it's the same one used by another fun jukebox musical, & JULIET, which happened to have played this same stage just weeks ago). 

The show now features an even larger pop-infused score than its original source material, weaving together over 70 (!) contemporary songs—which includes snippets of hits from Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Adele to Elton John, Outkast, and David Bowie—that all help to transform the show's version of the real life Moulin Rouge into a sensory explosion of color, sound, and visual splendor.

This pastiche both delights and overwhelms—at times serving character and story beautifully (as in "Elephant Love Medley" or "Crazy Rolling"), and at other times threatening to drown narrative nuance beneath its high-gloss medley structure. But the latter seems forgivable if it means hearing a hit song reprised in a new clever, witty way—which clearly no one seems to mind at all.

Of course, there is no denying that the show's strengths lie not with its narrative (perfectly passable, if a bit substantially thin), but with its musical performances—performed with incendiary high energy by a super-talented cast of ridiculously attractive triple threats, which are already on display even before the show begins, thanks to the show's use of a pre-show that finds cast member gyrating and interacting as audience members slowly make their way to their seats.

But emotionally, the true heart of MOULIN ROUGE - THE MUSICAL lies in its central romantic tragedy and its bohemian aspirations, even if some may argue that beneath all that glitter and glitz, the show sacrifices depth for spectacle. For many, Christian and Satine's love affair may feel archetypal rather than deeply intimate, relying heavily on its soapy, melodramatic machinations rather than psychological complexity. But in the grand scheme of things, the show sells this and all of its heart-tugging qualities with the mutual understanding that we are all savvy to what's happening here. 

It helps, too, that the performers' undeniable charisma—particularly in beautiful-sounding leads Cardoza and Rosario—infuses the piece with sincerity and pathos that transcend its highly stylized surface.

Ultimately, MOULIN ROUGE! - THE MUSICAL succeeds as an unabashed celebration of winking artifice and searing emotion, a pop-culture-scented love letter to stagecraft and musical theater itself. It's a feast for the senses and a spicy party with a broken heart—where every glittering note reminds the audience of the bittersweet beauty of living for love and living for the love of art.

If the show didn't wow you first time around, you need to experience it again and maybe fall in love with it, too.

* Follow this reviewer on Bluesky  / Instagram / Threads / X: @cre8iveMLQ *

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Photos from the National Tour of MOULIN ROUGE - THE MUSiCAL by © Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman by MurphyMade, courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Performances of MOULIN ROUGE - THE MUSiCAL continue at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA through November 2, 2025. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am). Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For tickets or more information, visit SCFTA.org. 

The musical will also play The Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles from November 4 - 16, 2025.

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

9.4% of votes

2. ORIGINALS (The Gardenia Club)

9% of votes

3. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

4.5% of votes

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