Review: MOULIN ROUGE! at Wharton Center is a Sensory Feast Unlike Anything Mid-Michigan Has Seen

“Hello, chickens!” So says Robert Petkoff’s character Harold Zidler as the ensemble of Moulin Rouge! The Musical opens up their Tony-winning show at Wharton Center. From now through April 14th, Moulin Rouge! will astound audiences with the pure extravaganza and spicy love story that is explored through the duration of the show. After opening in 2019 on Broadway, Moulin Rouge! went on to win 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and notably Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, and Best Costume Design. 

Based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film of the same name, Moulin Rouge! is, at its core, a fateful love story that takes place at the turn of the 20th century in Paris. The main characters are Christian, an American composer, who becomes entangled with and falls in love with Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge, the legendary cabaret. 

The musical makes use of some original numbers as well as popular music from the last several decades, weaving these such pop songs together to make unique, show stopping moments. (Perhaps the best example of this is the act one finale, “Elephant Love Medley,” where the harmonies of lead actors Gabrielle McClinton and Christian Douglas bounce off each other and soar into the stratosphere.) 

If you’ve ever seen photos or videos of the original Broadway production, one thing you may be concerned about (and rightfully so) is how such a grand production could possibly be replicated on tour. Rest assured that this tour has not skimped on the elements that make Moulin Rouge! on Broadway the spectacle that it is. While this tour may not have the giant windmill and elephant on either side of the stage or the runway that leads into the orchestra, audiences will undoubtedly be surprised by the sheer quantity of sets, props and elaborate costuming in every scene. (And in this case, large quantity does not equate to lesser quality.) The amount of eye candy the tour packs into its 2 hours is among the most impressive I’ve ever seen at Wharton Center. Greater Lansing audiences genuinely have never experienced anything as grand as Moulin Rouge! before in mid-Michigan. 

On top of “Elephant Love Medley,” other iconic moments from Moulin Rouge! include, but certainly aren’t limited to, the opening number, “The Sparkling Diamond” performed by McClinton (Satine), “Backstage Romance,” “El Tango De Roxanne” performed by Douglas (Christian), and “Crazy Rolling”. These orchestrations will have you thinking about them for days and weeks and months after seeing the show. (Up until I saw the show in East Lansing this week, I’ve longed for the live orchestrations that I heard last year when I saw this spectacle on Broadway.) This cannot be replicated simply by listening to the cast album; you need the bass pounding in your ears and the live vocals blasting your face off to fully grasp the experience of Moulin Rouge! 

And when these songs are combined with the complicated dance numbers and delicious costuming, Moulin Rouge! is a never-ending feast for the senses.

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Tickets for Moulin Rouge! are on sale now at Wharton Center's official ticketing outlets: online at whartoncenter.com, at the official Wharton Center Ticket
Office, or by calling 1-800-WHARTON.

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