In 2001, the jukebox musical passionate drama film “Moulin Rouge” – directed, co-developed, and co-published by Baz Luhrmann – was produced and dazzled moviegoers with its stylized generation and captivating concept.
Almost 20 decades afterwards, Luhrmann’s more than-the-best visuals and musical mosaic has been translated to the phase, and it is even additional dazzling live.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” received 10 Tony Awards in 2021 like Greatest Musical, two Drama League Awards such as Superb Production of a Musical, five Drama Desk Awards and 10 Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations like New Broadway Musical.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” opened to vital acclaim at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in the summer season of 2019 but like all Broadway shows shut down at the commence of the pandemic in March 2020. The present reopened in September 2021, adopted by a touring output that opened November 9 at Segerstrom Centre and operates by way of November 17.
The New York Occasions named the present “Spectacular! Euphoric!” The New York Put up deemed the exhibit “a wonderful new musical. The higher starts the immediate you stroll into the theatre.” And Amusement Weekly claimed “it’s effortless to believe that ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ could run for 50 a long time.”
As the push materials for the clearly show states, “Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping surplus, of glitz, grandeur and glory! A environment exactly where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Pop the champagne and prepare for the spectacular…Baz Luhrmann’s iconic movie arrives to daily life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ is a theatrical celebration of Truth, Elegance, Liberty, and – earlier mentioned all – Adore. ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ is a lot more than a musical it is a state of intellect.”
If you saw Luhrmann’s most current motion picture musical, the biopic “Elvis” launched very last summer season, you are going to be reminded of what’s in keep for audiences in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” though “Elvis” is not just about as visually extravagant nor musically numerous.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” celebrates above 160 years of new music, from Offenbach to Lady Gaga. The phase musical options numerous of the legendary tunes from the motion picture, and also involves the latest hits released given that the movie premiered 20 several years back.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” characteristics a great deal of dancing. A great deal. Just talk to Justin Keats.
Keats is the Assistant Dance Captain and Swing of the Initially Nationwide Tour of “Moulin Rouge!”
So what is a Dance Captain and a Swing?
A Dance Captain is a member of the firm liable for overseeing and keeping the creative standards of all choreography and musical staging in a creation. This can incorporate producing positive all associates of the ensemble are undertaking the choreography accurately, and being ready to show places of the choreography for the rest of the ensemble
A Swing is accountable for understudying multiple ensemble tracks in a demonstrate. The range of tracks relies upon on the measurement and diversity of the ensemble. When a swing goes on in position of the frequent company member, they have to execute the keep track of accurately.
“Being a Swing in this present is a wild time but in the most effective way,” confessed Keats. “As a swing I protect 9 ensemble members. We use ‘flats’ and ‘heels’ to describe characters and artists, I address 9 flats so I know 9 variations of the display, and so far I have been on for 8 of them.”
And as assistant Dance Captain, Keats said “I am in demand keeping and upholding the integrity of the display from a dance perspective, which involves rehearsing new members, offering notes, serving to put men and women into the show—basically producing the clearly show run from a dance viewpoint.”
Thankfully for Keats, he had great dance teaching. He acquired his BFA in Dance Efficiency from the University of California, Irvine in 2011. He danced at Disneyland all through his time in college—school by day and dancing at evening.
Many thanks to Disney he was equipped to get his Fairness card, which developed his self-confidence to test out for other displays. His credits involve the musicals “Escape to Margaritaville” and “Damn Yankees,” as effectively as the Radio City Christmas Impressive in New York.
The course of action for auditioning and booking “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” was demanding.
“I auditioned in February and March 2020 for the Broadway present and the tour at the same time,” recalled Keats. “I obtained all the way to ultimate callbacks when the shutdowns occurred. I did not hear everything right up until June of 2020, when they instructed me after they had dates they would announce what was going on and there would perhaps be a element for me on the tour.”
Just one 12 months afterwards his agent identified as and said he was remaining provided the purpose of Swing on the nationwide tour, which was beginning in January 2022 but due to a Covid surge got pushed back.
Keats saved chaotic in the course of the Covid hiatus.
“I did a grab bag combine of issues,” reported Keats. “I taught for a Pilates health and fitness course on the internet and then in person when it was safe to do so, and I worked for my dad’s enterprise performing cultural enrichment on-line, and then smaller theater chances as they arose which include Norwegian Cruise Line. And I did a large amount of yoga—it held me sane and bodily ready to do this show.”
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is in truth physically demanding, explained Keats.
“Doing this display is like jumping on a roller coaster and using a trip. The adrenaline hurry, the fear, the exhilaration, the joy. It is a blast.”
Keats agreed that the stage version is as stylized as the film.
“There are some wonderful gentle improvements, and you are pulled into the established in a amazing way,” spelled out Keats. “We make audiences really feel truly warm and force you to seem at us. We hold the motor running with excellent music and extraordinary dancing, and the characters are so whole and warm and heartfelt, you just cannot aid but be energized by it.”
“The way the music are strung alongside one another is definitely enjoyment,” additional Keats. Audiences are getting an extraordinary time, we get waves of applause.”
Keats is naturally fired up to be back again in Orange County and having his dance academics from UCI go to the display. And his dad and mom, who are living in Dana Level. He’ll get to stay with them instead of his usual lodge home.
“I hope to commit time at lifeguard tower 15 in Laguna Beach front like I did increasing up,” claimed Keats.
In the meantime, he’s expending his time dancing in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.”
For tickets, go to www.SCFTA.org or contact the box office at (714) 556-2787.
For extra facts on “Moulin Rouge!” stop by www.MoulinRougeMusical.com.
